Roaches
Cockroaches ask little from life; nothing more than food, shelter, moisture and warmth...conditions they find in most homes, including some of the cleanest. But there are steps you can take to protect yours. To prevents an infestation, first, deny them entrance, andÂ
Though your professional pest control operator (PCO) can tell you for sure, chances are the species you come up against will be the German cockroach. About half an inch long, the German is much smaller than the American and Oriental varieties, which makes it much easier to slip into the home unnoticed, and easier to hide once inside. The German also multiplies faster than most other species. Potentially, one pair of German cockroaches in one year could be responsible for a million offspring.
Like other species, the German leaves its hideouts to feed mostly at night. And though it is unusually active, it is also uncommonly crafty. So, by the time bugs are first spotted, your home could be alive with hundreds of young and adult cockroaches.
What can you do? Because German cockroaches are so small, it's hard to keep them out.
But you don't have to give them an engraved invitation. Inspect all incoming goods, especially groceries. And seal off all possible points of entry such as around pipes and cracks in walls.
If cockroaches do get in, you can make your home an undesirable environment for them by keeping it neat and clean. Don't let trash pile up and provide breeding and hiding places. Store food in containers which cockroaches cannot penetrate. And don't feed cockroaches by letting crumbs accumulate around dining or food preparation areas. In short, anything you do to improve sanitation is a blow against cockroaches.
However, though these steps will only discourage cockroaches, they cannot eliminate them. If pressed, cockroaches can live in any warm, dark place - in closets, drawers, even in radios, tv sets and other appliances. and though they prefer to eat what you eat, they can also live on things like book bindings and furniture glue.
To stamp out cockroaches, and keep them out for good, you'll need the help of a PCO using a proven effective insecticide.
