German Cockroaches

Texas is one of the “buggiest” states in the United States but that doesn’t mean you have to feed and water them like your pet.

Among the spiders, crickets and ants here in Texas, there is also the German cockroach. German roaches are one of the hardest to get rid of among the cockroach family. They will get into anything and everything leaving eggs and droppings wherever they go.

This type of cockroach can spread diseases such as gastroenteritis, E. coli, salmonellosis and cholera; causing allergic reactions and illness to people.

Finding a German roach in your home doesn’t mean you’re unsanitary or a dirty person. These roaches can find their way into your home in paper bags, boxes or even in books that may have eggs attached to them and hatch inside your home. These roaches never just come in from outside. German cockroaches do not live outdoors.

German roaches prefer to nest next to a food and water source which is why you may find them more in your kitchen or bathroom areas rather than other areas of the house. These roaches have the capability to infest your pantry, causing damage to your boxed foods.

Living in small areas or within a crack or crevice, you may not know you have an infestation until it’s too late. German roaches can populate rapidly; making it difficult to get control of and ridding your home of these pests. These roaches can reproduce 3-6 times per year with hundreds of offspring. Nymph German roaches are a darker tan (almost brown) than the adults. The adults are a lighter tan with dark marks behind their head. Both adults and nymphs have wings but do not fly. They are used to help them glide faster when in danger.

It’s important to follow a cleaning routine to help prevent an infestation.