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What Attracts Cockroaches and Which Types of Pest Control Work

Looking for the best forms of cockroach control? They aren’t just creepy critters that give off very unpleasant odors. They can aggravate allergies, spoil food, and carry diseases.
Those are some of the biggest reasons why you will want to get rid of them. But how do they get inside the house, what attracts them, and how do you control (or eliminate) these pests?
We will answer these questions and more in this short and concise guide.

What Attracts Them and How Do They Get In
The first thing you will want to know about eliminating cockroaches is to determine what attracts them. Well, they won’t enter your home if they don’t find anything interesting there.
Unfortunately, our human homes tend to give these insects a lot of incentive to crawl right in. For instance, there are usually plenty of places in our homes that provide ideal living conditions for them.
These insects only have a few living requirements. They need a warm spot that is hidden from view. It should also have plenty of available moisture. And don’t forget that the food sources should be readily available.

If there are plenty of cracks and crevices in your home then those are great places for roaches to hide and lay some eggs. Pantries, the kitchen, and even the back of your fridge are favorite spots for roaches.

So how do they get in?
They get in through your home’s vent pipes, crevices, cracks, the Amazon box that was delivered this afternoon, shoes, and even from your purse.
They love to hitch a ride and they can hang on for dear life without you knowing. One expert even demonstrated it this way. Go down on all fours in front of your door.
Look under it. If you can still see a bit of light through the space under the door, then a cockroach can still squeeze itself through there. If there is anything interesting enough for them then they will break in through any entryway they see fit.

Types of Cockroaches
One of the important steps in cockroach extermination is to know the type of roach that is in your home. Here are the four most common species that you will find:

• American Cockroaches — they are about an inch and a half long, they’re reddish brown in color, have wings, and they can fly.
• German Cockroaches — these are the brown colored variants and you will also observe their heads to have stripes with a darker shade on them. They’re also shorter only about half an inch long.
• Wood Roaches — these are slightly longer than most cockroaches about 1.75 inches in length (minus the antennae’s length). Only the male wood roaches have wings and can fly.
• Oriental Cockroach — these are the most common cockroaches that you will find in Ohio and its neighboring states. They’re usually 1.5 inches in length. Only the male oriental roach has wings but they’re short not allowing them to fly.

How to Tell If You Have an Infestation
The detrimental thing about most cockroaches is that by the time you spot a cockroach in your home, you already have a serious infestation. The ones you see in broad daylight are the ones have been forced out into the open due to overpopulation.
In other words they were driven away by their fellow roaches since there is no longer any available hiding places in your home. So, apart from seeing one in your home, what are the other signs?
Consider the following:

• Musty and oily odor in the room or space.
• You find their egg casings (usually oval shaped)
• Dead cockroach corpses
• They leave behind their droppings — they look like coffee grounds or small bits of pepper.

If you see any of these signs then you need to get professional cockroach control. It’s not a smart idea to just grab a can of insecticide and spray everywhere.
You may get insecticide on areas and things that you don’t want to contaminate like clothing, food supplies, sanitary equipment, and others. Apart from that, cockroaches can develop an immune response to your pesticide rendering it useless in the long run.
In fact, pesticide makers are now finding it increasingly difficult to concoct formulas to get rid of American cockroaches since they have developed a near indestructible immunity to the majority of pesticides that have been used on them.

Best Practices
One of the best ways to keep these pesky roaches away is to keep your home as clean as you can. Don’t leave any gunk, crumbs, dust, and other debris hanging around.
Wipe everything clean—that includes every nook and cranny. You should also inspect your home and repair cracks, openings, and possible crawl spaces.

How to Hire the Right the Best Pest Control Services
Choosing the right cockroach extermination company can be confusing at times. They all make the same claims, right? Of course you want one that is local to your area so they can get back to you quickly in case of a re-infestation.
Here are several factors that you should definitely consider:

• Availability—the best pest control service should be available in your area. There are companies that operate in multiple states (usually the larger corporations) and then there are smaller local businesses. Always check how long they’ve been in your area.
• They use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies—the right pest control company shouldn’t just rely on pesticides to get rid of roaches and other critters. IPM also employs non-pesticide solutions, which are more environment-friendly.
• Certified QualityPro—this means they are certified by the national pest control association NPMA. The NPMA screens companies using four important factors: employee education, consumer relations, environmental stewardship, and quality business operations.
• Long Work Guarantee—Think of this as their warranty. Some have a 30 day guarantee and some have longer.
• Wildlife management techniques—this is important because sometimes the pests that enter your home may be bigger than roaches and more like mammals than insects.
• Guaranteed customer service—of course their service level should be under scrutiny as well. They should offer several contact options and demonstrate quality customer service.

Eliminating cockroaches may mean that you need to call for professional help. They tend to reproduce quickly replenishing their ranks as it were. You should do your part and let the pros handle the rest and contact Fromms Pest Control for Cockroach Extermination.