Cockroach Identification & Prevention

Physical characteristics of cockroaches include having flat oval bodies, long antennae, and spiny legs. Most cockroaches have wings, but very few fly. These pests are best known for invading structures where food is prepared or stored. They are adaptable scavenging pests with an appetite to survive. American, brown-banded, German, and oriental cockroaches are the most common types of cockroaches living in the Georgetown area.

American cockroaches are large reddish-brown insects with a yellow figure-eight-like marking behind their head. If you spot a large flying cockroach in your home, it is most likely an American cockroach. Brown-banded cockroaches and German cockroaches are small roaches. Brown banded-cockroaches have two dark bands of color running across the wings of adults. German cockroaches are brown and have two dark lines behind their heads that run parallel down their backs. These two species are often confused with each other. Oriental cockroaches have a beetle-like appearance and are shiny black or brown. Reach out to us today for more information about our pest control services in Georgetown, TX.

Cockroaches are pests that can multiply quickly and spread disease and parasites wherever they live and travel. Controlling cockroaches is essential to your family's health and ability to feel comfortable in your home.

Because cockroaches live in unsanitary places, they are in constant contact with bacteria and human pathogens. As they move around our homes, they contaminate surfaces and food with salmonella, E. coli, and other pathogens that can make us ill.

In addition to their health risks, cockroaches produce foul odors, stain walls, upholstery, and other surfaces with their excrement, and chew holes in paper, fabrics, and cardboard boxes.

The numerous species of cockroaches living in our region and the many ways cockroaches can enter our homes means that a cockroach infestation can happen inside any Georgetown home.

Cockroaches living outside in gardens, trashcans, or trees near our homes can easily find their way inside. As they are foraging for food and water, cockroaches enter inside through things like:

• Gaps under doors
• Defects in exterior walls
• Uncovered drains and vents
• Torn screens
• Cracks in the foundation
• Openings around wires, cables, and other utilities entering your home

In addition to moving inside on their own six legs, cockroaches move from structure to structure by hitchhiking. When cockroach-infested boxes, furniture, electronics, and appliances are moved from one place to another, so are the cockroaches hiding inside.

You will most likely find cockroaches in their preferred habitats, like landfills, dumps, sewers, garbage cans, dumpsters, and under damp, decaying organic debris. While our homes are not a cockroach's preferred habitat, they won't hesitate to take advantage of what they provide.

Inside our homes, cockroaches hang out in warm, humid areas near food, like kitchens, bathrooms, closets, pantries, attics, and wall voids. Their flat bodies allow them to hide in tight spaces and well out of our sight. Some of their preferred hiding spots are cracks in walls, the backs of drawers, under or inside cardboard boxes, inside light fixtures, and behind loose wallpaper or backsplashes. Since cockroaches are nocturnal, an initial infestation can go unnoticed. Spotting just one cockroach in your home should alert you to a problem with these pests and prompt you to immediately reach out for cockroach control near you.

Here at Georgetown Pest Control, we will help you get rid of cockroaches from your home. We are a locally owned pest control company that is here to help you maintain a pest-free environment while making a minimal impact on the environment. Our professionals know how frustrating cockroaches can be and will provide the ongoing quarterly services necessary to control cockroaches. Don't hesitate to reach out today to learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control options.

Keep reading to learn some of the most helpful ways to prevent problems with cockroaches.

• Clean regularly to remove debris and crumbs from your home.
• Repair leaky pipes and faucets.
• Make sure your home has adequate ventilation. 
• Store food and trash correctly and out of the reach of cockroaches.
• Inspect secondhand items for hiding cockroaches before bringing them into your home. 
• Seal potential entry points – gaps under doors, cracks around windows, small holes in screens, and cracks in the foundation. 

For cockroach control in Georgetown, call today!