Seeing cockroaches in your house may make you shudder. Such unwanted guests are distressing, particularly if you have been keeping your home neat and tidy. The German cockroach is a common home invader and you may wonder if you have it in your home. There are a lot of reasons German cockroaches invade homes. If you want to get rid of your pests, including roaches, it’s best to have a pest control technician get the job done for you. Roaches can carry diseases and they can transmit these to you during handling. 

What are German Cockroaches?

German roaches are small, light brown roaches that can be around half an inch long. They have two dark stripes that run down their back and 2 pairs of wings. They are common in homes across the globe. These social insects live in colonies and reproduce quickly. A female roach can lay up to fifty eggs at a time. 

German roaches are drawn to food and water sources that may be available in your home. They are hard to control and frustrating to exterminate. You may spend lots of money and time trying to eliminate a roach infestation only to fail in the end. German roaches can carry diseases like E. coli, salmonella, and dysentery. If you think you have an ongoing infestation, contact a pest control company for help.

Even if German cockroaches are smaller than other species, there are still a nuisance and a health hazard. In fact, their size allows them to stay unnoticed for a long time as they can hide in small cracks. 

Reasons You Have German Roaches in Your House

Usually, the presence of roaches in your house can indicate sanitation issues. But this does not mean you have a dirty house. Perhaps there are spots you have overlooked that attract such pests. German roaches thrive in areas where food sources are easily accessible. Sometimes, this can be found in places you do not expect.

For instance, cooking oil, grease, and crumbs may accumulate behind an appliance in your kitchen. You may overlook these spots during regular cleaning. But German roaches consider these messes a real feast. Other hidden food sources for roaches include pet food, bread, fruit, dead insects, vegetable peelings, skin flakes, hair, and dust. 

Eliminating German Roaches from Your Home

To effectively handle a German roach infestation, you must employ a multi-faceted approach. First, you must understand the reason they are in your house. From here, you can take steps to keep your home free of these pests.

Your first line of defense against roaches is consistent home cleaning. Ensure that surfaces do not have crumbs, grease, and spills. Also, you should prevent roaches from entering your home by sealing up crevices and cracks. Pay attention to wall or floor cracks, gaps in doors and window frames, and small openings in plumbing and electrical conduits. 

In addition, bait stations and gel baits are especially effective against German roaches. Place these products in strategic locations and they can draw roaches with a food source. After the pests consume the bait, the latter will poison the roaches.