The German cockroach is the most common species of cockroach in America, so it’s likely you’ve spotted them inside your Orlando home at some point. Although German cockroaches are most often found outdoors, they’re notorious for hitchhiking their way indoors on items you bring into your home. If you have a German cockroach problem, read on for what you need to know about these pests and how to control their population.
According to the National Pest Management Association’s PestWorld.org website, German cockroaches are not picky eaters. They will feed on almost anything, including the things you’d expect, such as sugary and starchy foods, and some surprising things, such as glue, toothpaste, and even soap. They can go for up to a week without water.
German cockroaches seek humid, dark places where they can easily access food and water. Outdoors, they can be found in piles of mulch or wood chips, in the soil near your home’s foundation, and in damp, shady spots such as flowerbeds. Indoors, you may find them in areas where food is prepared or stored, in crevices around kitchen cabinets and appliances, and near sinks or other sources of water.
German cockroaches face some predators outdoors, such as reptiles and amphibians, some wasp species, and beetles. Indoors, unfortunately, there are none.
Cockroaches can easily enter even the cleanest home. The most common “vehicles” are paper grocery bags and cardboard boxes, although they’ll also ride in on secondhand furniture, luggage, or other items that give them a good place to hide. If your workplace or your child’s school or daycare has roaches, they may come home with you.
As with many other types of Orlando pests, plumbing and other utility lines provide perfect entry points for German roaches, particularly if your house has a crawl space beneath it. Drains and sewers make good roads in as well.
Effectively controlling German cockroaches requires a double-pronged approach: preventive measures you should take and the services of a pest control professional.
The best approach to prevention is taking away their sources of food and water, and their access to shelter. That means keeping the kitchen free of crumbs, tightly sealing stored food, and sealing up entry points around plumbing, electrical, cable, and other utility lines. Properly ventilating crawl spaces and attics to lower humidity is important as well.
Anytime you or any member of your household brings paper or cardboard into your home (especially if it comes from a grocery store, bakery, restaurant, or other food retailer), inspect it for roaches or their eggs.
The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences webpage on the German cockroach notes that although these pests are found throughout the world, “The major factor limiting German cockroach survival appears to be cold temperatures.” That means cockroaches are a year-round concern in Orlando’s warm, mild climate, and it’s why we provide affordable recurring pest control services to keep your home pest-free.
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