Is It Dangerous To Have Cockroaches In My Fort Worth Home?

There are a few cockroach species that get into Fort Worth homes. You may be familiar with some of them. We have tiny tan cockroaches with a dark equal sign on their backs. Those are German cockroaches. We have large, shiny chestnut cockroaches with a yellowish figure 8 on their backs. Those are American cockroaches. The dark black cockroaches we see are Oriental cockroaches. And the little brown, banded roaches that get into our homes are aptly called, brown-banded cockroaches. All of these roaches look different from each other; but make no mistake, they all behave in similar patterns—patterns that can expose you to harmful organisms. Here's how it works.

Where Cockroaches Breed

The life cycle of a cockroach begins with the egg. Cockroach eggs are in a tiny purse-like casing called an ootheca. These oothecae are usually deposited in rotting organic matter. When the eggs hatch, immature nymphs emerge. Roaches don't begin as larvae, like flies. They come out ready to run. And boy do they run! An immature nymph can run as fast as an adult cockroach. They can also scale walls and run across ceilings (or the undersides of tables). What is most important to understand is that they emerge in bacteria-laden sludge. Rotting organic matter is filled with organisms that are harmful to humans. But those baby roaches don't mind them at all. This allows cockroaches to be a mechanical vector for harmful organisms, such as Salmonella, E. coli, hookworm, and many more.

Where Cockroaches Live

As cockroaches grow, they seek out locations that are filled with bacteria. They will get into dumpsters, trash cans, sewers, compost heaps, and other dirty places. They get into these places because it is where their preferred food sources can be found. They also get into them because they are dark and damp. Cockroaches are nocturnal creatures that prefer darkness and cockroaches need moisture to survive. Many cockroach species don't come into homes because our homes are too dry. Pest cockroaches can adapt to dry conditions. But they will gravitate to humid areas of a home and hang out near moisture points.

What Cockroaches Eat

It is an understatement to say that a cockroach is an omnivore. These insects eat a surprisingly wide variety of things. While they will eat many of the foods we eat, they'll also feed on glue, hair, dead skin cells, cloth, soap, toothpaste, paper, dead insects, and a long list of other strange things. Cockroaches also eat human and animal feces. This is one of the reasons they hang out in sewer systems. It is important that you understand this connection. Before roaches climb around in your food and on your dishes, they could have been crawling around on dog droppings in your yard, cat droppings in your cat's litter box, or exploring the rim of your toilet. The smell of feces attracts cockroaches. When they feed on feces, they ingest harmful organisms and pick up these organisms on the outside of their bodies. Everything a cockroach touches, or leaves its tiny excrement on, should be considered contaminated.

Cockroach Diseases

There have been many detailed studies that have explored the role of cockroaches in the spread of diseases. It isn't surprising that results from these studies continually confirm cockroaches are a vector for medically important microorganisms. The problem is clear. Cockroaches are drawn to decay; and the organisms they pick up do not harm the cockroaches. This allows cockroaches to use their incredible mobility to carry organisms that do not travel on their own into sensitive locations and expose us to them.

What To Do About Cockroaches In Fort Worth

It is often impossible to get control of cockroaches without the use of pest control products. Unfortunately, these products can be as harmful as the cockroaches themselves. Why? Because just like those microorganisms, cockroaches can survive exposure to chemicals that would be fatal to us. This allows them to carry those products into kitchen cabinets and pantries. Applying treatments to eliminate cockroaches should be done by a licensed pest professional. If you're dealing with cockroaches in Fort Worth, contact All-Safe Pest & Termite for the elimination of those roaches. We use EPA-approved products in targeted locations to properly address infestations. This is the best way to deal with dangerous cockroaches in your home.