Not only are they unpleasant to look at, but cockroaches are one of Lake Worth’s most stubborn pests. While there are plenty of species that enjoy Florida’s humid climate, not all of them prefer to live indoors. However, there are a couple of species that you’re more likely to spot skittering around your home or business.
American Cockroaches
Also sometimes called water bugs or palmetto bugs, American cockroaches are the biggest house-infesting roach species. They’re usually identified by their larger size, reddish-brown bodies, and the wings on their backs.
German Cockroaches
As the most common roaches in the country, German cockroaches have horizontal stripes located on the back of their heads and are significantly smaller.
Smokybrown Cockroaches
With shiny black heads and mahogany-colored bodies, smokybrown cockroaches are constantly on the lookout for new sources of water.
Asian Cockroaches
While they’re often mistaken for German roaches, Asian cockroaches look almost identical, but they have longer wings than German cockroaches do.
Even if they aren’t Lake Worth’s prettiest pests, cockroaches are still one of the most difficult to get rid of – for a couple of reasons. A cockroach’s body doesn’t require brain function to keep living, so these critters can live headless for up to a week. They’re also capable of living up to two weeks without a drink, and since they can hold their breath for forty minutes underwater, they’re not easy to drown.
Regardless of which species you’ve got on your hands, cockroaches aren’t good news. Here’s what you should know about the real dangers of having a cockroach infestation, why these pests are so difficult to get rid of, and what to do if your Lake Worth home or business already has a cockroach infestation.
How Dangerous Are Cockroaches In West Palm Beach, FL?
While most people understand that cockroaches are gross, not a lot of residents realize just how awful or unsanitary these pests really are. Before they crawl into your home or business, cockroaches spend their time in unsanitary places that often allow them to pick up harmful pathogens and bacteria – like sewers, crawlspaces, and other not-so-clean places.
It doesn’t help that a cockroach’s diet is also pretty unsavory. Because these critters like to eat spoiled food, dead animal flesh, or even dead skin, they may pass some of these contaminants on to you when they defecate in your home or business.
In general, there are a couple of big health risks that cockroaches pose, such as:
- They may spread harmful bacteria and pathogens that lead to staph and strep infections or even salmonella
- Their saliva, discarded skin, and droppings can act as an allergy or asthma trigger in many people
- Some of the pathogens they spread can be linked to diarrhea, cholera, or dysentery
You can minimize these health risks by taking steps to prevent cockroaches in your Lake Worth home.
Are Cockroaches Difficult To Get Rid Of In Lake Worth, FL?
As if the health risks they pose weren’t enough, cockroaches are far from easy to get rid of – once they’ve made their way into your home, these pests aren’t keen on leaving. Roaches reproduce quickly, with a single female roach producing over two hundred eggs in her life span.
And, since they’re masters at hide and seek, cockroaches usually have plenty of time to multiply. These pests may hide in tiny, dark cracks and crevices in your home, and with robust immune systems, they’re often resistant to pesticides.
This makes it incredibly difficult for homeowners to try and control a cockroach infestation on their own. While pesticides or OTC treatments may kill some of the infestation, the roaches who survive will likely just find a better hiding place to continue reproducing.
How To Protect Yourself From Cockroaches In West Palm Beach, FL
Whether you’re dealing with an infestation big or small, trying to handle it on your own isn’t a good idea. You’re more likely to waste time and money on treatments that don’t work and give the roaches on your property more time to reproduce.
This is where the professionals can come in. At Above and Beyond Pest Control, we’ve got the experience, training, and gear to make your Lake Worth home or business completely roach-free. So, if you’re spotting signs of a roach infestation on your property, don’t wait for it to get worse. Give us a call at Above and Beyond Pest Control to find out more about our residential cockroach control or commercial roach management programs.
Customer Reviews
I would definitely recommend Above and Beyond Pest Control. They were responsive, quick to come out, and honest. Corey came to inspect a possible bed bug issue. Turns out he did not detect any signs of bed bugs which was a huge relief. He was very knowledgeable and gave us possible explanations for the issues we were having and recommendations on what to do. I would call them again in the future.
