Did you enjoy watching the Summer Olympic Games as much as I did? Wow! There were some fantastic performances on the track, in the pool, on the beam, and on the beach (A little bit of Southern California in the heart of London!). Even after a hard day’s work battling bugs, I couldn’t wait to turn on the television each night to watch!
I might be a little biased, but I think our team of pest management professionals at Western Exterminator stands on top of the podium when it comes to keeping your home or business pest-free.
There is a pest; however, that pre-dates even the first Olympic Games in ancient Greece – the cockroach! Scientists estimate cockroaches have been around for several hundred million years – talk about over staying your welcome!
Western Exterminator’s Service Technicians have long competed against this nasty little pest who can be as sneaky and cagey as they come! And they certainly do not merit a medal of any kind!
There are several species of cockroaches that Western Exterminator customers in Arizona, California and Nevada may encounter in their kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms or their favorite restaurant. Yuk! The species include the American, Brownbanded, German and Oriental cockroaches.
These filth eating pests like the dark and stay out of sight during the day, preferring to take their journey to forage for food at night where they can work undisturbed, and they hope, unnoticed.
Cockroaches take harborage in warm, dark and humid spaces. Small cracks and crevices commonly found in and around kitchens, food preparation and storage areas, inside machinery and equipment, furniture, and even light fixtures are ideal hiding spots for cockroaches.
In a commercial kitchen, one of our most important tools is a screwdriver. That’s right; you have to get inside the equipment and behind the metal siding on the walls to really get in touch with the areas where the cockroaches like to call home.
Cockroaches measure between ½ inch and 2 1/8 inches in length depending on the species, and they are prolific breeders! For example, the female brownbanded cockroach will produce 14 egg cases each carrying 18 eggs. Add in her offspring doing the same, and well, you do math on that one and you’ll see what I’m talking about!
With their single-minded focus on finding easily attainable food and water sources, cockroaches will eat about just anything. From bread crumbs in a toaster to garbage and sewage, cockroaches aren’t picky!
As a result of their aggressive foraging habits, cockroaches can live in a variety of environments and thus pose a serious health threat. Cockroaches can carry bacteria, parasitic worms and other human pathogens which they are more than willing to share with you!
How do cockroaches transmit these potentially harmful bacteria and pathogens? They can pick up the germs on the spines of their legs and bodies as they crawl through decaying matter, sewage or feces, and transport these harmful germs on to food or food preparation surfaces (i.e. kitchen counters, cutting boards, etc.).
How do you prevent cockroaches from becoming a problem? Here are some helpful tips you can follow:
- Keep food in sealed containers in your pantry or cupboards; clean the cupboards out on a regular basis.
- Make sure to clean up food spills, dispose of leftover food properly, and do not leave opened packages of food (i.e. cookies, candy, etc.) in desk drawers, etc.
- Eliminate excess moisture sources including leaky faucets and insulate pipes to reduce condensation.
- Be sure to empty garbage cans and dumpsters on a regular basis.
- Keep storage areas clear of debris and clutter to eliminate cockroach hiding places.
- Inspect products you bring into your home for any signs of cockroaches. They could be hiding in the packaging!
Eliminating cockroaches from your home’s kitchen or a food storage warehouse is not an easy task. A thorough inspection by a trained professional is required to properly identify the source of the infestation, harborage locations and the cockroach species present.
If you have a commercial facility, our Registered Sanitarians, who have the same credentials as your local health inspector, or any of our Service Specialists, can assist you in assessing the pest control issues which could affect your business. One customer seeing one cockroach is all it takes to damage your brand.
The pest management professionals at Western Exterminator are experts in cockroach control. We have the tools, knowledge and proven management techniques to eliminate cockroaches for good.
Do you have questions about cockroaches? If so, I want to hear from you. You can send me an e-mail at AskMrLittle@WesternExterminator.com. I’ll be sure to get back to you right away with an answer.
Until next time, thanks for making Western Exterminator Company “The Final Word in Pest Control®.”
Have a pest free day.
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