If you live in Tampa, you likely know a lot about cockroaches. But what does cockroach control look like in Tampa? Sure, you know that cockroaches are relentless and dirty pests, but how much do you know about getting rid of them or keeping them out of your home for good? You'll know a lot more after you read this quick article.
Today, we cover the basics. We'll touch on how to detect these pests, mitigate the associated risks, keep them out, and effective strategies to remove them from your home. As always, we're here if you need us. YourHaskell Termite & Pest Control team knows all about Florida cockroaches, and we are your source for Tampa cockroach control. You can contact us at any time.
Visible Signs Of Roaches: How To Identify An Infestation
There are many warning signs of a cockroach infestation. If you understand the signs, you can gauge how bad the problem is and track whether or not your efforts to eliminate them are successful. Next, we'll cover some facts you should know.
Seeing Live Cockroaches
These insects prefer nighttime activity. If you see cockroaches skittering around during the day, it is a warning sign of a big problem. But, often, you'll see only one cockroach every once in a while. When you see one clinging to a wall or sitting on a floor, remember that it represents over a thousand roaches you don't see. Cockroaches are experts at hiding from view. They only make an appearance when their populations are high and food sources are limited.
Seeing An Egg Pouch
A female cockroach creates a pouch called an ootheca. It can contain 10 to 50 eggs. Some leave their ootheca in hiding places. Others carry them with them. If you find an ootheca or the shed casings of one, you definitely have an infestation. If you find one female roach with her ootheca sticking out and you remove it from your home, you may have just averted a serious problem.
Seeing Droppings
A clear sign of cockroach activity is the appearance of black specks that look like coffee grains. Cockroaches leave their droppings in the places they explore. The number of droppings can reveal the extent of the infestation. Cleaning droppings and checking the area later can help you monitor roach activity.
Seeing Exoskeletons
When you find cockroach exoskeletons in tight spaces, cracks, or recesses, they tell you that nymphs are growing inside your home. Nymphs shed their entire outer skins several times as they develop. Skins that look like cockroaches are a sign that the population is low or food sources are high. Roaches eat these skins. If they're leaving them intact, there is a reason.
Smelling Cockroaches
Cockroaches in Tampa produce a pheromone scent that some describe as musky or oily. If you detect this odor, it is a warning sign of a large infestation. A few dozen roaches won't create a smell that is noticeable.
You're well on your way to becoming a cockroach expert. Let's look at what you should know about the cockroaches you find in your Tampa home and how to mitigate the risks associated with a cockroach infestation.
There are many warning signs of a cockroach infestation. If you understand the signs, you can gauge how bad the problem is and track whether or not your efforts to eliminate them are successful. Next, we'll cover some facts you should know.
Health Risks Of Roaches: The Dangers Of Cockroaches In The House
The big question Tampa residents want to know is, "What diseases do cockroaches carry?" However, this isn't the right question to ask. Cockroaches are associated with a long list of diseases, including salmonellosis and E. coli infections. Knowing this doesn't help you avoid their threats. It is more important to understand "how" they spread diseases.
- Cockroaches are attracted to unsanitary conditions and crawl across things like garbage, sewage, and animal waste. While on these dirty things, they pick up and carry disease-causing organisms. Because of this, it is not good to have them crawl on items you come in contact with, like your cutting board, plates, or toothbrush.
- Cockroaches feed on unsanitary things. They will eat human and animal waste. Because of this, their droppings are uniquely filthy, and you should always wear protective gloves and a mask when cleaning them up.
- Cockroaches shed their skins, which contain an allergen that can cause serious issues for individuals with asthma. Studies show homes with cockroach infestations have higher hospital rates for asthma symptoms.
As you deal with a cockroach problem, keep in mind that you have some control over how much of an impact these pests can have on your health. Clean and sanitize surfaces, deep clean your kitchen and bathroom, clean out your drains, protect your food, keep your trash covered, remove garbage frequently, and take other steps to reduce unsanitary conditions. Protect yourself when cleaning roach droppings, and vacuum your home regularly to address shed cockroach skins and other byproducts that can cause allergy symptoms to rise.
If you don't have a cockroach infestation yet, you don't have to worry about these things as much, right? Not necessarily. Cockroaches are attracted to homes with unsanitary spaces, and keeping your home clean is one way to prevent a roach problem. Let's take a look at how this works.
Effective Ways To Keep Roaches Out: Essential Prevention Measures
There are a few ways to deter cockroaches. You can alter conditions that attract them to your exterior and decrease cockroach activity near your house to reduce the chance of one finding a way inside. You can seal your exterior walls to block access. You can fill interior gaps to keep roaches from emerging from walls into interior spaces. All of these will help prevent an infestation, but few things work as well as maintaining a home resistant to roach activity.
Sanitation:
- Clean your kitchen floor routinely to remove food debris.
- Clean up spills as soon as possible.
- Refrain from setting bags of trash on the floor.
- Clean the sides of your oven to remove grease and grime.
- Clean out your garbage disposal frequently.
- Vacuum your rugs and get into cracks and crevices.
- Keep your kitchen trash covered.
- Consider getting a smaller receptacle, which will force you to remove the trash more frequently so that food items don't decay and create a scent that attracts roaches.
- Store stacked cardboard in a covered bin. Roaches eat paper.
- Organize and remove clutter. Cockroaches love tight spaces.
Address Food Options:
- Keep food covered when you set these items on your kitchen counters, island, or table.
- Store certain pantry items in sealed containers to seal in smells and keep roaches out.
- Wash off honey jars and remove other sweet food residues.
- Wash down shelves and cabinets.
- Clean dishes as you go.
- Put pet food down at mealtimes only.
Address Humidity:
- Repair faucets that drip water because they provide a constant moisture source for roaches.
- Take showers long before bedtime so that droplets don't cling to the walls at night when cockroaches are active.
- Use the vent in your bathroom to vent humidity.
- Install dehumidifiers in areas of your home that stay humid.
These tips are not comprehensive, but they give you a starting point on how to keep cockroaches out of your house. If you need assistance with cockroach prevention, contact Haskell Termite & Pest Control for pest control applications around your home's exterior.
Professional Roach Extermination: Call The Experts Right Away
You can contact Haskell Termite & Pest Control at any time. You don't have to wait until cockroaches are crawling around in your home. But when you detect them, it is time to reach out to us immediately. Cockroaches can make you sick and damage your belongings. Both of these are frustrating to deal with, but something far more frustrating is doing the hard work of cockroach control over and over again and still having these gross insects in your home.
Contact Haskell Termite & Pest Control. We know how to get rid of cockroach infestations. We have a lot of experience dealing with these pests. They are very common in our Tampa service area.
Haskell Termite & Pest Control has over 100 years of combined pest control experience, and we use that experience to get the results you need. We provide free estimates, competitive pricing, and the best customer service you can find. Most of all, we guarantee our work, so you won't have to wonder if we'll solve your pest problem.
It is easy to contact us for cockroach pest control in Tampa. Call us on the phone or use our hassle-free and stress-free Contact Us page to connect with us by email. We'll provide you with guidance, service options, and scheduling. You can do all this without talking to anyone directly and without a sales pitch. Our goal is to give you the highest level of service and help you find an appropriate solution to your pest problem that meets your specific needs. Reach out to us today; we look forward to hearing from you.