There are a lot of cockroaches in the world. Fortunately, only a few of them are considered household pests. But the roaches that do make themselves a pest are no small threat to a family. Cockroaches are linked to the spread of several human pathogens and are mechanical vectors for harmful bacteria.

Of all the pest cockroaches we deal with, German cockroaches are the worst. Why? Because these roaches are tiny. An immature nymph is so small it can fit through the holes of an electrical outlet. So you shouldn’t be surprised when you find these roaches in your home. It doesn’t take much of an entry point in your exterior walls or foundation to let these tiny roaches squeeze in.

Do you have German cockroaches?

Let’s start by making sure the roaches you’re seeing in your home are actually German cockroaches. It is actually easy to distinguish this type of roach from other roaches. They are tan in color with two dark stripes behind their head. And they are one of the smallest roaches that will get into your home.

How do German cockroaches get in?

While German cockroaches can enter your home through any tiny hole, there are some common locations they target. If you inspect these areas and seal things up, you can make it slightly more difficult for these insects to invade.

If you have a crawl space under your home, inspect it for damage done by wood-destroying pests such as carpenter ants, mice, and rats. German roaches will encroach upon a home in secluded locations and exploit holes made by other pests.
If you have a garage, inspect the door sweep to make sure it has a good seal all the way across. Roaches are prone to breaching garage doors.
Roaches are drawn to shaded, moist areas around the foundation perimeter of a home. When they come into these areas, they often exploit gaps around plumbing and electrical conduit. Plumbing pipes are also a common superhighway for roaches when they get inside man-made structures.

German cockroaches don’t just come in through your exterior walls and foundation. They can also be carried into a home. They love to hide in boxes, bags, luggage, furniture and more.

If you bring a box into your home from a storage location in an outside shed, you may bring German cockroaches in with that box.
If you go to a farmers’ market or pick food up from a grocery store, one of these tiny roaches could hitchhike home with you.
If you go on a trip and stay somewhere that has German cockroaches, you may not even know it. These roaches are small and secretive, so they could get into your luggage and ride home with you without your knowledge.
If you buy furniture at a yard sale, flea market, or even a retail store, you could bring cockroaches home with you.

Don’t be surprised when German cockroaches appear in your home. There are many ways these tiny roaches can get in–and German cockroaches are the most common cockroach found in U.S. structures–not the American cockroach, as you might think.

What should you do when you see German cockroaches?

Since these roaches are so tiny, exclusion is often not possible without the use of pest control agents. These should be applied by a licensed and certified pest management professional. The last thing you need is to trade the threat of cockroach-related diseases for the threat of chemical exposure. Pest management professionals know what products to use and how to apply them properly.

Cockroach Control

If you live in East Texas, let the pest control experts at Innovative Pest Control take a look at your cockroach problem. Getting started is simple, and it won’t cost you a penny. Hop over here and request a free, no-obligation inspection and we’ll send an experienced pest control technician right to your home to figure out what’s buggin’ you. With Innovative Pest Control, you’ll always get expert advice, service with a smile, and cost-effective pest control service backed by our Make-It-Right Guarantee. You can’t beat that with a stick!

Categories:

Cockroach Control,
Cockroach Prevention,
Cockroaches in Texas,
Home Pest Control

The post What Are German Cockroaches And How Did They Get Inside? appeared first on Innovative Pest Control.