Pest Spotlight: Tackling A Cockroach Infestation In Reno

A cockroach infestation is a veritable nightmare. Roaches contaminate your food, spread some of the world's most dangerous diseases, and generally make your skin crawl. Cockroaches prefer temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees. Thanks to our abundance of sunshine and mild winters here in Reno, it is just about the perfect environment for these disgusting little creatures.

Cockroaches are nocturnal and supremely skilled at staying hidden, and an infestation can go unnoticed until it's in advanced stages. Watch for these signs to detect cockroach colony's presence in your home:

• Droppings that look a lot like coffee grounds or brown smears
• Yellowish or light brown egg capsules
• Shed skins
• Live roaches
• The musty smell of cockroach pheromones

Once cockroaches establish a colony in your home, they're incredibly difficult to get rid of, so it pays to familiarize yourself with the options you have to keep them out and where to find reliable pest control in Reno if prevention and DIY approaches fail. 

Species Of Cockroaches That Commonly Invade Reno Homes

Being able to identify an invading pest correctly is a must in order to develop an effective pest control approach, so let's look at what types of cockroaches you're likely to encounter in the Reno area:

•  American cockroach: One of the largest common species in North America, these roaches can grow to over 2 inches long. They have oval-shaped bodies with long antennae and a telltale figure eight mark on the back of the head.
• German cockroaches: These insects are quite a bit smaller than their American counterparts. German cockroaches range between 1/2 and 5/8 of an inch with light brown bodies and two dark stripes on the back.
• Oriental cockroaches: Their glossy oval bodies grow up to 1 inch long, earning them the common name "black beetle cockroaches."
• Brown-banded cockroach: This smaller species grows up to 1/2 an inch and has a brown body and two light brown stripes on the back.

Regardless of the species, if you've spotted signs of a cockroach infestation in your home, it's essential to act quickly before the colony grows out of control.

Cockroaches In Your House Can Make You Sick

Cockroaches carry and can transmit a number of severe illnesses as they travel across every surface in a home, such as :

• Cholera 
• Typhoid fever
• Giardia
• Dysentery
• E. coli

Cockroaches are one of nature's least discriminating eaters. They will happily contaminate your food and take a bite out of books and curtains in your house. 

Why It's So Hard To Get Rid Of Cockroaches

Cockroaches are experts at staying hidden, and you're unlikely to see the signs of live roaches until the colony has gotten extremely large and they start to range further in search of food. 

Roaches have a robust immune system, thanks to the disgusting environments they spend most of their time in, which helps them adjust to chemical pest control methods faster than any other pest.

Cockroaches reproduce very fast, laying over 300 eggs a year. To eliminate a cockroach infestation, you must clear every egg since even a single cockroach egg can start a new colony. 

How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches In Your Home For Good

A cockroach infestation goes from bad to worse fast, so if you've spotted signs of these disgusting little critters in your house, it's best to get in touch with a professional immediately.

At Celtic Pest Control, we've been helping Reno residents clear their homes of unwelcome invaders for years using an eco-friendly pest control approach and guaranteeing pest-free homes with our bi-monthly service. We are locally owned and operated and will be happy to help you with your cockroach problem.

If you're struggling with a cockroach infestation, get in touch with us today!