Most people are absolutely disgusted by cockroaches. Finding one in your shoe, or even close to some food that you were about to eat is enough to have people running for the hills. Hopefully, this blog will inform you more about why cockroaches are so prevalent in the summer, and give you some ideas on how to avoid them in the future.
The best way to understand why cockroaches are so common in the summer is to learn about what happens to them (and other pests) in the winter. You might have noticed that when the weather starts getting colder, pest issues decline. This is because insects are cold-blooded, and that causes them to slow down when the weather cools down. Some might even die off, but the ones who don’t tend to stay hidden away. They also breed much less, so there are usually less new larvae hatching.
When the weather starts to heat up again, the roaches that were hiding out all winter come out and start making up for lost time quickly. They breed, feed and look for new sources of shelter like crazy. Cockroaches love warm conditions, so they can often be found inside homes, in areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. When summer hits, and the weather is a little too hot for their comfort, cockroaches will head inside, where it’s still warm, but not as hot as outside. Whether roaches are coming inside to escape the cold, or the hot heat, once they are inside, they will multiply and grow their populations and be extremely difficult to completely eradicate without professional help.
What Are Some Warning Signs Of A Cockroach Infestation?
Spotting One
The most obvious way to tell you have cockroaches in your house is by spotting one. However, we wanted to mention this anyway, since some people think that spotting one cockroach isn’t a big deal. This is not the case. If you’ve seen one cockroach, it’s highly likely that you have a bunch more hiding out.
Crunchy "shells."
Cockroaches shed their skins and leave them behind. These shells are often found in hidden areas of the home that don’t get a lot of attention from people, and are a sure sign that you have an infestation.
A Cockroach Smell
In order to attract mates, cockroaches release a smell that most people find repulsive. Most people who have smelt it describe it as a very oily smell. Check storage areas like your garage, basement or attic for this smell.
Black Marks
Anywhere roaches go, they leave droppings. Oftentimes, these droppings are found in kitchen drawers, on food shelves or in cabinets where dishes are stored. They’re also sometimes found near baseboards on the floor. These are a dead giveaway that you have a cockroach infestation in your home.
If you’ve spotted any of these signs, it’s time to call a pest professional. While some pest infestations can be handled with DIY repellants or methods, cockroaches are incredibly difficult to get rid of. Call right away and get a professional out to your home so that you can get all of these creepy crawlers out of your space for good.
