Now that June is here, so are the dreaded cockroaches. Don’t let cockroaches put your employees’ and customers’ health at risk or cause you and your employees unnecessary stress. Your good reputation could be damaged by just one sighting of a cockroach, or worse, by an illness caused by contaminated food. But, don’t worry, you can get help with your cockroach problems from a professional pest control company like Adams Exterminating Company in Denton, Texas.
Cockroaches are extremely hardy pests that are very difficult to eradicate. The most common cockroaches in Texas are the American cockroach, German cockroach, and the Oriental cockroach.
American Cockroaches are the largest of the three. They are a reddish brown color with a distinct yellow figure-eight pattern on the back of their head and can grow up to 3” long. Both male and female American cockroaches have wings and can fly (but it is rare for them to do so). Indoors, you will find these roaches in places that are dark, warm, and moist, such as bathrooms, basements, tub areas, floor drains, and around leaky pipes. Outdoors, you can find them under mulch, compost, landfills, and garbage facilities. They eat a variety of foods including other insects, leaves, algae, crumbs, and pet food. American cockroaches are terribly unsanitary and can carry bacteria and viruses on their bodies, and excrete them in their feces. This can cause many health problems including diarrhea, salmonella, E. coli, and dysentery as well as parasitic worms. Their dried feces and shed skins can also cause asthma attacks, especially in children and the elderly.
German cockroaches are probably the most common and they have the ability to breed rather quickly. They can grow up to ⅝” long and are small enough to fit through small crevices. These cockroaches are tan or light brown and have two horizontal stripes on the backs of their head. German roaches are fast runners and rarely fly even though they have wings. Like most roaches, German cockroaches like dark, warm, and humid environments that are located close to food sources. They may congregate inside boxes, bags, cupboards, old furniture, underneath sinks and appliances, and in basements or laundry areas. They will eat just about anything from soaps, shampoos, and toothpaste, to glues, starches, sweets, and meats. German cockroaches are also very unsanitary and can carry bacteria and viruses on their bodies, as well as excrete them in their feces. These viruses and bacteria can lead to food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, salmonella, and E. coli. Their dried exoskeletons and feces can cause asthma as well.
Oriental cockroaches are also known as black beetles, shade roaches, and waterbugs. These medium-sized cockroaches are shiny, black, and smooth and can grow up to 1” long. Two strange things about Oriental cockroaches is that they are native to Africa, not the Orient, and have wings but cannot fly. They can be found indoors in the typical dark, moist places, especially in crawl spaces and wall voids that are out of the way and undisturbed. Outdoors, they can be found in debris, leaf, and garbage piles, as well as storm drains and the sewer. Oriental roaches eat decaying organic debris, garbage, and starches. They can live for a month without any food, but only two weeks without water. They carry pathogens, parasites, and bacteria around with them that can contaminate any surface they walk on. Due in part to their preferred hang out spots, they are a serious health hazard.
Cockroaches are extremely dangerous and should not exist in any restaurant or food business. If you see any signs of roaches in your commercial business, contact Adams Exterminating Company right away. Our highly trained technicians can work with you to develop a commercial pest control plan specifically for your business.