Why Do I Have Cockroaches? How to Deal With Cockroach Infestations

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cockroach next to a piece of bread

All it takes is one. Just happen upon one small roach scurrying across your countertops and then try to tell me you’re perfectly okay going back in that kitchen to open a cabinet, let alone try and cook a meal. There’s just something about spotting a roach that disrupts your very psyche. Perhaps it’s their long antennae, or their hard-bodied shells, or maybe it’s the simple fact that they come and go in the blink of an eye, making them virtually impossible to trap. But once you see a roach, it can’t be unseen. So it’s time to find out why they’re invading in the first place and what you can do to unburden yourself from a cockroach infestation.

WHY YOU HAVE ROACHES 

Many people believe that roaches are born from filthy, unkempt homes, and while this can be the case, it is certainly not a steadfast rule. Even some of the most meticulously-cleaned homes experience roach problems at some time or another. This is due largely to that fact that roaches are an incredibly crafty species. They move about by scuttling, flying, walking upside down, and even flattening their bodies to fit into tiny wall crevices.

However, there are definitely a few things that can attract roaches into your home, perhaps unbeknownst to you.

THE ALLURE OF FOOD

The number one attractant for roaches is food. But you’d be surprised how many different things a roach considers food. Human food, pet food, cardboard, old books, hair, and even decaying matter could suffice as a completely acceptable meal for a roach. They are the polar opposite of picky eaters and are known for eating virtually anything available to them. But their absolute favorite dishes would be of the organic food variety and include things like sweets, meats, and starches, so be sure to keep your food storage items tightly sealed. If you come across a roach in one of your food items, dispose of the food immediately. Roaches are known for causing allergic reactions in people suffering from asthma, as well as for carrying diseases such as dysentery, cholera, and typhoid fever, among others.

And although roaches enjoy an organic food meal, they are extremely low-maintenance pests, and can sufficiently survive on water alone for several months at a time.  Now that’s an easy dinner guest.

Too bad no one invited him.

WHERE ROACHES CONGREGATE

Cockroaches prefer to live out of sight in damp, dark places such as garages, basements, or any otherwise uninhabited places. They thrive near water, so anywhere pipes enter your home through walls, floors, backs of cabinets, or behind washers and dryers, is prime breeding ground for these water-loving pests.

If you’re struggling with a roach problem, one of the first things you’ll want to do is tape off any gaps between piping and walls to keep these areas dry and less inviting. For more extreme infestations, you may want to consider a better insulating method such as T.A.P. Insulation, which contains an environmentally-safe pesticide solution that kills off pests that have entered the structure of your home.

SIGNS OF A ROACH INFESTATION 

As we mentioned, roaches are crafty creatures, so it’s very likely you’ll never come across them in full form. What you may come across, however, are the clues they often leave behind. Roach droppings, for example, are a common sign of a cockroach infestation. These dark droppings are small and similar in appearance to coffee grounds or black pepper. You may also come across unhatched eggs or their casings, which have a long, rounded appearance and are brownish in color. And if you have a particularly sizable infestation, it’s not uncommon to spot a dead roach.

HOW TO STOP YOUR ROACH PROBLEM

Because roaches are infamous for disappearing so quickly, they are extremely difficult to trap. The best way to get rid of cockroaches is by contacting a NYC roach exterminator, who will use a bait technology to mitigate roach infestations. The bait contains a food attractant that’s combined with abamectin, a highly-effective insecticide, and is far superior to any DIY roach control methods.

So save yourself the headache of trying to trap these transformer-like pests and leave it to the professionals.

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