German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) are small, only ½ inch long. They are light brown with two darker brown lines on their head. They prefer to live in kitchens and bathrooms. Both these places have food for cockroaches, water, and dark places to hide in. German cockroaches cannot survive long outdoors.
German Cockroaches Are Dangerous
German cockroaches can carry salmonellosis (food poisoning), typhoid fever, cholera, gastroenteritis, dysentery, listeriosis, giardia, and E. coli. They pass these diseases to humans by walking over food or food-preparation areas, utensils, and other spaces. German cockroaches are also implicated in the development of allergies and asthma. Their cast-off skins, feces, and dead bodies can cause asthma attacks in children.
In addition to contaminating food, German cockroaches destroy fabric and paper, leave behind stains in places they travel regularly, and leave a musky odor where they have been. They are very difficult to get rid of, especially in multi-unit housing units such as apartments and duplexes.
German Cockroach Life Cycle
The female German cockroach carries around a brown, purse-shaped egg case that is about 1/4th inches long. A day or two before it hatches, she drops it. Sometimes she isn’t quick enough and the eggs hatch while she is carrying the case. Each egg case has about 30 eggs in it. The female roach can produce an egg case every few weeks. In one year, the female cockroach and her babies can lay over 30,000 eggs. It doesn’t take long for one female cockroach to become an infestation in your home.
Preventing Cockroaches In Your Home
It is better to prevent German cockroaches from entering your home than it is to try to get rid of them once they are there. There are two parts to keeping them from infesting your home: exclusion and sanitation.
In order to exclude German cockroaches, you must seal all the cracks and crevices in your home. If you can put the edge of a credit card in a crack, a German cockroach can use it to enter your home. It is also important to seal around pipes, electrical wires, and cables as they come through your wall. Make sure the weatherstripping around doors and windows is in good condition. Screens should fit tightly around windows and not have any holes in them. Good sanitation will not prevent German cockroaches from entering your home, but bad sanitation will attract them.
- Fix any water leaks in the home.
- Keep food in roach-proof containers.
- Wipe up any food spills promptly.
- Do not leave dirty dishes out overnight.
- Pick up pet food each evening.
- Keep pet food in a roach-proof container.
- Keep garbage in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Take the garbage out regularly and place it in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Vacuum cracks and crevices for food crumbs.
Get Professional Help With An Infestation
German cockroaches are very difficult to get rid of. They are so small that when you are spraying or using a fogger, they hide in tiny cracks where the pesticide can’t penetrate. If you find a cockroach or think you have an infestation, call in the professionals. Ventura Pest Control can help you get rid of the German cockroaches in your home.
When you call, we will send out a trained technician to do a free inspection inside and outside your home. After the technician inspects your house inside and out, they will develop a plan to get rid of the German cockroaches. We can come out once, or we can start a monthly maintenance program to make sure you never have to deal with German cockroaches again. Call Ventura Pest Control today at (805) 301-5470.
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