Cockroach

Image courtesy Most people can recognize cockroaches instantly. They're brown or black insects that are usually between half an inch and two inches long (12-50 millimeters), minus their long antennae. Their heads point downward, almost as if they're built for ramming. Males usually have wings, but females often don't. Those that do usually have vestigial wings -- small, undeveloped wings that often don't allow the roach to fly. Although their reputation often sets them apart, roaches have a lot in common with other insects. Their bodies have three primary regions -- the head, the thorax and the abdomen. They have three pairs of jointed legs, one pair of antennae and a rigid molt, several times during their lives. After molting, most roaches are white and easily injured until a hormone called bursicon causes the exoskeleton to darken and harden. Sometimes, a roach can re-grow a lost limb when it molts and even put off molting to allow the new limb to grow. Roaches' heads house their spiracles, or holes in their sides. Tubes called tracheae deliver oxygen from the spiracles to organs and tissues. When a headless roach finally dies, it dies of thirst. Although not as distinctive as the eyes of ommatidia. A hard ring called the ocular sclerite surrounds the photoreceptors. Because of this compound structure, cockroaches see the world as a mosaic. Movable antennae, also known as antennal flagella, allow roaches to feel and smell the world around them. Although the antennae look...

Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. 10 ways to get rid of roaches and keep them out permanently Facebook Icon The letter F. Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting. Twitter Snapchat icon A ghost. Snapchat Fliboard icon A stylized letter F. Flipboard Pinterest icon The letter "P" styled to look like a thumbtack pin. Pinterest Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link Read in app You probably know the feeling — the stomach-dropping moment when you hear a faint scuffle on your floor and look up to see a large, dark roach scuttling across your room or kitchen. No bug infestation is a particularly fun experience, but roaches somehow take things to a whole new level. Scot Hodges, vice president of technical services for • Peridomestic roaches live in our surroundings but will typically migrate indoors once the weather gets colder. • Domestic roaches, on the other hand, tend to coexist with humans in homes all the time. Because of this difference, Hodges likes to classify the arrival of peridomestic roaches as either an infestation or invasion. • An invasion is when ...

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10 Fascinating Cockroach Facts Most homeowners are aware of the Here are ten of the most fascinating cockroach facts: 1.) A Cockroach Can Live for Week Without Its Head Due to their open circulatory system, and the fact that they breathe through little holes in each of their body segments, they are not dependent on the mouth or head to breathe. The roach only dies because without a mouth, it can't drink water and dies of thirst. 2.) A Cockroach Can Hold Its Breath for 40 Minutes These pests can even survive being submerged under water for half an hour. They hold their breath often to help regulate their loss of water. 3.) They Can Run Up to Three Miles in an Hour While this may seem like an impressive athletic ability, what it really means is that they can spread germs and bacteria throughout a home very quickly. 4.) Newborn German Cockroaches Become Adults in as Little as 36 Days In fact, the German cockroach is the most common of the cockroaches and has been implicated in outbreaks of illness and allergic reactions in many people. 5.) A One-Day-Old Baby Cockroach Can Run Almost as Fast as Its Parents For reference, these babies are about the size of a speck of dust! So, not only are they fast, but they are also elusive, which is a dangerous combination for a pest known to transmit various diseases. 6.) The American Cockroach Has Shown an Attraction to Alcohol Similar to other pests, this cockroach species is drawn to some alcoholic beverages, especially beer. They are mo...

What Orkin Does Orkin Pros are trained to help manage American cockroaches. Since every home is different, the Orkin Pro will design a unique Keeping American cockroaches out of your home is an ongoing process, not a one-time treatment. Orkin’s exclusive A.I.M. solution is a continuing cycle of three critical steps—Assess, Implement and Monitor. Orkin can provide the right solution to help keep American cockroaches in their place … out of your home. Assess the situation Your Orkin Pro will do a thorough inspection of your home—inside and outside. There are several things the Pro will do during the inspection: • Locate areas of American cockroach activity. • Identify the causes of the American cockroach problem. • Look for entryways that American cockroaches could be using to get into your home. Implement a customized solution Since “cookie-cutter” treatments aren’t always effective, the Pro will customize the treatment to the situation. He can select from a variety of tools and techniques to help keep American cockroaches out of your home: • Exclusion–Nonchemical methods such as caulking or door sweeps help keep American cockroaches from entering your home. • Landscape modification—If American roaches are living around your home, it may be necessary to remove dead leaves or rake mulch away from the foundation. The technician will point out these opportunities. • Gel or granular bait—These are applied in areas where American cockroaches will eat them but children or pets ca...

Powered by the ® Institute of Insect Science for Family Health Cockroaches are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. They particularly like starches, sweets, greasy foods, and meats, but roaches are not picky eaters. They’ll feast on almost anything that is derived from something that was once a living organism, such as plants and animals. This includes cardboard boxes, book bindings, wallpaper glue, stamps, leather, feces, fingernails, hair, toothpaste, soap, their own cast-off skins, and even other cockroaches. 1,2,3 German Cockroach vs American Cockroach While cockroaches will eat just about anything, they can go a surprisingly long time without food. American cockroaches, also known as large roaches, can survive two or three months without feeding, but can only live about a month without water. 1 German cockroaches—one of the most common species found in homes throughout the world—can only go 12 days without water, but can survive for about 42 days without food. 4 HOW ROACHES AFFECT HUMAN FOOD Because cockroaches will just as readily feast on feces in a sewer or a cat litter box as they will on that homemade cake left out on the counter, they can transfer pathogenic microbes to our food and cooking surfaces simply by walking across them, causing food poisoning, diarrhea, dysentery, and other illnesses. 1 In addition, some cockroach species emit an odorous pheromone in their feces to attract mates and let other roaches know they’ve found a good place ...

On This Page • • • • • How Do Cockroaches Get in the House Where there are • Plumbing: Drains and pipes that offer a moist entryway can provide an easy and ideal path to the home. • Foundation and Wall Cracks: Cracks or holes in the foundation large enough for cockroaches get small and enter the home. • Doors: Cockroaches have the ability to flatten their bodies and seep under doorways when attracted to what a house has to offer. • Bags: Cockroaches can hide out in bags like groceries, purses, backpacks and trash that people bring in the home. • Pet Food: Pet food is a potential food source for cockroaches, so if stored in a garage and brought inside you could potentially bring a few pests along, too. What Attracts Cockroaches to the House Cockroaches are continuously looking to survive and thrive in environments that will best suit their basic needs of food and shelter. They prefer warm and moist environments that are easy on their bodies and protect them from predators. Therefore, people’s homes provide numerous attractive benefits: • Food: Food that gets left out, dirty dishes or crumbs on the floor are all great attractions for cockroaches to enter the house. • Water: Cockroaches are attracted to a moist environment found in pipes, drains and bathtubs. • Shelter: Cockroaches will hide under appliances, within walls, or dirty piles. How to Get Rid of Cockroaches Once it is clear that cockroaches are in the house, you should act fast to get them out. • Cleani...

Photo Courtesy of Bonnie Plants Roach Killing Myth: Cucumbers This may come as a bit of a shock, but people have tested using cucumbers as a way to repel roaches away from their home. According to some sources, cucumber peels are supposed to ward off cockroaches because they find the smell repulsive. However, this myth has been busted and is not recommended by usual

There comes a time when you realize quick fixes won’t solve your cockroach problem. You’re fed up, tired, and just want to be done with the bugs for good. If that’s you, it’s great news. Because there’s no better place to start. Effective, long-term cockroach control will treat the root of the problem and put you back in charge. It’s also easier than you might think. Consider this your guide to a permanent, no-fail roach control plan—an introduction to the best tools and techniques (including home remedies) that control roaches, along with advanced advice for doing the job cheaply, safely, and well. Ready to solve your roach problem? Let’s go! Roach Pest Control: Do You Really Need an Exterminator? We’ve all taken on projects that at some point, became more than we could handle. Roach control can be like that too, when you underestimate what you’re facing. A moderate Before deciding to do the job yourself, try to make at least a general assessment of the infestation, judging its severity. You may have a serious infestation if… • You’re seeing lots of roaches, even in the daylight. Roaches don’t usually come out during the day, so seeing them in broad daylight could be a sign that there are many • You’re finding a lot of • You’re seeing (and smelling) • You live in an apartment or condo where you have no idea what bugs are doing elsewhere in the building. For all you know, the roaches you’re seeing are the tip of the iceberg, and the ones enjoying your neighbor’s apartment ...