Seeing even a single German cockroach running around your room might cause you to feel distressed. And rightly so. After all, the skins and droppings of cockroaches often cause allergic reactions. And cockroaches contaminate food, crockery and the surfaces that they walk on. But does one cockroach mean an existing, or potential, infestation?
A Female Could Indicate an Infestation
First, you need to work out whether the cockroach you saw was a female or male. Male German cockroaches are black and apple-seed shaped. Female German cockroaches are orange or brown and are much longer than the males of the species. If you have seen a female cockroach in your home, then you may have cause to worry. A single female German cockroach can lay up to 40 eggs at a time. And, if that female manages to survive in your home for her entire lifespan, a year, then she could lay up to 5 more generations or 200 more cockroaches. That means that a single female can start an infestation in your home.
But even if you only saw a male cockroach, that doesn't mean that you don't have an infestation.
Cockroaches Don't Usually Go Into the Open
Generally, cockroaches stay in the darkness of the nooks and recesses of your kitchen or wherever they choose to nest. The only time cockroaches come out is when there is enough darkness for them to hide while they feed. That means you could see them at night when you switch on your light if you have an infestation. But even if you don't see them when you switch on a light, that doesn't mean you don't have an infestation.
If you see a cockroach out in the light you should worry. Cockroaches will only come out into the light or when humans are around when their nest is full to bursting. Because there are so many cockroaches crammed into one space, some of them are forced out into the open to search for new areas in which they can rest or hide.
You May Need Pest Control
If you suspect that you have a cockroach infestation, then you should hire a pest control expert. In one year, a single female can cause an infestation of up to 300,000 cockroaches, This means that if you see even a single cockroach, then you could have an infestation. Consider hiring a pest control expert as soon as possible if you see even a single female cockroach roaming your kitchen. Otherwise, you could soon find cockroaches roaming freely.
To learn more about pest control, contact a professional in your area.
One of the signs that winter is on its way is when you find evidence of rats or mice moving into your home. These rodents hate the cold, so they love to find a cosy spot to set up house once the temperature drops.
Pest control is the best way to stay on top of rodent issues, but what type of pest control works best for these critters? These blog posts are all about pest control so that you can educate yourself on subjects like baiting versus trapping, and also how to avoid your pets getting sick from pest control measures.
The more you learn about pest control, the better informed you are about making the right choice for saying goodbye to rodents in your home.