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Dover Cockroach Control   arrow

As someone who lives in the area myself, I can tell you how vital Dover cockroach control is. I mean, that goes for the whole state. But Tampa Bay and the Bay Area are some of the worst hotbeds for roaches in the country. A HUD project found that up to forty percent of houses in Tampa bay report infestations yearly.

Dover Cockroach Control: Overview

Cockroaches are some of the most prolific infesters in the world today. That’s why we’ll cover a handful of species here, and figure out how best to identify them, and create an action plan to move forward. Then we’ll finish off with some tips on how to keep your house roach-free, or at least reduce their numbers.

The German Cockroach

This species of roach is one that most people in America have seen at some point. They have six legs, are roughly oval-shaped. In coloration, they’re light brown to tan, with two parallel dark stripes that are located behind their head and run down their backs. This is a smaller roach species, averaging half an inch to five eights of an inch long. Females tend to be darker than males, with their nymphs being dark brown to black with the same stripes as the adults.

German cockroaches prefer humid, warm places close to food and water.  They show a preference for warm and humid places and are usually found in both residential and commercial kitchens as well as bathrooms. German cockroaches can infest anywhere in the home, though, especially where people eat and drink. In homes, this can be your living room, den, dining rooms, or even your bedrooms. Any crack located near a source of food or water can house german cockroaches, and they can fit through a gap less than half an inch in width. These pests are great hitchhikers and infesters. If you have roaches, make these your first guess.

Palmetto Bugs

Up next we have a creature of legend. If you live in or around Florida, then you’ll have heard of them. The mysterious palmetto bugs. Biggest roaches ever, or urban legend? Well, it’s a little of both. The real palmetto bug is the humble Florida Woods Cockroach. This is an easy-going leaf-litter pest that lives in palm fronds and doesn’t really infest your home. Instead, what most people see and assume is a palmetto bug is actually the American Cockroach most of the time. Adults of this species can be over three inches long, however, so they’re intimidating whether or not they’re creatures of myth.

Both males and females of this species can fly, and the wings develop when they enter adulthood. These bugs mostly live outdoors and aren’t super prolific infesters of human homes. They prefer warm and damp areas such as flower and mulch beds. They live in trees as well, which further leads to confusion and mistaken identity with the Florida Woods Cockroach. Outdoors they mostly feed on leaves, tiny particles of wood, algae, and fungi. They also eat smaller insects. But when they get in your home their diet changes.

These pests forage under your appliances, in your drains, and in kitchen cabinets, and across the floor. They eat crumbs, scraps of food, spilled drinks, and pretty much anything they can find that’s left out. This includes improperly stored or left-in-the-bowl overnight pet food. On average the females lay about sixteen eggs that they protect with an egg sack. When the eggs hatch, they come out of the capsule and begin to forage. They shed their skin, and become full adults in as little as five months and begin to breed themselves. Their size alone would have me running for some Dover Cockroach Control!

 Asian Cockroaches

And finally, the other most common infester among Florida roaches. In fact, it’s also the other most commonly confused for the Palmetto bug. We have the Asian cockroach, which is about thirteen to sixteen millimeters long and very similar in appearance to the German cockroach. They have the ability to fly and will mainly infest outdoor locations like sheds and garages.

Asian cockroaches are mainly found outdoors thankfully, near grassy areas and mulch beds, as well as compost piles. They’re lovers of leaf litter, yard debris, logs, rocks, and clutter in general. If they move inside, many times its due to being attracted by the lights.

This isn’t a hyper prolific infester, but it can get inside quite often. They’re omnivores who feed on nearly any available food source, so once they’re in they’ll be more than happy to stay. And they’re intense breeders, reaching population peaks mostly in the spring and summer months.

Dover Cockroach Control: Roach Tips

Now, these are thankfully pests that can be dealt with, within a reasonable degree, by a layman. There are plenty of steps you can take to deal with an infestation like this. And to begin? Cleanliness. Good sanitation is going to be the number one way to keep roaches out of your home. A bug with no place to eat or sleep is a bug that’ll either leave or die.

And when you clean, focus on the kitchen first. Never, ever leave food out overnight. Wash your dishes the second you’re finished with them, and then the sink needs a good scrubbing down to keep the pests gone after.  These are survivalists of the highest order, and even dried soda in the bottom of your sink can keep them sustained and fed.

Finally, limit where you eat. Don’t walk around your house and snack. Don’t eat food in your bed. Crumbs that you don’t notice can keep a roach colony going in perpetuity. Eating in one place not only makes cleaning up better and easier for you, but it also reduces the amount of food for the roaches. And when you’re done eating, make sure to store all food in sealed containers. Roaches can fit inside the openings of cardboard packaging and the like, so reusable, washable Tupper wear and similar containers are the best, with a locking lid.