Of all the insects in the animal kingdom cockroaches are by far the most notorious as pantry pests. They affect us more than any other insects, they depend on us more than any other insects and they have more human contact than most insects. These pesky creatures can get into almost anywhere in an effort to piggyback off our homes and feed off our food. In this article, let’s take a look at cockroaches and how they interact with us and make our life A living hell plus how we can deal with them.

THE GERMAN COCKROACH

Predominantly, there are four different cockroaches that we find in Oklahoma. The most common cockroach seen in our state is the German cockroach. This cockroach is about half of an inch long and brown with two racing stripes down the back. The pronotum, or plate behind the head, is where you find these two stripes. If you’ve ever seen cockroaches in your kitchen, these are most likely the culprits. They reproduce very quickly and can overrun your home in a short time.

THE BROWN BANDED COCKROACH

The brown band cockroach the second most ubiquitous cockroach found in Oklahoma. This roach is easily identified with a light brown bans around its abdomen. You’ll find this roach higher up on the walls and ceiling than most other roaches. They just naturally like to be in these places. They’re about the same size as a German cockroach and are found often in the same sorts of places. Contact your local Tulsa pest control company for more details. 

THE AMERICAN COCKROACH

The American cockroach is the behemoth of the four major cockroach species. Coming in at almost three inches long, this is a very large insect. In most cases these insects are actually found outdoors but when plumbing issues or other problems occur, American cockroaches can find their way in. Unlike the German and brown band roach, the American cockroach is not really interested in our food. These insects are scavengers and feed off of dead organic matter. This is why they are most often associated with the broken plumbing and other issues of that sort.

THE ORIENTAL COCKROACH

The oriental cockroach is the last of the four major cockroaches species in Oklahoma. This roach is most often found in drainage ditches and other very damp places. It’s black in color and wider than the American cockroach but only about an inch to an inch and a half in length. Because of this it’s a little bit smaller than the American cockroach, but just as startling. These insects are also scavengers and will also feed on organic dead material. They love damp, dark areas and will often be associated with plumbing issues as well.

WHAT ATTRACTS THEM?

Cockroaches are most often attracted to unsanitary conditions. The German and brown banded cockroach are both attracted to our food supply. So if you have a situation where food is left out or dishes have been left in the sink, this can be very attractive for these cockroaches. They’re often found in our pantries in our dry cereals and in any kind of fat or grease that they can find. All four of these cockroach species were originally tropical insects. Because of this they like high heat and high humidity areas. The most conducive high heat area that they can find is in our homes. The temperatures that we keep our houses at with air-conditioning in the summer and central heating in the winter are perfect for them to survive in. This gives them every reason to piggyback off of our lifestyle. Your Broken Arrow exterminator can help you with this.  

Another unsanitary condition that can attract these insects are broken plumbing lines. Often a plumbing line will break without an outward sign. This can give these kinds of cockroaches an opportunity to make their way in. Often these are the American and oriental cockroaches that you see in basements in crawlspaces. Making sure that your plumbing is in order is a great way to keep these bugs out of your home.

DEALING WITH COCKROACHES

So what should you do if you find yourself with cockroaches in your home? The best answer is to contact your local Broken Arrow pest control company. They’re going to have the right pesticides and products to deal with the cockroach that you’re dealing with. Knowing what kind of cockroach you have and knowing the correct pesticide to use is imperative. Often people will go to the hardware store and pick up a can of whatever pesticide they can find. These pesticides are almost always repellent pesticides. Repellent pesticides are pesticides that the insects can sense and will run away from. This is why when you spray a can of raid these insect scatter. Unfortunately, this can trap cockroaches inside gaps in walls and other places that you can’t get at with spray. The cockroaches will be trapped there until the pesticide breaks down which could be up to 30 days. In the meantime they will reproduce and ,when that pesticide does finally break down, you’re going to have a bigger problem than when you started.

This is why it’s important to have non-repellent pesticides used against cockroaches. Unfortunately, there are no over-the-counter non-repellent pesticides available in most places. Often people will try to use natural pesticide such as peppermint oils and other kinds of essential oils.  While these essential oils may smell nice, they are ineffective against cockroaches. These insects have evolved over time to deal with all sorts of different problems and the smell of her perfumed oils is not going to deter them in anyway.

SO, WHAT’S THE ANSWER?

If you’re finding yourself in a situation we need to deal with cockroaches, it’s time to call in a Tulsa exterminator that you can trust. TermMax Pest Control is the best in the business when it comes to dealing with cockroaches and any other pests that you may be dealing with right now. We service the greater Tulsa area including Broken Arrow, Coweta, Claremore, Catoosa, Jenks, Prattville, Sapulpa, Sand Springs, Owasso, Turley and much much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!