Everything Del Rio Homeowners Need To Know About Cockroaches

When you find a cockroach in your house, it is alarming – assuming you realize you've found one. Often, Del Rio residents don't realize they're seeing cockroaches at first because they don't know how to identify them. If that sounds strange, stay with us today as we tell you why cockroaches are sometimes hard to identify. We'll share tips for identification, how to tell the species apart, and how you can apply what you've learned to help you get control of cockroach problems. We'll quickly look at why it is important to recognize cockroaches early and share with you the most effective way to prevent roaches from entering your home. If you're currently finding these pests crawling around in your home and you know for sure that you have a roach problem, contact Gold Star Exterminators – Del Rio for professional pest control in Del Rio. It pays to get professional help to deal with roaches.

Cockroach identification is fairly simple most of the time. If you see an adult cockroach on a floor or clinging to a wall, you'll likely recognize it if you know what roaches look like. If you're wondering, "What's a cockroach look like?" Here are a few quick identifying traits:

• Cockroaches generally have an oval shape. Depending on the species, the shape can lean more toward a seed-like or teardrop-like shape.

• Cockroaches have barbs on their six legs. These tiny barbs make their legs look prickly.

• Pest cockroaches in Texas have long antennae. 

• On the end of the abdomen are two small appendages called cerci. They are short, stubby appendages that stick out at an angle. Keep in mind that roaches aren't the only insects with cerci. 

• Most cockroaches have wings stacked on their backs. These wings are shiny and hang past the abdomen. A common pest roach that doesn't have these long shiny wings are oriental cockroaches. Female oriental cockroaches have short wings that only cover about 75 percent of their abdomens, while males only have wing pads.  

Cockroaches are common and well-known pests. There are few people who can say they've never seen a cockroach, either on television, the internet, or face-to-face. So, it is usually easy to identify them, even if you see a male oriental cockroach. So why did we say it is sometimes challenging to identify roaches? Because you may not see an adult cockroach. You may see a nymph. Cockroach nymphs vary from adults in many ways.

• They are much smaller than the adults. A German cockroach nymph is as tiny as ? of an inch long.

• They don't have wings.

• They don't possess the markings of an adult. For example, a German cockroach nymph won't have the two black lines on its back that are generally used to identify this species.

When learning to identify cockroaches, it is helpful to look at images of nymphs as well. Doing so will help you detect these fast-moving insects if you catch a glimpse. There are primarily five kinds of cockroaches you should research: German, American, smokybrown, brown-banded, and oriental cockroaches. These are the most common pest roaches in the state. The worst of the bunch is definitely the German cockroach. It has adapted to living in man-made structures and is not found anywhere outside of human settlements. 

How can you use this knowledge to help you with cockroach control? Each cockroach species is somewhat different. Some are easier to control than others. Here are a few characteristics to consider and what you should know about the roaches you've identified.

• If you see a black adult roach, it is an oriental cockroach. These tend to be the dirtiest cockroaches but the easiest to control with indoor sanitation. Clean things up in your home, seal entry points, and minimize moisture, and you may not have any more trouble.

• If you see a large cockroach, it is likely an American cockroach. They are the largest roach species in our region and can grow over two inches long. These roaches, often called water bugs or palmetto bugs, have a strong attraction to moist conditions. Dehumidification and plumbing repairs can make your home less habitable for these insects. When combined with sanitation and exclusion work, you may get these roaches out.

• If you see a cockroach flying around in your home, it is likely a smokybrown roach. They have strong wings and are ready fliers. You can also tell these roaches by their unique color. Like American cockroaches, these roaches have a high moisture requirement. They want to live in places that are damp or humid.

• If you see a small tan roach with a black equal sign on its back or a very tiny reddish-brown nymph, you have German cockroaches. These cockroaches only grow to be a little over half an inch in length and commonly hitchhike into homes on infested items. We strongly recommend professional control to deal with German cockroaches because they are exceptionally hard to drive out.

There are four primary ways you can control cockroaches naturally. Remove damp and humid conditions that make your home favorable to these insects. Clean your home thoroughly, protect your trash, and put food items in sealed containers. Apply pest-proofing to seal cockroaches out of your home after they've had time to leave. Remove hiding places and organic debris near the outside of your home to reduce cockroach pressures. You can monitor the success of your efforts by putting down sticky traps. These traps won't eliminate an infestation but are incredibly useful for tracking continued activity.  

Common Ways Roaches Get Into Del Rio Homes And What Attracts Them

You can apply all that we've discussed so far to not only drive roaches out but also prevent cockroach infestations before they begin. Take these ideas and apply them around the exterior of your home. Reduce moist conditions and humidity, remove decaying organic matter that roaches feed on, and get rid of hiding places. But, of all the steps you can take to keep roaches out of your Del Rio home, exclusion work is the most important. Cockroaches don't gnaw on building materials to enter your home; they find tiny cracks, gaps, and holes. Not only do these entry points allow roaches to access your interior, cockroaches are attracted to them. They love tight spaces. Use these quick tips to keep roaches out of your home.

• Address entry points in and around exterior doors: Inspect your exterior doors for the tiniest gaps. If you can see light leaking out of your home at night, you have gaps large enough for a cockroach to use.

• Address entry points in and around exterior windows: Check your exterior windows. Look for gaps in the wood frames, damaged screens, and other vulnerabilities.

• Address entry points around utilities: Check to see if you have gaps around your pipes and use expanding foam to fill those gaps in. Check where pipes come into your home under your kitchen sink as well, and seal those.

• Seal gaps in your exterior: There are many places where the building material of your home can offer cockroaches an entry point. Use a caulking gun and expanding foam to seal every gap and void in your exterior walls and foundation.

Use these tips to help you stop roaches from entering your home. If you find a cockroach in your house, exclusion work won't solve your problem. You'll need to consider a control plan to remove or drive those roaches out. Let's look at why it is important to choose a plan that works.

The Dangers Cockroaches Pose To People And Pets

Roaches are unsanitary pests. When they climb in dirty places and feed on filthy things, they pick up harmful organisms that are associated with diseases that impact human health.

What diseases do cockroaches carry? Health issues spread by cockroaches include:

• Gastroenteritis

• Dysentery

• Listeriosis

• Salmonellosis

• Typhoid fever

• E. coli

• Cholera

• Giardia

• Asthma allergens

• And many more

As you take time to consider how you might prevent a cockroach infestation in your home, it's a good idea to explore resource pages at the CDC website to learn about the link between these diseases and cockroach infestations. Doing so is a good motivator to take the steps needed to deal appropriately with cockroach problems.

How To Protect Your Del Rio Home From Cockroach Infestation

We covered the natural ways you can drive cockroaches out and seal your home to prevent infestations, but how does pest control work? There are many methods used to protect homes from roach infestations. When it comes to applying control materials, it is best to contact a pest control service provider. We use trusted materials and apply them according to strict safety and efficacy protocols.

Are you in Del Rio? If so, contact Gold Star Exterminators – Del Rio for local cockroach control or residential pest control services. We offer monthly, bimonthly, and quarterly PLUS pest control to stop pests from entering your home. Your service includes spot treatments, web and wasp removal, exterior perimeter treatment three feet out from your home, and interior baseboard treatment. These treatments all work together to give you the best results possible. Reach out today for help with cockroaches and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Del-Rio. We look forward to speaking with you.

Gold Star has been spraying our house for a few years now and I can't express how much it has helped.  I was spraying Demon WD myself and barely made an impact on the scorpions and spiders.  after they started doing it, we have very few sightings now.  Great company.

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