Now, if you’ve lived in Florida for a while you’ve probably seen at least a few roaches in your home. Be they big, small, or the dreaded “palmetto bug”. But today we’re not talking about a roach species that are particularly large. Nor are we talking about a roach species that are particularly unique among roaches. No, we’re talking about German cockroach control today. And why? Well, they just happen to be some of the most prolific infesting pests on the face of the earth, and that’s no different in the sunshine state.
And just as a heads up, this is “the” cockroach. When you see one in your home, it’s more likely that it will be a German cockroach than any other species. They’re the infesters that give most other roaches who prefer the outdoors a bad name. They occur in structures throughout the entirety of Florida and plague millions of homes and families in the state.
German Cockroach Control: Overview
To start, let’s go over their looks at a glance. German cockroaches are light brown to tan in coloring and have two dark, parallel stripes that run down the length of their back. The females tend to be darker in coloration. Size-wise, these are far from the biggest pests out there. Look for half-inch to three-quarter-inch roaches when checking to see if they’re specifically German cockroaches.
These bugs prefer to live in humid, warm spaces near food and water sources. They’re found frequently in residential and commercial kitchens, as well as bathrooms. These are the two most likely places for an infestation to begin, thanks to easy access to food and water. It’s also likely that you’ll find droppings in areas they frequent.
This is a voracious pest, and disgustingly they just sort of…poop as they go. Their droppings appear as small, dark, “pepper-like” material that’s usually left on countertops, under sinks, and in drawers. Unfortunately, fecal staining is another good sign of this roach. These stains appear as dark spots or smears in the corners of rooms, along the tops of doors, or around small cracks and openings into and out of your wall.
Distribution
German Cockroach Control is no easy feat. And one of the biggest reasons for that is just how invasive this pest is. Pretty much, anywhere humans are, this roach can be found. In fact, they are unable to survive in locations away from humans and human activity. And the major factor that limited their spread is simply cold temperatures. Studies have shown that German cockroaches were unable to colonize inactive ships during cool temperatures and could not survive in homes without central heating in northern climates. The availability of water, food, and harborage also governs the ability of German cockroaches to establish populations and limit growth.
German Cockroach Control: Habits
Now, not everyone in the world needs to know the ins and outs of this bug. But information is key when you’re battling an infestation. So let’s cover some of the habits of this pest. German roaches show a preference for warm and human places, showing why they have such an affinity for Florida. As mentioned above, this can also explain why kitchens and bathrooms are also favorite spots of this insect.
They can infest anywhere that has ample food or drink, however. This can include dining rooms, living rooms, dens, and even bedrooms. Eating in bed is already a bad habit, and if this doesn’t get you to stop I’m not quite sure what will! Any crack or crevice in your wall can lead to a cockroach nest if it’s near food. These pests can fit through an opening as small as three-eights of an inch in width.
These roaches are supremely talented hitchhikers. They find their way into new structures by hitching rides in grocery bags, boxes, drink cartons, and secondhand appliances. They have even been observed to migrate between buildings on warm evenings. And though the behavior is uncommon, these roaches can actually survive for short periods outdoors during warmer months.
And this is anything but a picky eater. German cockroaches have a very expansive palate and will feed on almost anything with any nutritional value. This includes all kinds of foods, as well as soap, glue, and toothpaste. Activity periods vary depending on life state, age, and physiology. For example, reproducing females are very active. On the other side of the coin, males spend the majority of their time hiding away.
Prevention Tips
When it comes to German cockroach control, prevention is always going to be preferable than dealing with an established infestation. And the best way to avoid infestation all together is to practice good sanitation and cleaning habits. Maintain a clean kitchen by cleaning up crumbs, wiping up spills, and vacuuming often. Don’t let dirty dishes pile up in your sink, wash them as soon as you’re finished with them. Too many times has a dirty sink become an infested home in short order.
Also, seal all entrances and holes in your home. Especially around things like utility pipes that go to the outside. And make sure to ventilate crawl spaces to prevent the buildup of moisture. These roaches can pump out up to six generations a year, so getting them dealt with as soon as possible is vital in controlling them. Sticky traps may help deal with some of the problems, but the use of those is a coin flip. You’ll likely catch just as many nonpests and risk getting it on something like your pet or your kids, and then you have to dispose of the trap covered with corpses in such a way that you don’t simply reintroduce that food back to the roaches.
But if you have a real infestation in your home, make sure to call a pest control specialist asap. This is not the kind of pest a layman can remove. Nor will they go away if you start cleaning up your house and sanitizing after they’ve already infested. All it takes is one leaky pipe behind your walls to sustain a population of these things for an uncomfortable amount of time.
