If you’ve ever encountered a cockroach in your Baltimore home or business, there’s a good chance it was a German cockroach. That’s because German cockroaches are the most common cockroach invader of both homes and businesses alike. And while everyone can agree that German cockroaches are unsightly pests to have in the home, many people are unaware of just how dangerous they can be. German cockroaches spread a number of harmful disease-causing bacteria and pathogens. Therefore, if you want to keep your family safe from these unwelcome pests, you need to know the steps you can take to keep them out of your Baltimore home.
German Cockroach Basics
German cockroaches grow to be about 5/8th of an inch long. They are light-brown or tan in color, and they feature two parallel black lines on their backs, just behind their heads. Both male and female German cockroaches have wings and are able to fly. However, they do so only rarely as they prefer to scuttle.
Once inside, German cockroaches settle in warm, humid areas that are close to food and water sources. In a home, this could be kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or basements.
Issues Posed By German Cockroach Infestations
German cockroaches pose all sorts of issues when they infest homes. They can contaminate surfaces, spread diseases, and are difficult to get rid of. While outside, German cockroaches tend to reside in unsanitary environments such as sewers, drain pipes, and trash heaps. In these locations, they can pick up all sorts of harmful bacteria and pathogens. Then, when they come into our homes, they bring those harmful contaminants with them, transferring them to countertops, dishes, food, or any other surface they touch. Diseases that German cockroaches spread include salmonellosis, dysentery, plague, E. coli, cholera, typhoid, and listeriosis among many more. Additionally, they can trigger allergies and asthma in at-risk people.
If their capacity to spread disease isn’t enough, German cockroaches are incredibly hard to get rid of once they infest a home. That’s because German cockroaches are formidable pests that can survive in a variety of environments without issue. Additionally, they can live for a week without water and a month without food. So, even if you take away potential food sources, they can persist. Because of this, when it comes to German cockroaches, being proactive is key.
German Cockroach Prevention Techniques
German cockroach prevention is all about eliminating any factors that might draw cockroaches inside, as well as sealing off any possible entry points. To accomplish this, you should:
- Store all food in air-tight containers or the refrigerator.
- Wipe up any spills from counters or floors immediately.
- Pick up any uneaten pet food.
- Take out the trash regularly.
- Store trash in trash bins with tight-fitting lids.
- Use dehumidifiers to lower humidity levels in your home.
- Fix any leaking pipes or fixtures.
- Fill in any cracks in the foundation of your home.
- Install weather stripping around windows and exterior doors.
- Install door sweeps under exterior doors.
The #1 Solution For German Cockroach Control In Your Home
If you have any further questions about German cockroach prevention, or if you are currently dealing with a German cockroach infestation, contact the professionals at Phenom Pest Protection right away. Here at Phenom Pest Protection, our certified pest technicians have all the proper experience and expertise to effectively eliminate any German cockroach infestation with which you are dealing. Additionally, we will work with to better protect your home from future infestations. Don’t let German cockroaches spread harmful contaminants throughout your home. Give us a call today.
