Lake Worth's Complete Guide To German Cockroach Control

Identification

• German cockroaches range in size from ½ to ⅝ of an inch in length.
• They have a light brown to tan coloration and have two black stripes on the back, near the head.
• They share similarities with other cockroaches, such as six legs, spines on the legs and long antennae.
• German cockroaches have stacked wings. These wings are fully functional, but this roach species rarely flies.
• German cockroaches emerge from their eggs as nymphs. These nymphs are small enough to fit through the holes in an electrical outlet.

Distribution

German cockroaches can be found living everywhere in the world except Antarctica. It isn't surprising that we have them here in Lake Worth. While these roaches prefer to live inside man-made structures, in warm climates they can be found living outside as well. Lake Worth temperatures allow these roaches to spread between structures all year long.

There are two ways German cockroaches will get into your home. They may come in from the outside through gaps and cracks, or they can be carried into your home within furniture or a carried item.

Exclusion Tips

• Make sure your exterior doors have working door sweeps and weather stripping. You should have no gaps where light can leak in from the outside. The smallest of gaps can let a German cockroach in.
• Inspect all your door and window frames for holes created by wood-destroying pests and for gaps around the outsides of the frames.
• Make sure your utilities have a good seal around them.
• Use a foundation repair kit to seal up small cracks in your foundation slab.
• These are small roaches, so exclusion alone is not enough. You will also need to alter conditions around the exterior of your home to make it less habitable for German cockroaches, or you can invest in a residential pest control program.

Tips To Prevent Hitchhiking

• Inspect fabric items for black stains or tiny black specks.
• Inspect compressed areas, such as under couch cushions. Look for black stains, black specks, shed skins, oothecae casing, and of course, German cockroaches crawling around.
• Use a debit card, butter knife, or another tool to drag along seams and cracks. This can dislodge skins, casings, or roaches.
• If you have an infested item, don't bring it into your home. It will need to be treated.

Diseases

German cockroaches are drawn to dirty things, such as dumpsters, trash cans, sewers, feces, dead animals, etc. This exposes them to harmful microorganisms. For this reason, they are a vector for many diseases. They are known to spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria, more than 7 human pathogens, and at least 6 parasitic worms.

If this isn't enough to not want them around, they also aggravate asthma symptoms. Studies have shown that the presence of cockroaches in a structure leads to increased hospitalizations for asthma symptoms, particularly for children.

Tips To Prevent The Spread Of Diseases

German cockroaches can pick up harmful organisms inside your home. The process of protecting yourself is two-pronged.

Sanitation

• Clean your bathroom thoroughly and maintain a clean bathroom.
• Deep clean in your kitchen.
• Clean surfaces before food preparation.
• Clean your cutting board before use.

Keep Roaches Out

• Invest in sealed plastic containers for your food.
• Store your potatoes in a sealed plastic bin.
• Store your toothbrush in a plastic case.
• Get a trash receptacle that has a cover with a good seal if you don't have one already.