How to Get Rid of Cockroaches in Utah

American cockroaches in Utah - RentokilOn Earth, there are more than 4,500 cockroach species. Of these, only about 30 of them that are considered pests to people, and four of them are common to Utah’s borders. They include the German, American, Oriental, and brown-banded cockroach, all of which can be a nuisance to deal with in your home. Roaches are frequently found in homes, businesses, trash heaps, sewers, and nearly anywhere else they want to be. It’s important to always be on the lookout for signs of cockroaches in your house—seeing even one is often an indicator of many more nearby. The experts at Rentokil are here to share all you need to know about roaches in Utah and beyond.

Types of Cockroaches Found in Utah

  1. American Cockroach
    • Among the largest species of roaches in the country, American cockroaches can reach approximately 2” long.
    • They have a distinctive yellowish band by the head, and varying degrees of reddish-brown or chestnut brown coloring on their bodies.
    • Despite having wings, they rarely fly because their flight patterns look awkward and clumsy.
    • Their incredible speed enables them to scuttle around or escape quickly.
    • Eating nearly anything in sight, they are often caught devouring crumbs or exposed leftovers after human meals, paper products, glue, pet food, and whatever organic material they come across.
  2. Brown-Banded Cockroach
    • These are a brownish color and feature lighter brown stripes across their bodies.
    • Brown-banded roaches are approximately 1 ¼” long.
    • These roaches are like most roaches and are notably opportunistic eaters, favoring book bindings, wallpaper glue, and stamps.
  3. German Cockroach
    • German roaches are dark brown with stripes running the length of their bodies,
    • When fully grown, they are about 1¼” long.
    • German cockroaches also have wings but don’t fly.
    • These cockroaches favor fermented foods but will eat many things.
    • German cockroaches require warmer and humid areas to live in more so than other cockroach species.
    • They will look for shelter during the winter months and most will venture back outside in the warmer months.
  4. Oriental Cockroach
    • These roaches look quite different, as they are shiny and black or reddish-brown in color.
    • Oriental roaches grow to be about 1″ long.
    • They are often found living in sewers and garbage heaps, as they prefer consuming organic matter.

How to Prevent All Cockroaches

Cockroaches are not only grotesque, but dangerous. With how much they come into contact with, they can spread a lot of germs and bacteria. In fact, they are responsible for spreading as many as 33 types of bacteria alone. Roaches are also linked to triggering allergy problems. If you are experiencing problems with any of these cockroaches, it’s time to call in the experts. The roach exterminators at Rentokil will keep you roach-free all year long.

The German Cockroach: 10 Facts to Keep in Mind

German cockroaches are one of the biggest roach problems in the Northern Utah and Southern Idaho region - Rentokil

Cockroach infestations are one of the most feared, and for good reason. Not only are roaches a gross sight to behold, they also contaminate surfaces and carry potentially dangerous pathogens and diseases. The German cockroach in particular is feared for their ability to breed at rapid rates, making it easy for them to quickly spread throughout an entire property. German roaches are most commonly found in homes, multi-family units, restaurants, food processing facilities, hotels, and more, making them a constant threat to all property owners.

In this blog post, the experts at Rentokil share 10 facts to keep in mind about the German cockroach.

German Cockroach Habits & Behaviors

Because German cockroaches are such a common problem in properties throughout Northern Utah and Southern Idaho, it’s important to learn their habits and behaviors. The top things to know about German cockroaches include:

  1. German roaches can be identified by their pronotum (protective plate behind the head), which has two longitudinal dark stripes.
  2. German cockroaches have an extremely quick rate of reproduction. They can quickly spread throughout a building.
  3. The ootheca (egg case) of the German roach contains between 35–40 eggs, which take a month to hatch.
  4. These roaches are most commonly found in residential and commercial kitchens or bathrooms.
  5. German cockroaches typically prefer areas of high temperatures and high humidity.
  6. They live indoors primarily. They are only found outdoors occasionally in warm weather.
  7. German cockroaches can carry or transmit diseases and pathogens that may be dangerous to humans.
  8. German cockroach infestations may cause severe asthmatic reactions in some people.
  9. They are able to climb on smooth surfaces because they have a sticky pad on their feet.
  10. German cockroaches prefer to stay hidden in dark areas. They are often found inside walls, behind cabinets, inside appliances, and other rarely accessed areas.

How to Prevent German Roach Infestations

If you want to avoid dealing with the frustrations of a German cockroach infestation, it’s important to be proactive about preventing them in the first place. As we all know, roaches are attracted to filth and clutter. The key to keeping them away, then, is to maintain a tidy property! To keep them out, make sure to keep all food in sealed containers and secure your garbage cans securely. Lastly, continually check on dark, undisturbed spots in your home or business for evidence of roach activity.

What to Do When you Have German Cockroaches

If you’ve done all you can to keep German roaches out of your property and have spotted them in your property regardless, it’s time to call the exterminators at Rentokil. Our team will thoroughly inspect your property for the roaches before coming up with a German roach removal plan suited to your needs. Our goal is to keep you roach free all year long!