Nashville, Murfreesboro, Knoxville and Chattanooga TN
While American cockroaches might not be some of the most desirable house guests, understanding their habits can help make any infestations in your household quickly and easily dealt with. Whether you need help understanding their behaviors or simply want to know the best strategies for controlling them, then this is the article for you. In today’s blog, our Nashville area pest control experts at Ameri Care Services give a detailed description of American cockroaches’ physical characteristics, signs of a roach infestation, and how to deal with these disease-spreading insects.
Physical Characteristics
The adult male American cockroaches are rather large. Males range in length of 1 ⅜ to 1 ¾ inches including their wings and female are slightly larger measuring about 1 ⅞ to 2 ¼ inches. The American cockroaches can reach upwards of 6 inches long and over 2 inches in thickness. Small cockroaches of this species have an orange-red-colored body with a bright yellow stripe at the nape of the neck area. Both males and females are aerodynamically designed and can take to the skies for short distances. Although American cockroaches are equipped with mouthparts that allow them to deliver a bite, such occurrences are seldom observed.
Signs of Infestation
It’s essential to know how to determine the presence of American cockroaches since it’s possible to get rid of them quickly in the early infestation stages. To help our customers prevent unwanted pest invasions, our Murfreesboro pest control team has listed signs you should look out for and what steps to take if you spot roaches inside your home or business.
- Fast-Moving Insects: Seeing roaches or even one scurry across the floor, counters, or wall could point to an infestation lurking in unseen areas.
- Droppings: American cockroaches are known to leave fecal matter that’s blackish and tear-shaped often found around hidden crevices where the bugs like to conceal themselves. These droppings are easily confused with mouse droppings because they have rounded edges at one end while the other end has some kind of indentations.
- Egg Capsules: Look for fecal pellets of elongate-ovoid shape, 0.6-1.2 mm X 1.5-2.2 mm in size, brown or dark yellow, and for egg capsules, 8mm long and pitch-black colored, which are usually glued to adjacent solid items or food leftovers.
- Pheromone Odor: Some people may observe that they have a smell reminiscent of mold in the house, which is produced by pheromones of the American cockroach.
Effective Control Measures
Despite these pests’ remarkable traits, you can try some home remedies to avoid the infestation as well as consult with our Nashville pest control company. Some ways to prevent cockroaches from invading your home include sealing off small gaps in the walls or near the floor and blocking cracks around utility entry points with silicone-based caulk. Additionally, sanitation and hygiene are crucial in pest prevention, so ensure that you regularly tidy up your home and avoid debris and dirt accumulation as these creatures are attracted to filth, although they can be spotted inside of very immaculately clean homes as well. Remove food remains from plates immediately, wash dishes often, and ensure that your environment is clean to prevent insect breeding. Furthermore, correct improper ventilation in the crawl spaces and address leaks to avoid excessive moisture since cockroaches are known to prefer damp places. Finally, it’s recommended that vacuuming should be done around the house at least once a week to remove dirt and food crumbs.
Pest Control Experts in Nashville and Murfreesboro, TN
If you would like to learn more about getting rid of roaches or other pest control services, contact our Murfreesboro and Nashville pest control techs at Ameri Care Services by calling (615) 893-7111.