What Lynchburg Property Owners Need To Know About American Cockroaches

Many people say that what you don’t know won’t hurt you … and then there are others who say that knowledge is power. When it comes to American cockroaches in Lynchburg, though, knowledge is simply going to help you stay safe. The more you learn about the robust American cockroach, the more you’ll realize how dangerous they can be on your property (and how hard they can be to keep out).

Big Roaches, Bigger Danger

American cockroaches, although originally harkening from Africa, are the largest cockroaches in the United States. Their dark red/brown bodies often measure up to 1 1/2 inches long, which might be why they’re so scary looking. However, it’s not their large, alien-like appearance that we need to be worried about. Rather, it’s what they bring into our homes.

When they’re not invading Lynchburg homes, these roaches are typically searching for food in some highly contaminated places around town: landfills, dumpsters, sewers, etc. Crawling around these places allows American cockroaches to pick up a variety of dangerous bacteria. While it may not harm the roaches, it can cause severe illnesses in humans. As American cockroaches scour your home for food, they’ll contaminate your food preparation areas, exposing you to bacteria like E.coli, salmonella, and others.

American cockroaches also love to invade local businesses, contaminating stored foods, putting your employees at risk, and often causing failed health inspections. Furthermore, if a customer gets a picture or video of one of these large insects roaming around your business, it can severely damage your hard-earned reputation within the community.

Prevention Practices

Another frustrating attribute of the American cockroach is the strong, yet flexible exoskeleton. This allows them to flatten themselves enough to gain access to your home or business through very small cracks and crevices around the property, making them almost impossible to keep out. Once they’re in, they’re especially tough to get rid of since they can squeeze out of danger so easily.

Rather than trying to block their entry completely, you’ll be better off trying to reduce factors that will attract them into your home or business by using the following methods:

• Addressing moisture issues like humidity or leaking pipes

• Storing food properly and promptly

• Cleaning regularly to limit their access to crumbs

• Picking up the clutter in low-traffic areas to limit potential hiding spots

• Sealing up existing cracks and crevices with silicone

• Monitoring your screened areas for large holes, tears, or frame separations

Getting Them Out For Good

While these methods may help you avoid an infestation, there is almost nothing you can do to eradicate an American cockroach infestation once it occurs. Many homeowners make the mistake of wasting time and money on expensive sprays that only yield inconsistent results. Or, even worse, they wait around until an infestation is almost too unmanageable to do something about it. Since American cockroaches are afraid of light and humans, just seeing one or two in your home or business, especially during the day, is a very good sign of a larger problem.

To protect your home or business with solutions you can actually count on, you need to enlist professional help as soon as you can. Whether you have an infestation already or you’re trying to prevent one, professional pest control is the only method that can guarantee a safe environment for your home, family, or business. Don't waste your time and money risking your health with potentially toxic sprays; contact the professionals at All Pest Control & Solutions at the first sign of American cockroaches.