Pest Education

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are scavenging insects that are very adaptable and can live in almost any habitat and in any weather. They are primarily nocturnal and typically identified by their oval-shaped bodies and long antennae. A few are winged, but most prefer to move from place to place using their six spiny legs. Some species like the German cockroach have adapted mainly to living indoors with people inside homes, restaurants, and anywhere else food is prepared or stored. Other species like the Oriental cockroach live both indoors with people and outside in areas that provide them with plenty of moisture.

All cockroaches are attracted to properties that offer them multiple food sources. Some of their favorite foraging sites include trash cans, compost bins, outdoor eating areas, pet food, dirty dishes, and crumbs from under or behind appliances.

A cockroach infestation can happen in any structure because there are so many different ways that these pests can find their way inside. Their flat bodies allow them to squeeze through the smallest of spaces. German cockroaches regularly hitchhike their way into our homes and are introduced inside things like grocery bags, boxes, deliveries. They also move into new areas of multi-unit buildings through wall voids after traveling along wires and pipes. Oriental cockroaches regularly find their way indoors while searching for food and moisture. No matter the species, cockroaches are dangerous when living inside our homes and businesses.

As cockroaches crawl over counters, through drawers, and over utensils and dishes, they leave behind excrement, shed skins and bacteria that contaminate food, and infect people with pathogens that cause things like salmonellosis, E. coli, and dysentery. Their shed skins and excrement trigger allergies, skin rashes, and asthma attacks.

The list below will provide you with some helpful tips to prevent cockroaches from taking over your Utah property:

• Keep your floors, counters, and appliances free of crumbs and spills.
• Store food in the fridge or containers with airtight lids, and wash dishes daily.
• Repair any leaky pipes, clogged drains, and dripping air conditioners to limit a cockroach’s access to water.
• Get rid of entry points into your home by inspecting the exterior and repairing any cracks or openings. Use caulk or another material to fix them.
• Always inspect new purchases, used items, deliveries, or things that have been stored outside for cockroaches before bringing them inside