Four Signs Your West Palm Beach Home Has A Cockroach Problem


January 15, 2021

Cockroaches are shy and timid creatures that do everything in their power to avoid human interaction. Don’t get them wrong, they love living inside your home: they love the comfort it provides, the provisions of food scraps to scavenge, and the almost never-ending supply of water. They just don’t like you. Granted, you don’t like them either and would probably crush them without a second thought, and for good reason. Cockroaches are dangerous problematic pests, and to help you identify these insects around your West Palm Beach home, here are four signs to clue you into their presence.

cockroach in basement

Live Roaches

The clearest sign of a cockroach infestation is seeing live roaches crawling around inside your home. Unfortunately, this sign typically doesn’t show up until an infestation becomes moderate to severe. By their nature, cockroaches are timid pests and will do everything in their power to stay out of sight. It is only when their numbers grow and food becomes scarce that brave roaches will start wandering out into the open. Identify a cockroach by its flat, oval-shaped body, six barbed legs, two long antennae, and black, reddish-brown, or tan color.

Cockroach Droppings

Roaches groom themselves frequently but don’t do much to keep the environment around them clean. One way roaches make homes dirtier is with their fecal matter. Use their coffee-like-droppings to identify these nasty pests around your West Palm Beach home. When cleaning up after roaches, make sure to use protective gear as these pests often spread dangerous pathogens and parasites off their bodies and through their fecal matter.

Smear Marks

Cockroaches love spending time around greasy areas like stoves, deep fryers, and dirty trash cans. When spending time in these locations, cockroaches pick up a considerable amount of grease on their bodies. This grease is then smeared on the ground as these pests crawl around homes. If you start finding oily lines running across your kitchen floor or along baseboards, it might mean roaches are around.

Cockroach Eggs

A female roach lays 30 to 50 eggs at a time inside large egg capsules. These capsules are roughly 8 mm long and are light brown or mahogany in color depending on species. Find these egg capsules in sheltered areas such as beneath kitchen appliances, furniture, and around other tight, hard to reach areas around the home.

Some Simple Ways To Prevent Roaches

If roaches have not yet infested your West Palm Beach home, it is not too late to implement some prevention tips. Here are some great precautions our experts recommend you take:

  • Clear clutter and debris from your yard.
  • Trim back hedges and tree branches so sunlight can shine on your home’s exterior.
  • Make sure your gutters are properly working.
  • Eliminate sources of standing water around your home.
  • Fix leaky fixtures and piping.
  • Seal gaps and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation.
  • Address damage to window/door screens.
  • Install door sweeps under all exterior doors.
  • Clean beneath large kitchen appliances, furniture, and other hard to reach areas around your home.
  • Store leftover food inside airtight containers.

The Best Way To Eliminate Cockroaches

To quickly handle a roach infestation inside your West Palm Beach home, let the experts at Empire Pest Defense - Florida help. We are a family-friendly company with an uncompromising goal of excellence.
 
Using advanced pest control solutions and industrial-grade products, we will keep your home cockroach-free year-round. Contact us today to learn about our year-round pest control options and find a solution that best fits your needs.

Tags: cockroach control | cockroach prevention | cockroach infestation |