Houston's Constant Battle With Cockroaches
Cockroaches are resilient pests that can withstand cold and hot temperatures. In the Greater Houston area, where temperatures don't get bitter cold or swelteringly hot, cockroaches can be active all year. If temperatures manage to dip too low for their liking, it isn't a problem, they just get into our homes and businesses. When they do, they find that living with humans is pretty awesome. Our homes give them everything they need: food, water and spaces to squeeze into. That last one is actually of particular interest. A cockroach prefers to be in spaces where its belly and its back can be touching two hard surfaces at the same time. Our homes have lots of these spaces. For this reason, cockroaches rarely go away on their own. You can get rid of every food source and every drop of water and still have cockroaches in your home. Here are a few more things you should know about this battle with cockroaches.
It's Isn't Just One Roach
If you only see one roach every once in a while, we're here to tell you that it is highly unlikely that you have only one roach living in your home. Cockroaches don't like to be seen. If you're seeing them, especially in the day time, this is a warning sign of a significant cockroach population. This is important to understand, especially after you've attempted to get rid of cockroaches. When your DIY cockroach control fails, you're not likely to know about it.
You Can't Starve Them Out
While cockroaches can only go a month without eating, the variety of "foods" they consume is quite impressive. You may have noticed that we put quotes around the word "foods." Cockroaches can subsist on things we would not consider food. They eat tomato paste, toothpaste, or wallpaper paste. They're not picky. They'll eat fresh fruit on the kitchen table or a rotting piece of fruit in a garbage—in fact, they prefer fruit that is rotting. They eat cat droppings in the litter box and dog droppings out in the yard. Good luck removing all of the food sources these disgusting insects can eat.
You Can't Spray Them to Death
When cockroaches get in, homeowners sometimes take drastic measures to get rid of them, such as spraying insecticides everywhere. If you're considering this, there are 3 things you should know:
1. Insecticides are more toxic to you, your family, and your pets than to cockroaches.
2. Cockroaches can develop an immunity to insecticides when they develop a new cuticle (skin). If they're exposed to dangerous chemicals and don't die... it's a little bit like Peter Parker being bitten by a radioactive spider. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
3. When cockroaches are exposed to chemicals, they can transport those chemicals into your kitchen, pantry and bathroom and other sensitive locations. They can taint your food-prep surfaces, dishes, food packages, foods; and in your bathroom, contaminate your toothbrush. Cockroaches are drawn to the moist bristles and the smell of toothpaste and bacteria.
What Happens When DIY Fails?
Cockroaches are terrible houseguests. They are linked to the spread of 33 kinds of bacteria, including Salmonella and E. coli. They are mechanical vectors for at least six parasitic worms, including hookworm. They spread more than seven human pathogens. They aggravate asthma symptoms. They've been known to feed on moisture from the mouths of sleeping people, and they have a fondness for the milky smell of a baby's breath. When populations get too high for available food resources, they can begin to bite. If your DIY fails, you will continue to be exposed to these and other threats cockroaches present.
How Do You Effectively Get Rid Of Cockroaches?
It takes experience and training to eliminate cockroaches from a man-made structure. The process is detailed and systematic. That is why it is best done by a licensed and certified pest control professional. We happen to know where there are a bunch of people who fit this description. At Modern Pest Control, our highly-trained service professionals have the latest training and certifications for the pests they treat, and cockroaches are a common pest in our service area. Our technicians have seen it all. If you want the best results and the most effective control for cockroaches, we can help. Reach out to us and request a free pest inspection to get started. We'll guide you through the process from start to finish and help you get rid of those cockroaches. Don't take chances with DIY cockroach control. Let us help you make sure those roaches are gone.
