Cockroach Identification & Prevention

What are cockroaches?

Cockroaches are pests that can quickly turn your home from a respite into a place you want to escape. Scavenging insects cockroaches often find their way into our homes and, once inside, quickly build their populations as our Texas homes provide these critters with everything they need to thrive.

Many cockroaches live worldwide, and believe it or not; most live far away from people. Out in nature, these insects are quite helpful, feeding on and helping to eliminate decaying organic matter. Only a handful of cockroaches have given all cockroaches a bad name!

In the Arlington, Texas area, we need to guard our homes and businesses against three different cockroach species:

• The small, fast-moving German cockroach
• The large American cockroach
• The moisture-loving, slow-moving Oriental cockroach

Are cockroaches dangerous?

In addition to taking over indoor spaces in large, difficult to control numbers, the biggest reason why cockroaches are unwanted in our homes is because of the health risks they impose.

Cockroaches don’t flock to clean, sanitary areas; they live and breed in dumpsters, sewers, drains, and decaying areas. Their unsanitary living conditions put them into contact with many disease-causing pathogens, parasites, and viruses. When cockroaches are in your homes, they are contaminating surfaces and your family’s food with things that cause salmonella, E.Coli, dysentery, and gastroenteritis.

A cockroach infestation also produces many allergens that trigger skin rashes, cold symptoms, and in some, asthma attacks.

Why do I have a cockroach problem?

Cockroaches can become a problem in any of our homes. Though these pests are often associated with dirty or cluttered living conditions, they do not discriminate, and these adaptable pests will make themselves at home almost anywhere.

Cockroaches become a problem in our homes after being introduced inside a delivery, suitcase, or secondhand item or after entering indoors on their own.

German cockroaches are most likely to move from location to location by hitchhiking. In contrast, American cockroaches and Oriental cockroaches often move into our homes from outside while searching for food or water.

Where will I find cockroaches?

German cockroaches have adapted to living with people. They have learned the comfort of our temperature-controlled homes and enjoy the easy access they have to food and water. 

American and Oriental cockroaches live successfully outside, especially in Texas with our warm, humid weather. They live in gardens, on trees, within garbage, under leaf litter, and near sewers or drainage areas.  

When cockroaches are in our homes, they typically hide during the day in dark areas that tend to be high in humidity, like kitchens, bathrooms, basements, or crawl spaces.

Favorite hiding spots include the back of drawers, inside the corrugated edges of cardboard boxes, behind cabinets or large appliances, and inside walls voids or crawl spaces. They also gather behind window or door trim, baseboards, tubs, or sinks.

How do I get rid of cockroaches?

If you see a cockroach in your home or discover evidence of their presence, immediately reach out for help from the professionals at All Seasons Pest Control. We are a full-service, local pest control company in Arlington dedicated to providing our customers with the best customer service in the business. Our family-owned business treats our customers like family; and provides safe, effective, and eco-friendly cockroach control solutions.

Learn more about ridding your Arlington area home of cockroaches by giving us a call today!

How can I prevent cockroaches in the future?

Stop cockroaches from taking over your property with the help of our most effective cockroach prevention solutions for your Arlington home.

• Cockroaches are avid hitchhikers. Always inspect secondhand items for cockroaches before bringing them into your home. 
• Check over storage boxes and deliveries for unwanted cockroaches before bringing them inside.
• Seal cracks in your home’s exterior, place mesh covers over vents and drains, and seal spaces around utilities entering your home to help prevent cockroaches from moving inside from the outside. 
• Take away their easy access to food by keeping kitchens clean, regularly vacuuming, and keeping lids on trash cans. The less food available, the less interesting your property will be to cockroaches.
• Reduce moisture in your home that attracts cockroaches. Use dehumidifiers, repair leaky pipes and clogged drains, keep gutters clear, and place weatherstripping around windows and doors to keep rainwater from seeping into your home.