Cockroaches are a serious nuisance and pose a severe health risk for people. These scavenging pests are in regular contact with bacteria, human pathogens, and parasites as they feed on decaying organic matter. In addition to the food they consume being unsanitary, their living conditions are just as bad. Sewers, drains, and garbage are places cockroaches call home.

Sharing your home with cockroaches is less than ideal for many reasons, including:

• They spread diseases that can make you and your family ill.
• The build-up of their shed skins and excrement puts allergens into the air, triggering allergies and asthma attacks in susceptible people.
• They will stain surfaces and chew holes in things like upholstery, paper, and food containers.
• Cockroaches contaminate a home's stored foods and surfaces.

The best way to eliminate cockroach problems and keep them away throughout the year is to partner with a pest control professional and learn about cockroach control options.

Some cockroaches, like the German cockroach, have adapted to living indoors with people. They have become structural pests living where we live and spend significant amounts of time. German cockroaches typically move from structure to structure by hitchhiking. After crawling into a piece of furniture, box, or appliance, they move wherever they are taken.

Turkestan cockroaches typically live outdoors, but when living near our homes, it is common for them to find their way inside. These cockroaches often get inside our homes accidentally after being attracted to the lights on or in our houses. They also purposely move indoors through openings they discover in their exterior when their populations outside become too large, and there is a lot of competition for food and shelter.

Though cockroach habitats will vary by species, most cockroaches prefer to live in places that provide them with warm, dark, damp sheltered areas. Outside Turkistan, cockroaches live in electrical boxes, the cracks of concrete, and potted plants. They also gather in the damp soil found under compost, woodpiles, and leaf piles.

German cockroaches live successfully in any structure that prepares or stores food – houses, apartment buildings, schools, restaurants, and grocery stores. They squeeze their flat bodies into tight cracks and crevices throughout your home and emerge to forage for food at night.

Some of the German cockroach's most popular hiding spots include spaces behind loose backsplashes, wooden trim, and wallpaper. They also hang out in cracks in walls, the backs of drawers or cabinets, behind large appliances, and within pieces of electrical equipment.

Spotting a single cockroach scurrying across a surface of your home should cause you to reach out to a professional immediately. Cockroaches multiply quickly and are a danger to have in our structures.

Here at California Exterminators Alliance, we offer our community members high-quality and environmentally friendly pest control services to control pests. Trust our knowledgeable, educated, and dedicated team to take care of your property's cockroach control needs. To learn more about home pest control and commercial pest control in Sonoma County, reach out today!

Use the following practical cockroach prevention tips to learn how to deter cockroaches. 

• Rinse out cans and jars before placing them in recycling bins.
• Always place full trash bags in outdoor trash cans with tight-fitting lids.
• Regularly clean your kitchen and wash dirty dishes.
• Reduce the clutter in your home, especially in crawl spaces and storage areas.
• Lower humidity levels by using dehumidifiers and air-conditioners and ensuring crawl spaces are well-ventilated.

When it comes to cockroaches, fast action is essential. Don't hesitate to reach out now for assistance with a cockroach infestation!