Have you ever had a goal that seemed impossible? Everyone around you was skeptical of your ability, yet you were determined to do whatever it took to reach the goal. You probably had to give up a social life for a season and immerse yourself in the project to achieve your goal. Finally, the day came when the long hours of practice, writing, research, and struggle paid off, and you accomplished your mission. There are some things in life that, if you want to see success, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve the goal.
When it comes to pests, removing cockroaches from your house is one of those goals that require you to do whatever it takes. Cockroaches multiply quickly and are masters of hiding while their population explodes. By the time you see a cockroach scurry across the floor when you stumble into the kitchen searching for a late-night snack, there are likely many more living in the walls, underneath appliances, in the crawl space, or in other areas throughout the house.
When you see a cockroach run for cover underneath the bathroom towels or down the shower drain, you need pest control in Colorado Springs from High Country Pest Control. For over three decades, our locally-owned company has removed cockroaches from Colorado Springs homes and provided homeowners with a sense of relief. Whenever a person wants to reach a goal, they often need help from outside sources, and attaining a cockroach-free home is no different. As a homeowner, you need a professional team with knowledge, experience, and the best tools alongside you to eradicate these filthy pests from your house. Please continue reading to learn more about these insidious pests and how you can protect your family.
Clear Signs You Have A Cockroach Problem
Although there are many cockroach species worldwide, German cockroaches are the ones that invade many Colorado Springs houses. German cockroaches have 1/2 to 5/8 inch light tan bodies with two parallel strips on their backs. Like all insects, they have six jointed legs, two antennae, compound eyes, and a head, thorax, and abdomen. Although these cockroaches have wings, they prefer to run and rarely fly.
One feature distinguishing cockroaches from other insects is the spines that protrude horizontally from their cockroach legs. As we will discuss later, these spines are one of the reasons why cockroaches are dangerous inside a house. Another unique feature is that their slender antennae are longer than their body. Due to their poor eyesight, they use their antennae to help them feel their way around the house and in areas where they forage for food.
Cockroaches are nocturnal creatures who forage for food while you sleep; therefore, they may be active in your house, but you are not immediately aware of their presence until the population reaches infestation proportions. Although they do their work at night, you can determine if they are inside your house by looking for these signs:
- Droppings
- Stains
- Odor
- Eggs
- Exoskeletons
Before we explain these signs, we want you to know where to begin your investigation. Unlike other cockroach species, German cockroaches cannot tolerate cold temperatures; therefore, they are found exclusively in warm structures that maintain a temperature higher than 70°F. Furthermore, these roaches have high-moisture needs, so they gravitate to cracks and crevices in areas with a nearby water source or high humidity. Bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms are favorite areas for German cockroaches, and rooms with leaky pipes, faucets, and drains. Save time by starting your investigation in these areas. Now, let's look at the signs mentioned above in detail.
German cockroaches produce dark, pepper-like droppings on countertops and drawers as they travel through a home. Although German cockroach droppings are similar to mouse droppings, cockroach droppings have ridges, whereas mouse droppings are smooth. These droppings consist of discarded food materials, dead insects, and whatever the pest has recently consumed.
Cockroach droppings create dark stains and smears on surfaces, especially if touched. Look for these marks along the top of doors, openings in the wall, and in the corners of bathrooms, the kitchen, and other rooms where you suspect an infestation.
German cockroaches communicate through pheromones. Used by male cockroaches as an aphrodisiac to induce mating, these chemicals have a musty odor; if there is a cockroach infestation in an area, the smell is noticeable.
Although more difficult to detect, search for tiny, 1/4 inch, light brown purse-like structures in cracks and crevices in high-moisture areas. These capsules, called an ootheca, are "glued" to surfaces by excretions from female cockroaches.
As with all insects, cockroaches must shed their exterior shell, known as an exoskeleton, to grow. When nymphs emerge from eggs in the ootheca, they progress through six or seven instars (growth cycles) and must shed their exterior skeleton at each instar to move to the next growth phase. Look for discarded exoskeletons in the areas mentioned above. Under ideal conditions, a German cockroach progresses from the egg stage to adulthood in about 103 days.
When you see these signs of a cockroach infestation, you need immediate help from High Country Pest Control. We know where to look for signs of a German cockroach invasion.
All The Ways Roaches In Your Home Can Make You Sick
Instinctively, we know that cockroaches do not belong in our houses, but what problems do these fast, elusive pests cause homeowners? Cockroaches harm pets and families in the following ways:
- Spread disease
- Trigger allergic reactions
- Cause asthma attack
Cockroaches forage for food in sewers, drains, rotting garbage, animal feces, and other disgusting areas where bacteria, viruses, and parasitic worms reside. As they travel on these surfaces and consume rotting organic material and dead insects, the spines on their legs attract the disease-causing organisms. When the cockroaches travel through a house, the pathogens fall off and contaminate cooking and eating surfaces and food.
Another way cockroaches make people ill is from the feces they leave in drawers, cabinets, and other surfaces in the home. Also, cockroaches attempt to get to food in packaging by chewing on paper or plastic that seals the items. When they chew on these surfaces, they contaminate the exterior with their infected saliva.
Salmonellosis, cholera, dysentery, listeriosis, and E. coli infections are examples of bacterial infections spread by German cockroaches. Gastroenteritis is a viral or bacterial infection, and a parasitic worm carried by German cockroaches causes giardia. Over 33 bacterial infections and six parasitic worms are associated with German cockroaches.
In addition to spreading diseases, German cockroaches in the house may trigger a runny nose, coughing, itchy eyes, and other allergic reactions through a protein produced by their bodies. Contact with a German cockroach or an exoskeleton may trigger these reactions, but the protein may also spread via dried, airborne feces. Young children and the elderly are especially susceptible to allergic or asthmatic episodes caused by floating fecal particles.
If you wonder how to get rid of cockroaches in Colorado Springs, High Country Pest Control is your answer. We strategically apply EPA-registered products to remove these pests from your home.
It's Extremely Difficult To Try To Get Rid Of Cockroaches On Your Own
Upon spotting a cockroach in your house, it is tempting to rush to the nearest hardware store and purchase a product that promises to take care of the cockroaches. Although it is satisfying to watch the product kill a roach upon contact, it is highly unlikely that it will stop the infestation because cockroaches reproduce at an insanely high rate.
Of all the cockroach species, German cockroaches are the fastest replicators. Female cockroaches produce ootheca, and each egg capsule contains multiple eggs. A German cockroach ootheca has up to 48 eggs per capsule, which is far more than the ootheca of other species. Although female German cockroaches live only 20 to 30 weeks, a single female will deliver four to eight capsules. Considering that cockroaches produce two generations annually, it is not unreasonable to see the population increase by 10,000 in one year without cockroach control.
Our service professionals apply safe and effective products in areas where cockroaches lay eggs. Our treatments destroy cockroach capsules and prevent the next generation from developing. High Country Pest Control is your professional cockroach remedy.
The Safe And Effective Way To Get Rid Of A Cockroach Infestation
Store-bought products may temporarily reduce the cockroach population in your house, but they will not stop the infestation. Furthermore, improper application of these products puts your family and pets at risk.
If you find a cockroach in your house, call High Country Pest Control. A service professional will arrive at your location, in most cases, on the same day. Our highly-trained technician will inspect the interior and exterior for attractants, entry points, and infestation signs. Upon completion of our investigation and after discussing your experiences, we will create a custom plan targeting the cockroach species to stop the invasion. Our treatment plan will include effective EPA-registered products and bait placements applied safely.
We focus on eradicating the current pest population and eliminating future cockroaches in their development stages. We will also work with you to stop a future infestation. Contact us today to learn about our treatment plans and get a free estimate.
What High Country Pest Control Customers Are Saying
"Excellent communication and customer service. We are very impressed with the high level of care they give to our home. I highly recommend!"
"I had a very peasant experience with this company! The professional that came to my house went above and beyond, was extremely patient with me, and was very knowledgable on the infestation problems I was having. I highly recommend calling in for a quote. They make it very easy for you and send professionals out really fast."
"High Country does an excellent, thorough job. At one time I had a mouse, ant, spider, and wasp problem. No longer, ever since High Country has been coming to the house. They are always on time, very friendly. If I do have problems they are back timely."
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