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Asian Cockroaches – What Homeowners Need to Know
If you’ve ever seen an Asian cockroach, you know how horrifying they can be. These creatures are large, aggressive, and seemingly impossible to get rid of. In this blog post, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about Asian cockroaches, including how to identify them, how to get rid of them, and how to prevent them from coming back. What are Asian Cockroaches? Asian cockroaches are a type of cockroach that is native to Southeast Asia. They were first introduced to the United States in the 1980s, likely through shipments of goods from Asia. These cockroaches are very similar in appearance to German cockroaches, although they are slightly larger and have darker brown markings on their wings. Asian cockroaches are also proficient flyers, which makes them particularly difficult to control. Recommended Read: It’s Fall Ya’ll What That Means for Pest Control Where do Asian Cockroaches Come From? These cockroaches are attracted to light and often enter homes in search of food. Asian cockroaches are especially fond of sweets and decaying organic matter. Primarily found outdoors in areas with mulch, compost, landscaping areas and shaded spaces with excessive leaf litter. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of Asian cockroach infestations in the southern United States. Consequently, it is important to be aware of the risk these insects pose and take steps to prevent them from entering your home. What do Asian Cockroaches Eat? Asian cockroaches typically eat plant matter, but they have also been known to eat other insects. In addition, Asian cockroaches can be a nuisance because they often invade homes in search of food. They have been noted to eat pet food, flowers, so basically they will eat almost anything. What do Asian Cockroaches Look Like? They are tan to dark brown in color and have dark stripes behind their head, they will grow up to about ⅝ inch long. How to Get Rid of Them If you have Asian cockroaches in your home, it’s important to take action immediately. The first step is to eliminate their food sources by cleaning up any spills or crumbs left out on countertops or floors. You should also seal up any cracks or crevices where these cockroaches might be able to enter your home. Once you’ve done this, you can use a variety of methods to kill the cockroaches that are already inside, including baits, traps, and aerosentry-grade insecticides. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully when using any of these products. How to Prevent Them from Coming Back The best way to prevent Asian cockroaches from coming back is to maintain a clean and clutter-free home. In addition, it’s important to regularly inspect your home for cracks and crevices where these pests might be able to enter. Be sure to seal up any openings that you find with caulk or another type of sealant. If you have questions or concerns about preventing Asian cockroaches from returning, don’t hesitate to contact a pest control professional. These guys are are the perfect reason why quarterly pest control service and staying on a schedule is important, right now we in Houston areas are dealing with a severe invasion of the Asian cockroach, perfect temperatures and moisture has led to a population boom. Keeping up on you maintenance every 3 months insure that these annoying invaders do not take hold of your yard and start moving inside. Recommended Read: PEST PROOFING YOUR HOME: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE Conclusion: Asian cockroaches are a serious pest problem here in the south. These creatures are very efficient at reproduction, aggressive invaders, and difficult to control with DIY pest control. If you have Asian cockroaches in your home, it’s important to take action immediately. Start by eliminating their food sources and sealing up any cracks or crevices where they might be able to enter your home. If you have questions or concerns about preventing Asian cockroaches from returning, don’t hesitate to contact a pest control professional for assistance.
The Top 10 Termite Mistakes What homeowners do to invite termites
Termites. They’re hungry. And to them, your house is food. Is there anything you can do to stop them? Can you make your home less appetizing? More than 100 termite experts ─ with a combined 2,000 years of experience ─ say these are the top 10 mistakes homeowners make when it comes to termites: 10. Repairing utilities on the property disrupting the termite soil treatment. If your lawn gets dug up for plumbing, gas or electrical work, chances are good you’ve compromised your termite treatment if your home has been treated with a liquid termiticide. 09. Piling excessive mulch around the home Termites love mulch. Too much up against your home holds soil moisture and can be an easy food source for hungry termites. “The mulch typically used around homes is often a soft wood like pine, which is a great food source for termites,” says Camille Landry of FullScope Pest Control. “I’ve seen termites foraging in and around the mulch just 1 inch deep. If the mulch is piled very high up on the foundation of a structure, it makes a natural bridge the termites can use to enter the structure.” 08. Digging around the home’s foundation disrupting a termite treatment. Liquid termite treatments around your foundation are effective only if left undisturbed. So if you dig around your house to plant a new rosebush, you might have opened a hole for termites to crawl through. If your home is protected by a baiting product such as the Sentricon® System, digging around your foundation isn’t a concern as long as the stations stay in place. Must Read: BROWN RECLUSE SPIDERS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 07. Leaving old tree stumps in the yard Dead trees are desirable to termites ─ almost as desirable as your house. Stumps in your yard can serve as a launch pad for an attack on your home. 6. Stacking firewood near the home If you put firewood up against your house, you might as well also leave out a welcome mat for the termites. They can burrow into the woodpile and then right into your house. 05. Using do-it-yourself (DIY) products to try to control termites themselves Termite control is not like fixing a leaky faucet. Fail to do it right, and you and your home will most likely pay the price. This is one time you should leave it to the professionals. 04. Having untreated wooden materials next to the home. Yes, that new fence will keep Fido in your yard, but that untreated wood up against your house also might let termites in. It is best to use treated wood or vinyl fencing, or at least leave a gap between the fence and your home. 03. Constructing additions to the home without expanding termite protection. If you’ve added a sunroom, expanded your kitchen or poured a new patio, that addition needs to be protected from termites, too. Don’t offer up that beautiful new addition as a termite’s next meal. 02. Not fixing earth-to-ground structural wood contact. If a portion of your wood porch is touching soil, you’re asking for termites. Soil + wood contact = termites. 01. And the No. 1 mistake homeowners make when it comes to termites is: Not getting a professional termite inspection. Termites are not easy to detect, and failing to do so can cause thousands of dollars in damage. Trained professional termite inspectors know termite behavior ─ where they like to hide, what their damage looks like, what they leave behind as evidence. You don’t. Leave this one up to the professionals. “Homeowners don’t have the experience to know what to look for,” Derek Salazar says. “When we do an inspection, we can point out to the customer what we think are liabilities that would increase the incidence of termites in their home.” This survey was conducted in 2012 with Certified Sentricon Specialists® from across the country. To find a termite professional or to learn more about Sentricon, visit Sentricon.com or download the Sentricon System app through iTunes here.