By Thorn Team • Jul 14th 2022
German cockroaches can create some seriously stressful situations whether you're a homeowner, tenant or apartment manager. These roaches are small and enjoy hiding in hard-to-access spaces. They spread quickly and easily, making it relatively simple for them to grow to infestation levels and spread health risks all while people remain generally unaware of their presence.
This is especially true in apartments and other multi-family dwellings.
Cockroach control is just one of those things that takes specialized knowledge to tackle. There are many misconceptions surrounding cockroach control which oftentimes can lead to tenants, building managers or homeowners unknowingly making their problem worse in the long run.
If cockroaches are already present in your home or building, it's best to work with a professional pest control company that specializes in cockroach control to avoid ongoing issues.
The company you choose to work with should know the most up-to-date practices for science-based cockroach control.If you have questions or concerns about ongoing cockroach issues or what cockroach treatments should look like, we've got loads of experience and we're here to help! Drop us a note and we'll be in touch about your questions, and don't forget to ask about an invitation to our next pest control webinar!
CAUTION: If cockroaches have been spotted inside, there are almost certainly more hiding nearby. It's very important to deal with this quickly to avoid causing long-term problems. Cockroaches can heavily contaminate food, which can cause food poisoning. They are also known to trigger allergy and asthma symptoms, especially in children.
If you're a landlord, make sure your tenants understand how they can help tackle a roach problem. In order to get control of roaches, you'll need co-operation on things like:
The right treatment methods are essential to getting a handle on a cockroach problem. An effective professional-level cockroach control program should involve baiting. Time and time again, baiting gets the best (and safest) results!
SOME QUICK ADVICE FROM THORN: Science is always changing, and pest control is a science! Staying up on cockroach control best practices involves staying active in the greater pest control community. Here at Thorn, we prioritize attending trainings, taking classes and staying on top of new information so that you don't have to. We'll handle the specialized pest plan and with your help, we'll get rid of your roach problem for good.
In pest control, the pest in question needs to be positively identified before treatment can take place.
Every pest is different, so treatment programs need to be specially tailored to the pest as well as the home or building experiencing the issue.
For confirmed or suspected cockroach issues, glue boards and monitors are a pest professional's best friend. These simple and inexpensive pest control gadgets will do a good job of helping us finding roaches and identifying where they are hiding out.
Once visual inspection has been completed and we aware of the scope of the issue, then we'll work as a team with you and develop the perfect strategy of attack for your apartments or house.
There are lots of advantages to a good baiting program, but it is never as simple as putting bait out and saying a prayer that it works. Baits will work, but only when placed and used correctly. The right bait needs to be applied in the right areas, in the right amounts and at the right time. There are many pieces that need to come together!
Understand that not all baits are the same. It's important that your pest control company know what they're doing when it comes to selecting the right bait. Bait selection is based on the circumstances present at each individual property.
Also make sure that your pest company knows the importance of rotating baits. This will help avoid pesticide resistance in the cockroaches residing inside. Resistance can create challenging cockroach situations that take longer to manage.
DEFINITION: Pesticide resistance happens when pests are exposed to the same product for too long. A pest control company with experience in cockroach control knows the importance of rotating baits to avoid resistance, but they will also know when to keep using a bait that's working well.
There are many benefits to cockroach baiting including:
Less stress, less time, less money, and better results? That sound like a serious pest control win.
If a baiting program is going to be effective, there are some very important things that need to happen:
In many situations, treatment will be ongoing and dependent on the results after each visit. Every visit, an experienced technician will be making note of any new issues or activity and adjusting their treatment plan accordingly.
In houses with minor cockroach issues, reaching a zero-cockroach threshold may seem more attainable. In large buildings or in homes with severe infestations, we've had clients that don't believe zero roaches is a possible goal.
We promise, it is! Just be prepared that it will take some time and effort.
Our goal is zero because it doesn't take many German cockroaches to start an infestation and from there, it doesn't take long for the problem to become severe.
In simple terms? Cockroaches multiply very quickly.
Female cockroaches carry egg capsules that contain anywhere from 24-48 future roaches. After 28 days, she will deposit the eggs which will hatch in 24-48 hours.
While carrying the egg capsule, the female does not eat much, but once she has deposited it, she will eat voraciously in preparation for carrying more eggs. This is the ideal time to try and get her to feed off of bait and prevent another life cycle from taking place, but the baits must be placed in the right hiding spots.
Baits will not only entice mama cockroaches, but when her babies (instars) start moving around and feeding, they won't travel far. Placing baits correctly means both the females and her young are likely to consume the bait.
At Thorn, we aim to provide the most effective and low-stress approach to cockroach control. In fact, we're so good at it, we've written a book, held talks and hosted webinars all so that other pest professionals, building managers, business pros and homeowners can stay informed on the best cockroach practices available.
If you're struggling with a cockroach issue and you live in Utah, then we're neighbors! Let us know you need help and we'll be over lickety-split to devise a plan. We love working with our local community in the Beehive state!
Or, maybe you're not located in Utah at all, but you need help with a confusing cockroach conundrum. No need to get discouraged. Reach out to Thorn! We provide consulting services as well as trainings for employees, tenants and other professionals that find themselves crossing paths with roaches.
There's no need to worry about cockroach control when Thorn's around. We'll save you time, stress and money and have those roaches running for the hills in no time. Contact us today!
Thorn is a Utah local pest management company. We are a QualityPro certified company which is a prestigious accreditation awarded too less than 3% of the pest management companies in the US.
Thorn is a Utah local pest management company. We are a QualityPro certified company which is a prestigious accreditation awarded too less than 3% of the pest management companies in the US.
