If you’re having an issue with cockroaches or any other pests, then it’s time to contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for help. Cockroaches are a pantry pest that finds a way into our homes and kitchens all the time. Businesses such as restaurants fight these insects off on a regular basis. Keeping your home and restaurants free from these insects is of paramount importance because they carry so many diseases on them. In this article, let’s take a good hard look at cockroaches, their lifecycle and what you and your Broken Arrow exterminator can do to protect your home and business from these invaders.
COCKROACH LIFECYCLE AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
Cockroaches use an incomplete metamorphosis to develop into adults. They start as an egg. The female will lay these eggs, and then leave them to fend for themselves. As the eggs hatch, a nymph emerge from each egg. This nymph is a smaller version of the adult cockroach. It will immediately search out for food in order to grow. As a cockroach grows, it will outgrow the exoskeleton that it find itself in. The chitin that makes up the exoskeleton is a very hard and brittle material. This material does not stretch at all. So once a cockroach gets too large for the exoskeleton that it’s in, the only way to continue its growth process is to molt. This is the process by which it sheds its exoskeleton in order to release itself from the old exoskeleton unable to stretch and grow further.
The average cockroach will molt multiple times. Once it finishes this process, it will be a reproductive adult. Males and females will pair up and mate. The female will seek out a place to lay her eggs. Most cockroaches will find a crack or crevice where she can lay her eggs, hidden from predators and other hazards. The exception to this rule is the German cockroach. The German cockroach will lay her eggs in an egg sack known as an ootheca. This sack will be carried around on her back with the eggs in it until they hatch. The new nymphs will go on to continue their life cycle. Contact you are Broken Arrow exterminator for help getting rid of cockroaches.
TYPES OF COCKROACHES AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
In Oklahoma, we see four types of cockroaches predominantly. The first type is the German cockroach. This is the majority of the cockroaches that you see in peoples kitchens and pantries. This small brownish orange cockroaches about 3/4 of an inch long. Is protonum, or armor plate behind its head has a unique yellowish outline on the back of it. These insects love to feed upon our food and live in our homes. All cockroaches are tropical. They enjoy the warm temperatures that we do. This gives them even more reason to find a way to our homes.
The brown banded cockroach is another pantry pest much like the German cockroach. They’re about the same size and also brown in color. They are somewhat unique in the fact that they have three yellowish bands around their mid abdomen area. Brown banded cockroaches also like to eat our food, but will tend to find themselves higher up on the wall than the German cockroach. They love to hide behind pictures and wall hangings, and will more often use their wings to glide down if they feel threatened. When having an issue with either of these kinds of cockroaches, then contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for help.
OUTDOOR COCKROACHES AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
There are two kinds of outdoor cockroaches that find a way into our homes and businesses. The American cockroach is the first of these two. It’s the largest of the four cockroaches coming in at almost 3 inches long. These brown behemoths are somewhat frightening to look at, but really post no direct threat to us. While all cockroaches can spread disease because they are animals that live in filth, these insects will not attack and usually run from the sight of a human. We often see them in high moisture situations, such as a problem with a broken plumbing line or a cracked foundation.
The oriental cockroach is the last of the four Oklahoma cockroaches that we find in peoples homes. This black cockroaches a little smaller than the American cockroach coming in about 2 1/2 inches. It’s a lot fatter than the American cockroach and definitely just is ugly. We find these insects usually in ditches and drainage. Oriental cockroaches feed on dead organic matter. They love damp areas and will find a way in if there’s moisture getting into your home. Again, if you see these insects in your home, it may be time not only to call a Broken Arrow exterminator, but also a plumber because you may have a problem with your plumbing.
ELIMINATING COCKROACHES AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
When people see a cockroach, their first gut reaction is to grab a can of raid and go after these pests. While a can of pesticide like this may be very effective at killing one cockroach, it could be very problematic if you have a larger problem. These pesticides will build a barrier that the cockroaches will not cross. If you trap them in a gap such as a hole in your wall, or behind an appliance, they may get stuck there where you can’t get to them. They will continue to reproduce and grow in number until the pesticide breaks down and now you have a bigger problem than when you started.
If you’re having an issue with cockroaches or any other pests, then it’s time to contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for more help. Here at TermMax pest control, we are the best in the business when it comes to dealing with cockroaches, or any other insects. We service the greater Tulsa area, including Broken Arrow, Claremore, Coweta, Catoosa, Sapulpa, Sand Springs, Prattville, Owasso, Turley, Jenks, Bixby, and so much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!