Why Cockroaches In Your Memphis Home Are More Dangerous Than You May Think

4/16/2020

In our service area, we have four common cockroaches that get into homes. They are the German cockroach, American cockroach, brown banded cockroach, and Oriental cockroach. These pests have slightly different behavior patterns and harborage preferences, but they can all present serious health threats to your family when they get inside your Memphis home. Here's why.

Cockroach Eating Habits

There are many things cockroaches eat that you would not consider to be food. While they will certainly eat many foods we do eat, they're also known to eat soap, glue, hair, paper, cloth, dead insects, carrion, and more. But, of all the things they dine on, there is one thing they eat that can expose them to harmful pathogens. Cockroaches eat feces. They'll feed on dog droppings in the yard and cat droppings in a litter box. If you have pets, it is important that you understand this vector for disease.

Cockroach Habitats

Have you ever lifted a trash can lid and found a cockroach? Have you ever picked a trash can up and found a cluster of cockroaches huddled together in some rotting juices underneath? Have you ever looked in a dumpster or sewer and observed dozens of cockroaches racing around? All of these are common sights. Cockroaches prefer dark, damp places where they have access to rotting organic material. In these habitats, they pick up harmful bacteria, parasitic worms, and other organisms.

Cockroaches Are Highly Mobile

• A cockroach is able to scale most walls and run across most ceilings at full speed.
• A cockroach can run across a table, run over the edge, and continue to run on the bottom without slowing down.
• A cockroach can compact its body to squeeze into tight spaces.
• A cockroach prefers to be in tight spaces where its belly and back are touching two hard surfaces at the same time.

Some cockroach nymphs are so small they can fit through the holes of an electrical outlet. Not only are cockroaches prone to picking up harmful organisms, they are equipped to bring them into your home and spread them around. Cockroaches Can Chew Through Paper, Cardboard, And Thin Plastic.

If cockroaches get into your kitchen or pantry, they are able to get into many food packages. When they do, they can contaminate your food. Putting your food in sealed plastic or glass containers can protect them from this contamination.

Cockroaches Don't Just Get Into Your Food

When cockroaches appear inside a home, homeowners immediately consider food contamination. But roaches can spread illness without ever getting into your food.

• They can contaminate your food-prep surfaces, dishes, and silverware as they walk around.
• They can contaminate your toothbrush because they eat toothpaste.
• They can expose you to contaminants as they crawl on you to nibble on the dead skin cells in your eyebrows and on your eyelashes while you sleep.
• They are known to feed on moisture from the mouths of sleeping people, and are particularly drawn to baby saliva because of the smell of stale milk.

Cockroaches Are Linked To Asthma

A recent study showed that the presence of cockroaches in a home leads to increased hospitalizations for Asthma-related symptoms. It is believed that the shed skins, feces, and saliva of cockroaches dry inside air ducts and become airborne particulates that exacerbate the symptoms of Asthma. So cockroaches don't have to touch anyone in your home to have an impact on your health.

Cockroach Control

Are you seeing cockroaches in your Memphis home? Reach out to cockroach control experts at Dart Pest, Lawn & Wildlife for effective control. There are far too many ways cockroaches can make you sick. Get help today.

Tags: home pest control | cockroaches