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Infestation Once they are inside
they can multiply fast, especially when food, water, and shelter is ideal for
survival. Some cockroach species have short development stages and develop egg
sacks often. With some species, in a matter of months, the infestation can grow
to thousands.
In your home, cockroaches eat just about anything you eat. They can survive on
the crumbs from meat and grease, sweets, breads and starchy foods. They will
also eat pages in your favorite cookbook, leather, and book binding and sizing.
Cockroaches like warm, dark, humid areas. Beneath kitchen and bathroom sinks are
favorite areas. They will also live in cracks throughout your home, but prefer
to stay near food and water. They will invade cracks in upholstered furniture,
kitchen chairs, and your kitchen table. They will infest the cupboard or pantry
and kitchen cabinets. You can find them behind widow frames, door frames,
baseboard and molding. They also like the warmth of electrical appliances. They
will infest your toaster, microwave, radio, TV, refrigerator, washing machine,
and other appliances where there is a motor or electric device that can keep
them warm. They will also hide behind your home’s electric switches,
receptacles, and light fixtures.
Prevention Prevention is easier for controlling roaches than to try and rid your
home of them. Keeping you home clean from food debris is a key to cutting off
the food supply. Eliminating water is also important. You should repair leaking
pipes and not leave water in the sink or glasses of water or drinks sitting out
at night. Inspecting containers, bags, boxes, furniture and books before
bringing them inside will help reduce the chance of infestation.
Roaches can get into areas smaller than a dime and as thin as a quarter. Seal
cracks and crevices around the outside of your home at the foundation and around
the exterior doors and windows with caulking. Seal areas with caulk or foam
around electric wiring, air conditioning wiring, cable, satellite cable, or any
other wiring or pipes that provide an opening around your home.
Caulking or clear sealants can be used to seal baseboards, molding, and around
doors and windows inside your house. If light shines through, either beneath or
around the outer dimensions of your outside doors, seal them with weather
stripping. Beneath cabinets use caulk or foam to seal around drains. If any
pipes leak, repair them right away.
Eliminating their way in and eliminating their food
and water sources will greatly reduce your chances of an infestation. If you
eliminate their places to hide it will also reduce the chances of an infestation
growing. Throw out the clutter where they might hide by getting rid of boxes,
old newspapers, and old magazines.
Once they are in You can use a number of products to get rid of cockroaches.
Often, the trick is to put the pesticide in the right place to get the best
results. Cockroaches like to stay near food and water and they like to be warm
and cozy. That is why they can often be found in the kitchen. Most often, you
will not see roaches until night, and often it’s not until you walk in the
kitchen and turn on the light. When the light comes on, they scatter quickly in
all directions. Grabbing a roach spray will only kill one or two roaches. Roach
sprays also stink up your kitchen and you end up with dangerous poisons sprayed
where food is prepared.
Baits, traps, and powders are effective, but you must use these products with
care around pets and children. Place powders behind appliances and against the
walls at the baseboard. Cockroaches tend to follow along walls, so placing baits
and powders along the walls and in the corners tends to increase the chance of
cockroaches getting the pesticide. If you use baits, traps, and powders, don’t
use a spray. Spray insecticides tend to have an odor that roaches avoid and will
make the baits, traps, and powders ineffective if sprayed.
Getting rid of cockroaches once they infest your home is much harder than
stopping them at the door before they enter. Check the containers you bring into
your home and seal off areas where they can come in themselves. If you do have
an infestation, cut off the food, water, and shelter as best you can and use a
pesticide that works best for your family. With a little effort and prevention,
you can rid your home of these pests.
Dennise Brogdon is the managing editor of
the Hughston Health Alert, a quarterly, patient-information newsletter, and she
is an editorial assistant for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s
scientific journal, the Journal of Athletic Training. Dennise earned a BA in
English with professional writing as an emphasis at Columbus State University.
She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Georgia
Writers Association. Please visit
http://www.pestproductsonline.com
Article Source:
http://www.ArticleBiz.com
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