An infestation of cockroaches are likely to occur in the summer because cockroaches like to congregate in warm moist, areas. Cockroaches are often found in areas of the home such as basements, porches, and sewer pipes.
Have roaches been in our societal world for a long time? Yes, thousands of years. There are a variety of roaches throughout the world. What varieties are in our area? Four. They are:
- German cockroach: light brown with two stripes on the shield, about 2/3” of an inch long. Female carries egg sack for 55-68 days. Where do you find them? Any place water, warmth and food are found. Most often in kitchens and bathrooms.
- Brown banded: light brown to brown, no stripes. About same size as the German. Egg sacks can be found glued in warmed places (inside a TV as an example. Because the Brown Banded is found in warm places they can easily be transferred when moving to new residences.
- American Cockroach: around 1 ½ inches long. Case of eggs is brown but turns black after a few days. Usually found in commercial buildings. Really has a difficult time surviving outside in Maryland during winter
- Oriental cockroach: commonly referred to as a “water bug” Around 1”. They do not fly. Eggs are slow to develop (300-800 days). Lives in moist areas, will move inside in cold weather
Now on to some general facts about cockroaches. Roaches like tight places. They stay in hiding during daylight and come out at night to find water and food.
The best thing to do is to keep everything CLEAN. If you see roaches during daylight hours call a professional immediately. Daylight sightings are a 100% indication of a large infestation. These insects have a highly develop sense of smell and they will chew through paper and cardboard. ALL food must be kept in plastic containers; this is true of pet food also. How do you use home remedies?
- Do not use boric acid, won’t work
- Sticky traps are not effective BUT will provide information on location, and to evaluate effectiveness of measures you have taken.
- If the situation is not an INFESTATION, try some commercial insecticidal bait.
If you have small children just remember: the child has no defense.