How to Keep Your Home Clear of Cockroaches

Cockroaches. They’re everywhere. They live on every continent except for Antarctica. And they’re considered one of the hardiest groups of animals alive. They’ve been around for more than 300 million years. And the chances are that they’ll be around for another 300 million after humans have become extinct. We have no choice but to tolerate their existence. But that doesn’t mean that we need to welcome them into our homes.

As spreaders of disease, gluttons of the highest order and asthma and allergy inducers, roaches are among the worst house guests you can have. Unfortunately, they are also pretty common in Charlotte.

So, what do you need to know to keep cockroaches out of your home?

Everything you need to know about North Carolina cockroaches

There are more than 50 different species of cockroach worldwide. But only five dwell in North Carolina. Each variety has its own habit and habitat. And each one needs to be tackled slightly differently.

The American cockroach

The largest species of common cockroach, the American cockroach (AKA the waterbug) is one of the most widespread home invaders. It can be identified by its semi-rectangular shape and the yellow-ish stripe behind at the back of its head. It has a voracious appetite and will eat virtually anything. So, the best way to prevent your home from becoming a magnet is to keep all food under wraps and ensure your home is fully sealed. If they do get in, bait, growth regulators and residual insecticides will be among the treatment options.

The German cockroach

Prolific breeders, the German cockroach is a global superpower in the insect world. They are found pretty much everywhere and because they don’t like the cold, they gravitate towards human habitation. Long and narrow in appearance with long antennae, they vary in colour from light tan to almost black and have parallel stripes running down the wings. Once they are in, they can be incredibly hard to get rid of. It’s best to call a roach exterminator as soon as you begin to suspect they might be there.

The Oriental cockroach

Virtually black in colour, the oriental cockroach (AKA the black beetle) is one of the larger species, growing up to 29mm in size. Despite having wings, they are unable to fly. They favour cool, damp conditions and will often find their way in through the foundations of a property as well as through the more traditional routes of open vents and broken seals. So, it’s important to treat the external parts of your home as well as closing seals and using bait if you want to keep the oriental cockroach out.

The brown-banded cockroach

One of the smaller cockroach species, growing no more than 10-14mm, the brown-banded cockroach avoids light, so can be pretty hard to detect. If you do see one, you can identify it by the pale brown bands running across their wings. Although you can use dusting and bait to destroy these creatures, treatment isn’t always easy because they usually favour out of the way places to live.

The wood cockroach

As the name suggests, these guys like to live in woody places and are probably the least likely to cause problems in your home. If they do come in, you’ll most likely have carried them in on firewood. They won’t be happy there and will want to get out again as soon as possible. They don’t even eat human foodstuffs, preferring decaying organic matter. But if they find somewhere cool and damp with a food source, they will breed, so it’s best to deal with them as soon as you spot them. They are orangey-brown in colour.

The problem with cockroaches in terms of treatment is that they all need a slightly different approach. They can be hard to find and even harder to remove. That’s why it’s best to call in the experts at the first sign of trouble.

If you’re worried about cockroaches in your home and you live in Charlotte or the surrounding areas, contact Noosa Pest Management today. We’ll do everything we can to make sure that you and your family are the only things living in your property!