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Are German Cockroaches In Aiken, SC Dangerous To Have In Your Home?

January 15, 2023

Have you had the experience of being jolted out of a deep sleep by a sound in the night? You can't help but lay there briefly frozen as your mind races about what to do. Sometimes when something happens, we freeze from fear or confusion. You may have had a similar experience when stumbling into the bathroom and turning on the lights, only to see a giant cockroach scurrying across the floor into the shower drain. The unexpected sight of a roach in your house temporarily froze you in place. 

If you have cockroaches in your home, you need pest control in Aiken from Jury Pest Services. For almost 20 years, we have been eliminating cockroaches from residences using proven techniques. In this article, we will share the signs of a roach invasion and what you can do about them. 

close up of german cockroach on floor

Easy-To-Spot Signs Of A German Cockroach Infestation

German cockroaches in Aiken are active at night while you sleep, so you may not see them during the day. However, these winged, tan to light brown, 1/2 to 5/8 inch long insects with parallel strips on their backs leave the following signs of their presence:

  • Pepper-like droppings
  • Smears from feces 
  • Musty odor
  • Egg capsules

Look for these signs of cockroaches in your home on countertops, dimly-lit corners, cracks, drains in the bathroom and kitchen, around openings in walls, behind appliances, and inside kitchen cabinets. German cockroaches like warm and humid areas, so focus your investigation first on areas of the house like bathrooms, laundry room, basement, and kitchen. Secondary locations for German cockroaches include closets and underneath furniture. 

Why Cockroaches In Your Home Is A Major Health Risk

A German cockroach infestation is dangerous because of the diseases they spread. Like all roaches, they forage on decaying foods in open trashcans, exposed compost piles, inside sewage materials, and around drains. Bacteria, viruses, and parasitic worms cover the materials in these areas. 

As the cockroaches walk across polluted surfaces, the spines on their cockroach legs attract the disease-causing pathogens. Later, when they travel through your Aiken home, the pathogens fall off and contaminate cooking, eating, and food storage surfaces. Another way German cockroaches transmit disease is through their constant defecation and saliva tainted by the contaminated food they ate when foraging. A sampling of diseases they carry are E.coli infection, salmonellosis, and typhoid fever.

How Can I Prevent German Cockroaches From Getting Inside My Home?

German cockroach pest control begins and continues with prevention. To keep the roaches out of your Aiken house, do the following:

  • Seal cracks in the foundation, around incoming pipes and wires, and along the roofline. 
  • Keep both outdoor and indoor garbage containers closed at all times.
  • Cover compost piles. 
  • Provide proper drainage to ditches and low-lying areas in the yard. 
  • Remove leaf and wood debris from the yard.
  • Prune shrubs and trees away from the house.
  • Provide airflow to the crawlspace, basement, and bathrooms to dehumidify the space. 
  • Fix leaking pipes or faucets.
  • Store food in plastic, airtight containers.
  • Remove pet food from bowls before bedtime.
  • Store pet food in sealed containers.
  • Vacuum the house regularly.
  • Suction out corners and cracks between the baseboards, walls, and carpet using a wand attachment. 
  • Wipe down cooking and eating surfaces after each meal.
  • Clean the food pantry thoroughly every quarter.
  • Store food products in sealed containers.

German cockroach control begins with maintaining a clean, sanitary, and dry environment inside and outside your Aiken home. 

The Trick To Completely Get Rid Of German Cockroaches In Your House

While the tips mentioned above will help prevent German cockroaches from infesting your Aiken home, if they are already in your house, you need German cockroach extermination from Jury Pest Services. 

Once a few roaches invade a house, it doesn't take very long for them to reproduce rapidly. An adult female German cockroach lays an egg capsule containing up to 48 eggs six to eight times over the next 20 to 30 weeks of its adult lifetime. The offspring from the first egg capsule will begin reproducing within a couple of months. A German cockroach nest full of an army of reproducing females can create up to 10,000 offspring within two generations! 

When you schedule an inspection with Jury Pest Services, our technicians will determine the hot spots, entry points, and attractions for German cockroaches in your Aiken home. We will treat the infested areas and put bait traps in strategic locations. After seven days, we will reassess the situation and do additional service as needed. Contact us today.

Tags: german cockroaches in aiken | cockroach prevention | cockroach extermination |