It is reasonable to assume everyone has crossed paths with an unsightly cockroach of some kind in their lives considering there are over 4,500 found worldwide. With 30 of these species being considered pests, Texas has a few common to the area, including German cockroaches, one of the most common roaches discovered in the United States. Today, we at A Five Star Termite and Pest Control would like to shine the light on German cockroaches and cover the basics.
What Do German Cockroaches Look Like?
German cockroaches are between ½” and 5/8” in length have oval-shaped bodies that vary between shades of tan and light brown; featuring antennae, six legs, and wings, though they do not fly. A rather distinctive marking that helps identify them is the two nearly parallel stripes across their backs that start behind their heads. Though German cockroaches share many similarities regarding their diet, habitat, appearance, and habits, they also have unique traits as well.
German Cockroach Diet & Habitat
Being omnivorous, these roaches will eat nearly anything in sight; such examples include toothpaste, garbage, decaying matter, soaps, glues, book binding, trash, and human scraps, among other things. German cockroaches are nocturnal like most others and favor warm, humid areas to nest, making kitchens and bathrooms the most common areas to find these German cockroaches.
What Attracts Cockroaches in Your Home?
Like most other pests that invade buildings, German cockroaches are looking for food, water, and preferable climates. They only require a 3/8” wide gap, slipping their way through such cracks found in the structure, ventilation, sewer lines, and other such weak points. Barging into homes and businesses isn’t always how German cockroaches get introduced inside, but they are also brought in through grocery bags, drink cartons, cardboard boxes, and even 2nd hand appliances. Once these cockroaches make themselves at home, they begin to reproduce, fairly rapidly. A single female will bear 6 generations within the first year along.
German Cockroach Health Concerns; Diseases, Allergies & More
German cockroaches are not only unwelcome pests because of their grotesque appearance, but also because of the health risk they pose and the slight destruction they can cause with their eating habits. German cockroaches are confirmed responsible for negatively impacting the weak respiratory systems, primarily in children by inducing asthma attacks and provoking allergy symptoms. Not only can they bring on allergy and asthma, but they can spread diseases and bacteria. In documented cases, German cockroaches are linked to carrying at least 7 human pathogens, 33 different strands of bacteria, and 6 species of parasitic worms. They pick up these contaminates with the spines of the legs and bodies simply through crawling among the trash heaps, sewers, decaying matter, and other environments riddled with germs. The German cockroaches will them spread these contagions by walking on surfaces where food is prepared, the food itself, and anywhere else they make contact with.
German Cockroach Inspections, Treatment & More in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas
To help reduce the number of German cockroaches infesting your home or business, practice good sanitation, keep the building well sealed with weather stripping, caulk, and mesh coverings in the appropriate locations and immediately repair any dripping or leaky faucets or pipes. In addition to your efforts, invest in professional services from A Five Star Termite and Pest Control to perform cockroach management. Contact us for all your pest control needs.
