How Do Cockroach Infestations Begin?

Do you have roaches in your Lexington home? Are you wondering how and where it all began? The stigma surrounding cockroaches would have you believe that it is because you have a dirty home. The truth is, anyone can get cockroaches. Here is a list of the many ways cockroaches in Lexington can get into a home. You might find some of them surprising.

• Cockroaches are amazing climbers. They crawl across walls at top speeds and can transition to ceilings without breaking pace. About the only surface that a cockroach can't climb is one that is perfectly smooth. The barbs on their feet can find a thousand footholds on a piece of sheetrock, but a mirror or a piece of glass is smooth enough to give them trouble.
• Some cockroaches can fly. If you open a door or window, it may be enough for one of these insects to get inside. This ability to fly also gives them access to areas of your house that are more vulnerable, like your chimney and roofline.
• Baby cockroaches, especially of the German cockroach species, can be small enough to fit through an opening the size of an outlet hole. Full-grown roaches can compress their bodies, slipping through a slit ¼ of an inch high.
• Cockroach eggs do not require the mother to hatch. If you stepped on a cockroach or walked through roach eggs, you could bring them into your home on the bottom of your shoe.
  This insect is also a known hitchhiker. They can hitch a ride in grocery bags, suitcases, old furniture, and even clothing to get into your home.

What Attracts Roaches In The Home?

Once roaches get inside, they are likely to stick around if they find what they are looking for. Here are some of the factors that might encourage your roaches to settle down for good.

Available food sources: This could be anything from a few crumbs under your fridge to a full cake on the counter.

Excess moisture: Cockroaches prefer moist conditions, for this reason, they are most commonly found in overly humid areas of the home such as basements, crawlspaces, and laundry rooms.

Tight places to hide: Cockroaches love squeezing into places that put their back up against a wall. Most often they will find this under appliances such as refrigerators and stoves.

How Long Does It Take For A Roach Infestation To Occur?

Once they gain access to a home, roaches can reproduce quickly. A single pair of roaches can produce up to 400,000 descendants in a year, under optimal conditions. When you consider that most roaches develop into adults in under 35 days, you realize it doesn't take long for a home to be infested. The only real limiting factor is the availability and quantity of food sources. This is all to say, it doesn’t take long for a few roaches to turn into a full infestation.

How Do You Get Rid Of An Infestation of Roaches?

Roaches are difficult pests to get out of your home. Although many online resources suggest there are “easy” or “quick” ways to get cockroaches out on your own, the truth is it is not always that simple. Here are some things to consider before you try to fight roaches on your own.

• Store-bought pest control products contain dangerous chemicals. When used improperly, they can be dangerous to you and your family.
• Reducing moisture and food sources around your home will not immediately kill roaches as they are able to live upwards of a week without water and a month without food.
• Roaches are extremely elusive and able to hide in walls, under appliances, and in crawl spaces to get away from treatments.
• Some roaches even have the ability to adapt to become resistant to certain pesticides. If you don't know which treatment works, you may find yourself wasting money while cockroaches continue to thrive in your home.

How To Stay Roach-Free

As we established, it is hard to keep cockroaches out. If you want to be roach free, you need the help of a professional. For Lexington roach control, call the cockroach exterminators at Action Pest Control. We don't just rid homes of cockroaches, we outline a plan to keep roaches out for good. Today is your day to find freedom from cockroaches!