Help What Should I Do About The German Roaches Inside My Tampa Home
Safe, Green, and Effective Pest Control

Help! What Should I Do About The German Roaches Inside My Tampa Home

german cockroach eating food in a kitchen

You've found one cockroach in your apartment or house, now what? If you've lived in Tampa for a while, you know about roaches. These are common pests. But you may not know how to tell different types of roaches from each other, what to expect from roaches in your home, or the pitfalls of getting rid of cockroaches. These are the topics we'll cover today as we spotlight German roaches. We'll also tell you how to effectively eliminate cockroaches in your home. If you have a roach infestation and want to speak with someone directly, you can reach out to one of our service professionals if you'd like. You can call us or connect with us by text or e-mail. EcoTech Pest Control Services provides leading solutions for pest control in Tampa. We can identify the cockroaches you're struggling with and guide you toward the best resolution to your pest problem. 

Identifying German Cockroaches In Tampa

All roaches are not created equal. Some are harder to control and some are a greater risk to your health. Cockroach identification can help you evaluate your problem. Proper identification can also help you with addressing a cockroach infestation because different roach species require different control strategies.

German cockroaches are the harder roaches to control because they have strongly adapted to living with humans. But, since these roaches prefer to live indoors, they aren't nearly as dirty as other outdoor roach pests, like oriental cockroaches. That isn't to say German roaches are clean, but when set next to an oriental roach, you may not mind having German cockroaches in your home. Oriental roaches begin life in extremely unsanitary conditions. The females lay their oothecae (egg pouches) in rotting organic sludge. Female German cockroaches carry their oothecae with them. When the eggs are ready to hatch, they'll come out wherever the roach is located, but she may be climbing around in your garbage when this happens. So, bear that in mind.

German cockroaches are somewhat unique compared to other common roaches in our area. Here are a few identifying traits to help you tell German roaches from those other roach pests. 

  • Newly hatched nymphs are black and orange.
  • As nymphs grow, they develop an orangish yellow coloration down the center, and black down each side.
  • When a German cockroach reaches its adult stage, it has fully formed wings that cover most of its black coloration, leaving only a small black equal sign between the head and the wings.
  • The wings of a German cockroach are shiny and hang past the end of the insect's abdomen.
  • These roaches are almond-shaped and have long antennae.
  • They have tiny barbs on each of their six legs.  
  • Adult German cockroaches are ½ to ⅝ of an inch long.

German cockroaches are able to fly but they rarely do. If you see a flying roach in your home, it is far more likely an American cockroach. American roaches are large with a chestnut coloration and a yellow mark on the back that looks a bit like a figure-eight. Oriental cockroaches never fly. They're not able.

There you have it. These are the cockroaches you're most likely to see in your Tampa home. If you see another kind of cockroach, such as a smokybrown cockroach, wood roach, or the elusive Asian cockroach, send us a picture. We can help you with identification. You may also give us a call and one of our Green Pro Specialists can come over and take a look.

Why German Cockroaches Are Considered Dangerous

All cockroaches present a hazard to humans. It is helpful to understand these risks as you evaluate a German cockroach infestation. Let's quickly run down through some of the ways roaches may harm you.

  • Cockroach droppings can make you sick. Cockroaches spread many diseases with their fecal matter. When you find an area contaminated with droppings, be sure to wear protective gloves and a mask during clean-up. Cockroaches are known to transmit at least seven human pathogens.
  • According to experts, cockroaches can spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria. These organisms can lead to diseases, such as salmonellosis, listeriosis, typhoid fever, cholera, campylobacteriosis, gastroenteritis, and more.
  • Cockroaches pick up parasitic worms from unsanitary places and carry them to dishes, surfaces, and stored foods. A few common worms carried by roaches are hookworms, Ascaris, Capillaria, and Toxocara.
  • Cockroaches aggravate asthma symptoms, and there is an increase in hospitalization for asthma-related symptoms in homes with roach infestations. Children are in the high-risk group for issues related to cockroach allergens.

If you find a German cockroach in your home, it is time to contact your local pest control service provider for German cockroach pest control. It is best to not take chances with these pests, considering the health concerns they present and their ability to elude DIY cockroach control treatments. 

Why It Is So Difficult To Get Rid Of German Cockroaches?

The reason German cockroaches are hard to get rid of is that most Tampa residents don't know how to get rid of German cockroaches. We know how that sounds, but allow us to explain. Many control products available to consumers are able to eliminate German cockroaches. Most of the time, the products are not the reason DIY treatments fail. The issue people have is the application of control products. If you don't follow a strict protocol, these uniquely troublesome roaches will evade your treatments. Here are a few examples:

  • If you are successful at eliminating all the German cockroaches in your home but you fail to seal entry points in your exterior or don't apply control materials to keep these roaches from continuing to invade your home, you'll never stop them.
  • If you apply a topical treatment, you may get a few roaches, but these pests travel in extremely tight voids within your walls, floors, and ceilings. Topical treatments will not get them all.
  • If you treat surfaces with a material, these roaches will avoid the treated surface when they detect it or avoid it when they detect the death stench of a cockroach that didn't avoid the spot.
  • Some German cockroaches are born with skins that are genetically protected from certain harmful materials, such as common control products. They can crawl right over treated surfaces. For resistant cockroaches, a mixture is required. It is best to have a licensed professional determine and apply this mixture of products.
  • If German cockroach nymphs are not resistant to the products you're using, they can develop a resistance as they grow into adults. These roaches shed their skin several times and create new skins that are more tolerant to harmful materials in their environment.
  • Some German cockroaches are born with bait aversion. They turn their nose up at common, over-the-counter baits. Their taste receptors no longer consider the sweet ingredient in common baits palatable.
  • If a German cockroach does not already have bait aversion, it can develop an aversion when bait is improperly deployed. There are many ways this might happen. You may use the wrong bait. You may use too much or too little bait. You may need to use more than one product and not realize it.

We could go on, but you see the scope of the problem. German cockroaches are adaptable insects that have learned to live with us, even though we do everything to prevent them from living with us. If they were not so robust, resilient, and resourceful, they'd be extinct. The best solution for German cockroaches is to get professional cockroach pest control in Tampa.      

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