Pest Identification: American Cockroaches

American cockroaches, much like their German cockroach cousins, aren’t a lot of fun to look at. These disgusting insects are usually one-and-a-half inches long with a reddish-brown coloration. They also have light markings on their thorax. While American cockroaches—also called Palmetto bugs—aren’t particularly poisonous, you still don’t want to find these disgusting insects in your Tennessee home.

If you’ve seen cockroaches recently—of the American or other varieties—contact U.S. Pest Protection today. Our expert, professional pest control technicians can help explore the reasons why you have American cockroaches in your home and help determine the best course of action to remove them.

Identifying American Cockroaches

American cockroaches prefer to live in moist areas of your home: think basements and bathrooms. They can also be found in dry areas when given sufficient food and water. The American cockroach will move indoors when the weather turns cold, seeking warmer environments and food.

You’ll know you’re dealing with American cockroaches because they’re the biggest of the common cockroach subspecies. These omnivorous opportunists will dart out of sight at the slightest hint of a threat and are one of the fastest running insects. Their wings, which are fully functional, also allow them to fly, although they rarely do.

Despite not being poisonous, you still don’t want American cockroaches crawling around your home. Like other cockroaches, they produce odorous secretions that can change the flavor of food. If there are enough of them, you’ll even be able to smell them. Cockroaches can also pick up and spread disease-causing bacteria, namely Salmonella. House dust containing their feces and body parts can also trigger allergic reactions or asthma.

Removing American Cockroaches from Your Home

Much like the other varieties of cockroaches, the best way to remove cockroaches is to prevent them from coming into your home in the first place. In addition to sealing any entry points, it’s important to clean up any spills or messes. This will keep American cockroaches from finding food. Check anything you bring into the house prior to opening the door, especially if you receive a lot of packages. Eggs cases and cockroaches can hide in furniture, boxes, grocery bags, and suitcases, among other items.

Regular pest prevention from U.S. Pest Protection is one of the most-effective ways to remove and prevent future cockroach infestations. Our technicians are skilled at exploring the various ways that cockroaches can get into your home or business. In addition to using targeted treatments formulated to keep from interfering in your daily life, our technicians will determine possible entry points for American cockroaches and other pests. We’ll then formulate a plan to keep these unwanted invaders out of your home.

To learn more about American cockroach prevention or to tell us about your infestation, contact U.S. Pest Protection today.