The American cockroach is a common pest. Despite its name, it is not specific to American. In fact, you can find American cockroach throughout the world. For instance, Canada is no stranger to the American cockroach. You must know how to identify this species of roach to know if it is what invades your home. Once you identify it, you will need to know how to handle American cockroach infestation using cockroach control Toronto methods.
Identification
The American cockroach is reddish-brown in colour and approximately 1.5 inches longer, though some can grow to greater lengths than that. They have wings, but they do not often take flight. Males have longer wings than a female, too, so it is easy to identify the sex of the roach. Baby roaches, or nymphs, have more of a brownish-gray colouring to them.
They do not develop the reddish-brown appearance until they mature. The only time the roach will take flight more actively is if the temperature is above 85 degrees. Once the weather warms enough for them to fly, you may see them swarming around more actively. People will commonly call them by their nickname, which is a flying water bug when they take flight.
What You Can Do
Spotting an American cockroach in your home does not mean you are doomed to living with them forever. There are a few things you can do, such as:
- Religiously cleaning: Make sure you religiously clean your home. Even the cleanest home can attract roaches, so make sure you sweep and vacuum your floors to remove stray crumbs. Wipe your counters and stove every night to clean any stray grease splatters. American cockroaches are attracted to sweets, so place anything sweet in sealed, plastic containers.
- Removing packaging: When sweets are unavailable, roaches will take to eating starch-related items, including the glue found on envelopes, packages, the back of your wallpaper, and even the glue that binds books together. Remove all envelopes and packages from your home and consider removing wallpaper in place of paint.
- Calling a pro: Your best method of treatment and exclusion is to call a pest control professional for assistance. A pest control professional can provide you with a way to keep roaches out of your home and prevent a re-infestation.
Roaches are resourceful creatures and often hard to control. That does not mean you have to give up and let them take over your home. Identifying American cockroaches and using the methods mentioned above to cockroach control Toronto will help. An expert can destroy a roach population effectively and efficiently so you can get back to enjoying a roach-free home once again.
