Pantry pets are a year-round issue. These are pests that get into our kitchens, pantries and food supplies and consume the same foods that we do. They can really be difficult to control and a problem for any area where we keep our food. Cockroaches don’t care whether it’s raining or sunshine or if it’s snowing or any other kind of weather. They find them selves inside our homes and businesses enjoying our heat and our air conditioning. It’s important to keep a close eye on these kinds of pests because they can be very dangerous. This article will deal with cockroaches and how they are our pests that we must protect against.
MORE ABOUT COCKROACHES
Cockroaches are pretty much ubiquitous. We can find cockroaches around the world. Six of the seven continents, only Antarctica is not included in this list, have cockroaches in some way, shape or form. And yet these insects are actually tropical in nature. They originated near the equator, and require a higher temperature than most other insects. This is one reason why we find them so often in our homes. They need the warm weather and the temperatures that our heaters and air conditioners can give them.
Cockroaches are at the bottom of the food chain. They are really the bottom feeders. In nature, you will find them consuming dead organic matter including animals and plants. They are meant to keep our forest floors clean. This also makes them a very dirty insect. Often they are feeding on feces and carcasses that are covered with bacteria and other diseases. If they’ve been on something with such diseases, they can carry these bacteria to our food supply. It’s important to keep them out of our pantries, kitchens and restaurants because of this. They are also heavily preyed upon by other larger insects and animals. They could be a fairly large insect, so they can make a great meal for a bird or small animal. Call your Tulsa exterminator for more information.
Cockroaches a found ways of dealing with these predators. One of the biggest protections that they have against these animals, is their ability to reproduce so quickly. A pair of cockroaches can quickly become an infestation if not dealt with very fast. If you find yourself in a situation where you have pantry pests in your home, or business, it’s important that you call a Broken Arrow exterminator right away.
KINDS OF COCKROACHES
In Oklahoma, we predominately have four different kinds of cockroaches. The German cockroach is the most common cockroach that we find in this state. It’s very difficult to kill, and multiplies very fast. It is unique in the fact that the female actually carries its ootheca, or egg sac. Most other cockroach types will find a gap or hole somewhere to insert their ootheca and hide it from predators. The female German cockroach will carry it on her back until they hatch. The German cockroach is about 3/4 of an inch long and reddish brown in color. It has two stripes on its pronotum, or the plate behind its head. These insects love to find a way into our foods and pantries. They tend to be lower to the ground, and scurry away under light or other duress.
The brown banded cockroach looks much like the German cockroach. It’s about the same size and brown in color. The difference that it has are the two light yellow bands wrapped around its abdomen. These bands set it apart from the other cockroaches. This Insect also likes to find its way into our pantries and kitchens. It differs from the German cockroach in the fact that it likes to be higher up on the wall. Both of these cockroaches can fly in a way. They have wings and can float down by flapping their wings if they find themselves in a high perch location. In most cases though they don’t because it puts them in a dangerous predicament when it comes to predators. Your Tulsa pest control company can help.
MORE ROACHES
The American cockroach is a large cockroach. It is the largest that we see in our homes. It’s about 2 to 3 inches long. These bottom dwellers tend to be mostly in our sewer systems and drainage. Often when we find these insects, they are caused by a problem in the plumbing in someone’s home or business. When a pipe is broken open or something like that, they can find a way to use the pipes to get into the building. They love wet and damp locations. Because of this, whenever you have a plumbing issue, that free water can attract them.
Oriental cockroaches are in the same boat. They are a little smaller than the American cockroach, and much more black in color. They are often found in drainage ditches and definitely prefer the outdoors to being inside. But if you find yourself in a situation where you’re having drainage problems or plumbing issues in your home or business, oriental cockroaches could present them selves.
ELIMINATING COCKROACHES FROM YOUR HOME
Dealing with these insects can be difficult. There are many over-the-counter solutions to dealing with cockroaches. They’re problematic because in most cases they are repellent insecticides. The cockroaches can smell or sense these insecticides, and are repelled by them. What ends up happening is that they are pushed into gaps or places where you can’t get to, such as inside a wall or underneath an appliance. When they find themselves hidden, they will sit back and reproduce until the insecticide wears out. Then you will have twice the problem that you had before you started spraying.
If you’re having an issue with cockroaches or any other pests in your home or business, it’s time to call in a professional. Here at TermMax Pest Control, we are the best Broken Arrow pest control company in the state. We are here to help. We service the greater Tulsa area including Owasso, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Bixby, Jenks, Broken Arrow, Coweta, Claremore, Catoosa, Turley, Prattville and much more. Call today for a free estimate.