Cockroaches are a pest no Houston homeowner wants to deal with. They are disgusting creatures who pose serious health risks to those inside your home. The thought of cockroaches scurrying in the dark crawl spaces of your home is enough to cause nightmares, and reasonably so. Because once cockroaches are inside your home, they are extremely difficult to get rid of, and so is their smell.
Houston Cockroaches
While there are over 3,500 species of cockroaches, a handful of these species make their home on your property in Houston. The American cockroach, the German cockroach, the oriental cockroach, and the smoky brown cockroach are the most common Houston cockroaches [pest id]. Many of these species are outdoor cockroaches but come wintertime, they invade your home seeking food sources and a comfy area to breed, preferring a warm, moist environment.
Inside your home, they maintain a varied diet. Cockroaches eat almost anything including hair, dust, books, pictures, feces, fabrics, and other insects. They also eat other cockroaches. Water is a necessity for cockroaches, but not as much as you might think.
While a human can’t survive long without water, cockroaches can survive up to 3 weeks without it, and when deprived of food sources, they can also live for months without food. As nocturnal insects, you will most often find them scurrying inside a cupboard or closet, and they prefer dark, unfrequented spaces in your home.
The Dangers of Cockroach Infestation
Most people know that cockroaches are gross insects, but most don’t know how dangerous they are. Cockroaches are unsanitary, hanging out in areas riddled with bacteria. They make their home in trash bins. They traipse through and eat fecal matter. They spend some time near toxic materials in the garage, then find a spot in your home to settle down, exposing your family and food supply through their saliva, vomit, urine, and fecal pellets.
These dietary habits and lifestyles of cockroaches put your family at risk of contracting serious illnesses. Some of these could be as harmless as stomachache and fever. But in more extreme cases, your loved ones could contract E. Coli, Listeria, and staphylococcus. Cockroaches also release a “dust” from their exoskeletons that trigger asthmatic attacks and can cause persistent allergies for those inside your home.
Getting Rid of Cockroaches—an impossible mission
Why is it so difficult to keep cockroaches out once they get in? Cockroaches are the world’s most formidable insect. Because they can go months without food or water, cockroaches can live in almost any environment. Their genetic codes teach their bodies how to become immune or detox from many chemical treatments, so home insecticides prove ineffective. These pests can even grow back severed body parts! And if you think they can’t live without their head, you would be partly wrong; cockroaches can live up to 3 weeks after being decapitated! Cockroaches hold their breath too, so drowning them isn’t an option.
In addition to their resiliency, cockroaches multiply quickly. Female cockroaches can lay over 150 eggs in their lifetime, each generation has genetic codes to withstand the new environment. When cockroaches leave fecal matter in your home, it acts like a GPS signal for other cockroaches to find and re-locate to your home. If you spot one cockroach in your home, it is almost always an indicator that there are many more.
Are you ready to rid your home of cockroaches? The best way to protect you and your family from the dangers of cockroaches is with professional help. Romney Pest Control is your Houston source for comprehensive, effective treatment of cockroaches.
