Roaches

The hideous creatures with six legs, tiny claws, and the ability to live without their head are not based in science fiction. They are known as the cockroach. Whether you learned about them in school or due to a bad experience, you are instinctively going to try your best to avoid them. Unfortunately, with 4,500 different species on the planet, sometimes that can be difficult. Although you might associate these nasty critters with dirt and grime, they can appear in even the cleanest of homes. 

Roaches are incredibly efficient breeders, which makes it understandable why when you find one, you may find thousands. This is also because they can reproduce asexually (without the help of a male). With the ability to reproduce hundreds of thousands of female babies per year, you can imagine how severe the infestation can become if it's not controlled. 

Being extremely adaptable creatures, many people have often joked that roaches would survive an apocalypse. Not quite, but even with their heads cut off, they can still live up to one month. This is due to their breathing system, called spiracles. These spiracles lay around their body's length, so they do not require circulation to move oxygen. A roach will die without its head due to starvation. 

The first sign of an infestation will likely be their feces. This appears as small black dots which are mostly seen near water sources, such as under a sink or in bathrooms, and also in food storage areas. Not only are they disgusting, but they are also dangerous to your health. They carry many diseases such as salmonella, staphylococcus, and E. coli and parasites such as tapeworms and roundworms. Additionally, roaches are known to bring on allergies and aggravate asthma. If you have an infestation, you may contract typhoid, suffer from gastroenteritis, and experience diarrhea. If you see signs of an infestation and you should contact us right away.

Unfortunately, there are not many ways to eliminate roaches. Over the counter products have proven to be futile. The best way to get rid of an infestation is to hire a qualified exterminator. They are similar to humans in that they will do almost anything to survive, even eat other roaches rather than starve. You might even find them coming from out of your toilet because they can stay underwater for over 30 minutes. They do this by holding their breath and regulating the water in their bodies. 

Due to the speed at which they multiply, you might suddenly be surprised by an infestation in your home and considering that they spend almost 75% of their time resting, you may not see one until it's too late. 

We know how frustrating a roach infestation can be. If you notice them in your home or business, you need to get them out fast, so contact us at Blue Gecko Termite & Pest Control. We would be happy to come out, assess the issue, give you a free estimate, and remove the infestation. Give us a call today at 602-587-8493.