Why Can't I Get These Cockroaches Out Of My Houston Home?

No pest has a worse reputation than cockroaches – and rightfully so. While cockroaches don't sting or bite humans (well, they usually don't bite humans), these insects are responsible for countless infectious diseases every year. So if they get into your Houston home, they can become a nightmare.

Cockroaches are always looking for new homes to scavenge, so keeping them out is difficult. But what happens when they get into your Houston property? Let’s go over why cockroaches are a threat to your health and what Texas residents can do to kick cockroaches out. 

Cockroach Identification Tips

It’s important to know what kind of cockroaches got into your house because different species require different elimination methods. All cockroaches share the same general set of features. A cockroach has a flat, oval-shaped body and supports itself on six spiny legs. Cockroaches have a pair of body-length antennae, a relatively small head, and some species of cockroaches have a pair of wings – though most roaches can’t fly.

Here are four cockroach species that are likely to invade your Houston household:

1. The American cockroach, which grows 1-2 inches, has a reddish-brown body and is sometimes seen flying. 
2. The German cockroach, which grows around ½ an inch, has a tannish-brown body and tends to reside near bathrooms and kitchens.
3. The Oriental cockroach, which grows to about an inch, has a dark, shiny body and emits a musty odor. 
4. The Brown banded cockroach, which is similar in size and color to the German cockroach, has distinctive brown bands on its wings.

Why Cockroaches Threaten Your Houston Property

Houston homeowners be warned: cockroaches can seriously threaten your health. These pests can carry a whole host of diseases that can make you and your family sick. Cockroaches can spread salmonella, tularemia, giardia, dysentery, and E. coli.

Think about it this way: cockroaches are scavengers, so they look for food wherever they can find it. Most often, cockroaches end up scavenging around trash cans and dumpsters. The diseases that cockroaches pick up in those places stick with them, possibly until they make it into a house or business.

Why Are Cockroaches So Hard To Get Rid Of?

If their germs aren’t bad enough, cockroaches are tough to get rid of. Because these pests are so flat, they can wedge themselves into thin cracks and crevices throughout a property. Additionally, cockroaches are nocturnal pests, meaning that, at night, when everyone is asleep, they roam through houses spreading diseases by contaminating surfaces and food items.

Finally, cockroaches reproduce quickly. You might not even spot a cockroach in your house until several generations of roaches have been born. This means when you see one cockroach, there could be hundreds or even thousands more hiding just out of sight.

What’s the best way to get rid of cockroaches? Whether you’ve seen the signs of an infestation or just want to be safe, contacting your local pest control professionals is the best course of action. At Modern Pest Control, we have the knowledge and equipment to kick cockroaches out for good. When roaches invade, you can keep your Houston home safe with Modern Pest Control.