Cockroach Control Done The Right Way For Your Fort Myers Home

How To Identify Common Types Of Cockroaches

In the animal kingdom, cockroaches are anthropods meaning they have a segmented body, jointed legs, and an exoskeleton. But, these pests are also in the Insecta Class. As insects, they not only have segmented legs, but they have three pairs of jointed legs, and their body has three parts (head, thorax, abdomen). One feature of cockroach legs is the protruding spines jutting from their legs, and these spikes contribute to the danger of having cockroaches in your Fort Myers home. Like all insects, cockroaches have wings, but that does not mean all cockroaches fly; they also have antennae, just like other animals in this classification. 

Over 4,000 cockroach species exist worldwide, but only about 30 infiltrate human habitats. Of those 30 species, only two affect most homes in the Fort Myers area; German cockroaches and American cockroaches. 

German cockroaches are the most common in houses. These cockroaches have a light-brown 1/2 to 5/8 inch body with two dark parallel strips on their backs behind their head. Although they have wings, they rarely fly and prefer to run. German cockroaches have long, spiny legs and two thin antennae, which they use to navigate and find food. These cockroaches prefer to live in warm, humid areas of the kitchen and bathrooms around the drains or inside lower cabinets, but they can be in the living room, closets, and bedrooms. German cockroaches live in cracks as small as 3/8 inch near food sources. Like most insects, German cockroaches are omnivores that eat anything and weird items like soap, glue, and toothpaste. 

Although not as common as German cockroaches, American cockroaches have the distinction of being the largest. These cockroaches have an oval, reddish-brown, 1 1/4 to 2 1/8 inch body with a yellowish figure-eight-like marking behind the head. Unlike their German counterparts, they use their wings to fly short distances. 

American cockroaches prefer to live outdoors; in the Fort Myers area, you will find them underneath mulch and in flower beds. If there is a significant change, they will migrate into homes where they seek out warm, moist environments where temperatures are from 70℉ to 80℉. Inside the house, American cockroaches are in the laundry room, basement, kitchen, and bathrooms. Like their German counterparts, they eat anything but prefer pet food and fermented food in garbage cans or crumbs underneath appliances, garbage disposals, and behind kitchen cabinets.

Cockroaches forage and work at night while you sleep, so how do you distinguish between a German and an American cockroach if you do not see them? One way to determine the difference between the two cockroach species without seeing them is through droppings. American cockroaches deposit cylindrical feces the size of a grain of rice, but German cockroaches deliver pepper-like droppings the size of coffee grounds. 

Another way to identify the type of cockroach in your Fort Myers home is the egg capsules. These ridged, purse-like structures (called an ootheca) contain individual eggs and are glued by mouth secretions from the female cockroach to ledges in dark areas of the house. German cockroaches produce a 1/4 or less inch light brown ootheca containing two rows or about 48 eggs. American cockroaches release 5/16 inch, dark brown, symmetrically shaped capsules near food sources in dark areas. Inside the capsule are 14 to 16 eggs, which is fewer than German cockroaches 

Female cockroaches do not lay individual eggs; instead, they produce egg capsules (ootheca) containing eggs. The amount of eggs in the ridged purse-shaped containers depends on the cockroach species. For example, a German cockroach capsule has about 48 eggs, an American and oriental has about 16 per capsule, 

If you find a cockroach in your house, call Stat Pest Control. Our trained technicians can identify the cockroach species infesting your home and prescribe the proper treatment to target and remove the cockroaches. 

Cockroaches Trigger Allergies And Spread Disease

Cockroach control is necessary because it can bring bacteria, viruses, and parasitic worms into your house. These insects forage on rotting food, animal feces, and sewage, and as they travel over the refuse, their spiny legs attract pathogens on the debris surface. As they travel through your house, the disease-causing pathogens fall onto countertops, drawers, and other surfaces. When humans interact with these surfaces through touching or food products, the pathogens may transfer to them and infect them. 

Another way cockroaches spread disease is through their droppings and saliva. These creatures defecate and deposit pepper-like flakes or rice-sized pellets onto exposed foods, food products, and eating utensils. Droppings may not go unnoticed by homeowners, but dried saliva on products from where the cockroach chewed is impossible to detect. Cockroaches leave their juices on packaging as they bore through plastic wrappers, bags, and paper food storage containers using their mandibles. When a human consumes a product contaminated by cockroach saliva, those pathogens may transfer to the person.

Cockroaches spread thirty-three bacteria, six parasitic worms, and other pathogens to humans. Although the list is too numerous to enumerate in this article, salmonellosis, E. coli infections, typhoid fever, cholera, and dysentery are common diseases caused by cockroaches.

In addition to spreading diseases, cockroaches produce a protein that creates an allergic reaction in many people. According to the National Pest Management Association, up to 98% of urban homes contain cockroach proteins. Inhalation of dried, airborne feces or touching a cockroach may cause a runny nose, itchy and red eyes, coughing, and other traditional allergic reactions. Cockroach protein can trigger asthma attacks causing shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and other asthmatic conditions. 

Stat Pest Control is the professional cockroach remedy near you. We respond quickly to service requests, so you can avoid being miserable in your house or fearing contracting a disease from cockroaches. 

How To Remove Factors That Attract Cockroach To Homes

Food, water, and moisture attract cockroaches to Fort Myers homes. German and American cockroaches prefer temperatures above 70℉ and below 80℉, and our homes provide the perfect temperatures. Like all creatures, cockroaches need moisture and food to survive; therefore, they often live in basements, bathrooms, and kitchens where a combination of water and food is present. To deter a cockroach infestation, you should do the following: 

• Remove leaf and wood piles, junk, and other debris from the yard, including animal feces and rotting fruit. 
• Seal foundation cracks and gaps between incoming wires and pipes.
• Install door sweeps underneath all exterior doors
• Inspect bags, luggage, and used furniture before bringing them inside the home because cockroaches hitchhike.
• Vacuum the house regularly and suction out cracks between the baseboard, walls, and carpet.
• Repair leaking pipes and drains. 
• Provide proper drainage away from the home to keep a dry crawl
• space and basement.
• Install a dehumidifier or additional vents in the crawl space or basement to maintain a dry environment. 
• Store food in airtight containers.
• Remove pet food from their bowls at night before bed.
• Wipe down cooking and eating surfaces after each meal, and do not allow the dishes to sit in the sink overnight. 

In summary, maintaining a clean and dry house and property will prevent future infestations once the professionals from Stat Pest Control have provided cockroach control for your home.