How Do Cockroaches Get Into Your Home
Cockroaches and roach infestations are common in Carlsbad homes and businesses. Actually, they can be found in just about every place on earth. We treat a lot of infestations in Carlsbad and they often prove to be some of our most challenging projects.
While it's often puzzling to a lot of folks who keep very clean residence and businesses as to how they got a roach infestation, it usually comes down to one or more not so mysterious reasons.
Knowing how cockroaches get into your residence or business and where they come from can help avoid many infestations.
Most folks associate a cockroach infestation with a dirty home or unsanitary conditions. They believe that the roaches, in their quest for food, water, and shelter will bypass the well kept homes and journey on until they find a nice nasty place to take up residence. And while a bit of grease splatter and a continual supply of crumbs will encourage an extended stay, it's not generally the circumstance that leads the cockroaches to any particular spot in the first place. The truth is that any home or business is susceptible to a roach invasion regardless of its state of cleanliness.
To a lot of folks, seeing even a single roach on the inside is cause for alarm. However, there is a bit of a difference between an opportunistic roach that finds its way in from the outside and an infestation.
Most single opportunistic roach sightings can be addressed with an insect barrier spray and a bit of exclusion and tightening up any possible entry points like weather stripping under doors and around pipe entries. However, an infestation of all growth stages of roaches inside your home or business is generally already established. Both cases need to be addressed immediately to prevent an infestation or further infestation.
For the most part, the single sightings that most folks see in and around buildings, often referred to as "water bugs" are Oriental Roaches and are usually easier to control than others with one or two applications of insecticide and some exclusion as mentioned above. These most often are adults that have simply found their way in from the outside and are not established colonies on the inside.
On the other hand, multiple sightings of any roaches, especially German Roaches, in all growth stages including nymphs is the sign of an infestation of established colonies that are reproducing. And if left unattended, they can reproduce at at alarming rate.
OK, So How Did The Roach Infestation Get Inside?
Believe it or not, most cockroach infestations are brought into your residence or business. That's right. Still, that's not to say that they don't venture in form an adjoining building, from the neighbors house, through old sewer drains, through cracks under the door, along wire and pipe entries, or a number of other ways. But for the most part, they generally hitch a ride on some person or thing.
A Few Of The Most Common Ways Cockroaches Are Carried In- - Packages And Packaging - Food or otherwise like in the folds and seems of cardboard boxes and paper bags. In a sack of potatoes or fruit from the store are common examples.
- - In A Visitors Suitcase Or Other Goods - Folks coming to visit and especially those who travel a lot are often likely to carry a roach or two or even eggs in their belongings.
- - On A Person Themselves - This could happen with anyone but especially those who work in areas that are prone to cockroaches. Some examples would be someone who works in food service, in warehouses, or on docks.
- - On Items Borrowed Or Lent - This happens all the time
- - Garage Or Rummage Sale Items - This happens a lot as well
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Preventive Measures
- While it is practically impossible to check every item in detail that comes into your home or business, it's still a good idea to give the most high risk items like garage sale items, boxes, and sacks a going over before you bring them in.
- Keep your home treated with a good residual and safe insecticide that is labeled for roaches. Either hire a professional pest control company or do it yourself.
- Do an inspection of your home or business and create exclusion of every possible means of entry.
- First sign of bugs, if your area isn't already treated, either get it treated or do it yourself.
- Keep all areas clean. Vacuum daily, do dishes immediately, take out trash daily, sanitize counter tops, dry out sinks and keep them plugged, clean up all crumbs after eating, etc..
Professional Cockroach Control Services
Generally, a cockroach infestation has gone beyond the need for simply spraying over the counter consumer pest control products. It could take several months and several different means of extermination. That's not to say that you can't do it yourself. However, if you would like assistance and you're in the Carlsbad, Artesia, and Southeast New Mexico area, give Horizon Pest Control a call at 575-725-9331 and we'll be glad to advise you or get you set up on a program.