Cockroaches are the most unwelcome house guests, but unfortunately, about 11% of American homes suffer from infestations. If yours is one of them, this guide will teach you which species of cockroaches you have, how they trigger allergies and spread diseases, how they get into your home, and how to get them back out again. We'll give you a sneak peek at the ending: The best way to eradicate a cockroach infestation is to call a professional San Diego pest control company like Green Flash Pest Control.
Species Of Cockroaches That Commonly Invade San Diego Homes
There are four types of cockroaches that may be infesting your San Diego home, including:
- German Cockroaches: These roaches are the most common home-invading roach. They are on the smaller side for a cockroach growing to be around ¼ to ½ inches long. Most are light brown or tan and have two darker parallel marks behind their heads
- American Cockroaches: The largest of roaches in San Diego, these roaches grow to be from 1 ¼ to 2 ⅛ inches long. They are a reddish, mahogany brown and have a yellowish figure eight pattern on the back of their heads.
- Oriental Cockroaches: These cockroaches love water and are often mistaken for beetles. They are shiny, black insects that grow to around an inch in length.
- Turkestan Cockroaches: Generally an outside species, these roaches sometimes wander inside. They grow to be around 1 ¼ inches long. Females are dark-brown to black with cream-colored markings, and males are slightly smaller with brownish-orange to red coloring.
Knowing which type of cockroach is invading your home helps Green Flash Pest Control know how to get rid of the San Diego cockroaches you're dealing with and prevent them from returning.
Cockroaches Can Trigger Allergies And Spread Diseases
Cockroaches in San Diego spread 33 different types of bacteria, six kinds of parasitic worms, and seven other human pathogens. Some of the illnesses they spread to humans and their pets include:
- Salmonella
- Typhoid fever
- Cholera
- Gastroenteritis
- Dysentery
- Listeriosis
- Giardia
- E. coli
Any of these health conditions can make you, your family, and your pets seriously ill, so it's best to nip a cockroach infestation in the bud at the first signs of trouble.
German cockroaches also cause allergic reactions in many people, especially children. They can trigger asthma attacks, too. These reactions can develop in people of any age, so if you have German cockroaches, it's important to get rid of them as quickly as possible by calling for professional roach pest control in San Diego from Green Flash Pest Control
How Cockroaches Find Their Way Into Our Homes
To know how to prevent cockroaches, you need to know how cockroaches get into your home in the first place. There are a few different ways, including:
- Crawling in through nooks and crannies in your foundation. Cockroaches only need a tiny space to come inside your home.
- Hitchhiking on boxes or in groceries. Cockroaches hide well and are found everywhere, so you need to be vigilant about what you're bringing into your home.
- Coming in through holes in window or door screens. They can also come in through cracks in window casings and door jambs.
- Creeping along pipes and other holes between apartments or condominiums. If your neighboring apartments or condos have cockroaches, it's a pretty safe bet you're going to get them, too.
Preventing cockroaches is not as simple as keeping a clean home but maintaining your space can go a long way toward safeguarding your San Diego home. Cockroaches are invited by food smells, so the more dishes you let pile up in the sink or crumbs sit on countertops, the more likely they are to come to visit. To know how to get rid of cockroaches for good, just call Green Flash Pest Control and let us handle the problem.
The Best Cockroach Control Solution For San Diego Homes
If you want to know how to get rid of cockroaches in the house, the best way is to call in the pros at Green Flash Pest Control. We have 25 years of combined experience, and we're a local family-owned company. We want to protect what's most important to you: your family and your home. Contact us today for your free inspection and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in San Diego.