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3 Cockroaches Found In Massachusetts Homes
8/20/13
No one likes finding cockroaches inside their home. The presence of these pests usually signifies a sanitation issue that if left unchecked can cause you and your family a great deal of health issues. Fortunately there are ways to achieve cockroach control; through sanitation measures, exclusion techniques and some good old fashioned New England pest control, a cockroach problem can come under control and be fully eliminated. Do you think you could have cockroaches inside your home? In Massachusetts, there are 3 types of cockroaches that can be found inside homes and they include the American cockroach, the German cockroach and the Oriental cockroach. Here are a few tips to help you identify each of these cockroaches as well as prevent cockroaches in Massachusetts from getting comfortable inside your home.
The American cockroach: This is an especially large species of New England cockroaches. They are recognizable through their reddish-brown color and they have a small yellow section located behind their heads and they can grow to be up to 2 inches in length. The adult American cockroach has wings but cannot fly, but they run very fast, despite their large size. They can be found in warm and damp areas; they do not tolerate the cold very well, so they will seek shelter in the warm places in your home.
The German cockroach: Compared to the American cockroach, this is a relatively small species of cockroach, ranging between 1/2 and 2/3 of an inch in length. They are tan in color, although sometimes they’ve been known to be brown or black. You can recognize these cockroaches by the two dark lines that run parallel from the head to the base of the wings. Both the male and female German cockroach has wings, but they are unable to fly. They can be found inside homes in colder regions, including New England, because they do not tolerate the cold. You may see these insects inside homes, as well as food processing facilities, restaurants, hospitals and commercial lodgings.
The Oriental cockroach: This is a large species of cockroach, measuring in at 1 inch long and these cockroaches are dark brown and shiny. Both the male and female have wings but cannot fly. They are sometimes called ‘waterbugs’ because they appreciate dark and moist areas, including sewers and areas under mulch. They tend to be a household pest in damp areas of the home, including basements and bathrooms.
Cockroaches are known for spending time in sewers, dumpsters and feeding on decaying matter; this causes them to pick up bacteria and pathogens on the tiny hairs on their bodies. When they travel into our homes and onto food prep surfaces (or even into our food!) they can pass these pathogens on to us, which can make us very sick. Cockroach feces and dead bodies in our homes can also cause our children to suffer from allergies. Before you even have a cockroach problem inside your home, it is best to prevent them from arriving with these cockroach prevention tips:
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Keep your food under wraps. If you leave food on the counters, make sure it is stored in an air tight container. For opened packages in the pantry, decant bags and open containers into air tight containers to keep cockroaches from contaminating items like flour and sugar.
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Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. Wash dishes every day and never leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
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Inside your home, make sure garbage is stored in a container with a tightly fitting lid. When garbage is full, take it out immediately and store it in another container away from your house that also has a tightly fitting lid.
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Seal any cracks or crevices around the home to get rid of areas where cockroaches may try to enter.
These prevention tips can help you to avoid a cockroach infestation inside your Worcester MA property. Protecting your family from a cockroach invasion is very important; once these pests find a way indoors, it can prove to be very difficult to get rid of them, especially on your own. DIY cockroach control is not recommended; a pest control professional should be called in to help locate the infestation and then deliver the appropriate treatments to take care of the problem in a quick and cost-effective manner.
If you are looking for cockroach control in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and parts of Eastern Connecticut, Big Blue Bug Solutions should be the company you call! They have been servicing homes and businesses in their service area since 1935 and can help you get rid of a cockroach infestation today; give them a call for a free inspection at 1-888-258-3284.