Are roaches active in the winter? The short answer is yes. Cockroaches seek shelter and food throughout the year. No matter the outside temperature, insects follow the source of their needs to survive any elements.
Roaches dwell where it’s dark and, in general, avoid humans. If you see one or more, you have many more hidden behind your walls, floorboards, and ceiling. Roaches are likely to go undetected as they eat and breed in your home until their numbers drastically increase.
There’s a solution – Seitz Bros. offers you comprehensive pest control – we’ll find out what attracts roaches to your home and eliminate them for good.
Signs of a Cockroach Infestation
The first noticeable sign of a roach is seeing a bug out in the open. Walking into a dark room, turning on a light, and seeing roaches scattered is as frightening to them as it is to you.
As mentioned, cockroaches hide away from sight; if you do see one, that means that there’s a competition for food, and the weaker roaches much search elsewhere for food.
The four types of roaches that you’ll most likely encounter in the northeast part of the United States are the German cockroach, Oriental cockroach, American cockroach, and the brown-banded cockroach.
No species are venomous, or sting, plus roach bites are rare. Although they won’t attack, these pests are unwelcome in any home.
- Roach Waste
Roaches devour every type of food they can come across. Whether it’s human food or pet food, plant matter, garbage, or even dead skin cells, roaches will feast on what they can find. Discovering roach feces is one of the most common signs of infestation.
Search behind your oven, refrigerator, under the sinks, behind boxes in your attic, and food storage areas for signs of feces for signs brown or black specks like coffee grounds or pepper that’s obviously not spilled food.
- Discarded Egg Sacs
Female roaches lay between 120 and 320 eggs in a lifetime. Once roaches settle in your home and start breeding, their numbers will increase substantially.
The females carry oothecae sacks in their abdomen, where the eggs are stored. After the eggs hatch, they leave behind the brown, oblong cases.
- A Foul Smell
Do you detect a funky odor that’s not spoiled food or dirty laundry? Again, you may have a roach problem. Roaches leave a pungent, musty smell. Dead cockroaches produce oleic acid, and the smell can linger in the air.
Damages Caused by Cockroaches
While cockroaches do not cause the same level of destruction as termites, the damages they do cause is significant. Cockroaches may spread pathogens that cause diseases, especially around food storage and preparation areas.
The World Health Organization reports that cockroaches are suspected carriers of the microorganisms that can cause various illnesses such as diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, leprosy, plague, typhoid fever, and viral diseases.
Also, people with asthma and other allergies react to the roaches themselves, saliva, waste, and the shedding skin.
One thing that may not recover is the damage to your reputation if a guest views a cockroach in your home. The guest may not ever want to return in fear that your home is riddled with roaches. Roach traps and pesticides will not resolve the issue. That is a short-term treatment.
What to Do if You Find Roaches in Your Home
The only way to stop a roach infestation is by working with a thoroughly trained licensed pest control professional. Since 1975, Seitz Bros. has cared for customers and their homes to keep their property free from cockroaches and other pests.
It’s our focus to exceed your expectation to remove any pest from your property. It doesn’t matter how expensive your property is or the age it was built. Newer homes can experience pest problems as easily as more contemporary homes. If roaches find a way in, they will stay until they are professionally exterminated.
Don’t wait another moment or waste your time and money taking care of the issue on your own. Reach out to schedule a free consultation with Seitz Bros. We’ll make your home free from all pests.
