Most people would agree that there is nothing more vile than finding cockroaches in your home. There is a sort of shame that comes with having a German cockroach infestation, as there is a myth that this pest only prefers dirty homes. However, that is not true. Read on to learn why cockroaches are so dangerous to humans and why they are just as likely to invade your clean Sacramento home as any other home.
How To Identify German Cockroaches
There are several different types of cockroaches in the Sacramento area. However, German cockroaches are one of the most common types of cockroaches and the one species you are most likely to find invading your home. German cockroaches are typically light brown in color or tan. They have two dark, almost parallel stripes running down their backs. They are usually about half an inch long, with six legs and antennae on their head.
The Dangerous Diseases German Cockroaches Spread
There are many reasons to seek a professional to help you exterminate a German cockroach infestation; however, the most important reason is that German cockroaches can spread very dangerous diseases to you and your family. Below are some of the diseases they can spread:
- Campylobacteriosis: This is an intense gastrointestinal illness that causes severe fever, stomach cramps, and often bloody diarrhea. Nausea and vomiting may also occur. Symptoms usually last about a week.
- Listeria: This infection typically shows up in the form of a fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. If left untreated, the infection will spread to your nervous system, causing convulsions, loss of balance, a headache, stiff neck, and confusion.
- Typhoid fever: No surprise, the main symptom of this illness is a severe, high fever, coupled with a loss of appetite, stomach pain, headache, and weakness.
- Salmonella: Another gastrointestinal illness, salmonella causes severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and a fever.
How German Cockroaches Find Their Way Into Homes
The first step to preventing a German cockroach infestation is to understand how they get into your home in the first place. A pest control expert can help you figure out how this happened in your unique situation, but here are some of the most common ways roaches invade homes:
- Holes: German cockroaches can squeeze through even the tiniest holes. If your home has any size hole in its siding or the roof, it is accessible to German cockroaches.
- Doors and windows: If doors and windows are left open, or if there is space under a door, roaches will easily slide through and into your home. Broken window screens are also prime ways for cockroaches to enter your home.
- Hitching rides: You and your family can also bring German cockroaches into your home without your knowledge. Like bed bugs, German cockroaches might sneak into your bags and clothes when you are out and about and hitch a free ride right into your home.
The Key To Safe And Effective Cockroach Elimination
There are dozens of at-home, DIY methods listed online that promise to exterminate your German cockroach infestation, but we do not recommend them. In fact, most of these methods actually work to attract more roaches into your home! Because German cockroach infestations are so difficult to get rid of, and because of the health hazards they pose to you and your family’s health, the best thing to do is call us here at EcoTech Pest Management. With over 34 years of experience, our technicians use professional cockroach control methods and effectively exterminate entire German cockroach populations, ensuring no one gets sick in the process. We offer 24-hour emergency services and use eco-friendly products that are safe for you and the environment but deadly to the roaches. We will also work with you to implement prevention strategies and ensure that German cockroaches do not return. If German cockroaches have invaded your home, don’t wait -—call us today!