Cockroaches Are a Cause for Concern in Households & Businesses
Steve’s Pest Control is Missouri’s #1 Expert in Roach Elimination
The first time you encounter a cockroach in your Missouri home or business, it may seem like a one-time occurrence that can be fixed with a simple flip-flop or rolled-up magazine. This is often not the case. Roaches multiply rapidly. One female roach can be responsible for over 10,000 offspring in just one year. It will take more than sporadic DIY treatments to eliminate them from your home or business.
Steve’s Pest Control is a leader in Missouri pest control service because of our extensive knowledge of both the common and not-so-common pests. We guarantee quick, hassle-free roach elimination to any residential home, restaurant, healthcare facility, or any other commercial business, At Steve’s Pest Control, you have a friend in the pest control business, and we are experts in roach elimination.
HOW TO TELL IF I HAVE A Cockroach INFESTATION
Expert Pest Control Services In Missouri
Cockroach infestations are extremely common in the U.S. Roach problems in apartments are especially frequent because they provide room after room of food, water, and places to hide. If cockroaches have entered your home or building, you need to identify the problem right away. Like most pests, cockroaches have some telltale signs to look for, such as:
- Seeing roaches themselves
- The presence of roach droppings
- The presence of discarded egg casings
- Unpleasant oily, musty odor
- Exoskeleton sheds
- Dark-colored smears and streaks on surfaces where roaches have crawled
Types of Roaches to Watch Out for in Missouri
Roaches are very good at hiding and even better at hiding their eggs. The inside of your home is a great place for them to thrive with unlimited food, water, warmth and places to hide. Roaches can be a pest to Missouri homes all year long! There are also several different cockroach species living in the state, all of which are unpleasant. Some roaches can even carry and transfer disease to homeowners, as well as a variety of pathogenic organisms that may cause food poisoning, diarrhea, and other illnesses. When dealing with cockroaches, let the professionals at Steve’s Pest Control solve your problem.
Roach Identification
German Cockroach
The German roach is by far the most common and biggest nuisance of all roaches in Missouri. They are light brown to tan in color with two dark stripes on their head. Immature roaches are dark brown to black in color with a pale stripe on their backs. The German cockroach prefers to live in warm, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms, but in severe cases may spread to other areas. German roaches can be brought into a structure on grocery sacks, boxes, appliances, television sets, electronic devices, etc. Due to their ability to quickly reproduce, an infestation can develop rapidly. They will feed on almost anything with nutritional value such as food, glue, soap, and whatever else they can find. It is possible for the German cockroach to travel outdoors and from house to house during the summer months.
Oriental Roach
Often referred to as “water bugs,” Oriental Roaches can grow to an inch in length and are a shiny black to a dark reddish brown color. Oriental Roaches are typically an outdoor species found in sewers and beneath various debris such as leaves, roaches, slabs of concrete, firewood, and under other items that are in contact with the soil. Once indoors, these roaches will seek out cool, damp locations such as basements, crawl spaces, and other damp areas. Oriental Roaches will feed on all types of food, especially decaying organic materials, starchy foods, and garbage.
Brown-Banded Cockroach
Adult brown-banded roaches have pale brown bands running across their wings, and immature roaches have pale brown bands running across their body. Adult roaches have a brown liberty-bell-shaped pattern on their head, and their wings get lighter toward the tips. Brown-banded cockroaches prefer warm areas (over 80 degrees) in Missouri and can be found throughout structures. They prefer to live in higher areas of rooms and appliances, so check in and along drop ceilings and anything high on a wall—like picture frames and wall moldings. They can also be found in motors, electronics, appliances, outlets and light switch covers, and even up in light fixtures!
Pennsylvania Wood Roach
Pennsylvania Wood Roaches can range in color from a light honey shade to a chestnut brown. The males are fully winged and good fliers, while the females have very short, functionless wings. Pennsylvania Wood Roaches are mostly found outdoors under the loose bark of dead trees, in tree holes, in woodpiles, under cedar-shake shingles, siding, and in and around gutters. The male roach is attracted to light and may be found flying around porch lights and windows at night. Their natural habitat is outdoors, and they typically do not infest the interior of a building.
American Roach
These large roaches are reddish-brown with a pale brown to yellowish band across the bottom of their head shield. Adults have full sets of wings. Immature American roaches are shiny and uniformly grayish-brown in color. American roaches are rarely found in Missouri houses unless it is an extremely old structure with rock foundations, dark crawl spaces, pipe chases, steam tunnels, etc. They may enter structures through sewer drains, pipe chases, or may be brought in by an outside source.
What are the dangers of having a cockroach infestation?
Cockroaches are more than just unpleasant to see in your home or business. They carry a number of bacteria, diseases, and pathogens, contaminating your environment. Roaches also trigger allergies and asthma and are dangerous and unsanitary. Roaches are serious contaminants causing illnesses like salmonella and staph infections. Here are just a few other diseases cockroaches spread:
- Cholera
- Diarrhea
- Dysentery
- Streptococcus
- Typhoid Fever
Missouri Roach Facts
- Cockroaches can live up to a week after losing their head
- Most cockroach species prefer warm, humid areas in Missouri
- Their feces contains chemical trails to attract other cockroaches to sources of food and water
- Cockroaches can go a month without food
- There are at least 4,000 cockroach species worldwide, but luckily, Missouri is home to only a handful of cockroach species.
- Cockroach infestations plague over 14 million United States households each year
The most common causes of a roach problem
Most often, cockroaches are brought in through food, beverage, and all other commercial deliveries. They search for food, water, shelter, and places to hide. Roaches are not always the reflection of a dirty house. You could have a roach infestation due to leaks in the bathroom, kitchen, or other moisture-prone areas like attics and basements. They look for buildings with multiple points of entry through the cracks around doors and windows.
How to prevent cockroaches in your Missouri home or business
Here are a few general steps to prevent roaches from entering your home. The best methods of keeping roaches away are:
- Keep your home and/or business clean
- Properly store food in sealed containers
- Be cautious when bringing in used furniture and appliances
- Seal exterior entry points around doors, windows, etc.
- Keep clutter picked up inside and out
- Consider a common sense service program with Steve’s Pest Control
Steve’s Pest Control Offers Pest Control for Cockroaches Across Missouri
Steve’s Pest Control is Missouri’s most accessible and dependable roach exterminator, providing service to over 245 cities and 35 counties since 1988! Call us for an estimate on the cost of cockroach extermination.
