As spring brings new life and growth, it also brings more cockroach activity and visibility. Homeowners in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region face one of the most common and persistent pest challenges from cockroaches. They can threaten your health, infect your food, and destroy your property. Avoiding roaches in the spring can help you prevent a full-blown infestation later on down the road. 

Signs of a Roach Infestation

Nobody wants to find cockroaches in their home, but it’s better to find them sooner rather than later. The longer the infestation is able to grow, the harder it will be to get rid of the pests. Stay vigilant about these common signs of a roach infestation:

• Live or dead cockroaches in the house.
• Roaches prefer dark and moist places: under sinks, behind appliances, in cabinets, cracks, and crevices.
• You will also find them in basements, attics, garages, or crawl spaces.
• Roaches seen during the day may indicate a large infestation or a lack of hiding places.
• Cockroach droppings resembling black pepper or coffee grounds.
• The musty or oily odor produced by roaches from their glands.
• Finding oval-shaped cockroach eggs hidden in protected areas like behind furniture, inside walls, or under carpets.

What Roaches Are Looking For

Food, water, and shelter attract roaches to your home. They can eat almost any organic material, such as crumbs, spills, grease, garbage, pet food, paper, cardboard, leather, hair, or nails. Leaky pipes, faucets, drains, toilets, sinks, or dishes provide them with water sources. They also look for shelter from predators and harsh weather conditions. Gaps around doors, windows, vents, pipes, or wires allow them to enter your home.

How to Prevent Cockroaches

Eliminating roaches’ food, water, and shelter supplies is the best approach to preventing them. Roaches can only survive one week without water. Here are some tips to keep cockroaches away from your home:

• Keep your kitchen clean and tidy. 
• Fix leaks or moisture issues in your plumbing system. 
• Dry up any standing water around sinks, tubs, showers, or appliances. 
• Use a dehumidifier or fan to reduce humidity levels in your home.
• Seal holes or cracks in your walls, floors, ceilings, or foundation. 
• Declutter your home and remove any unnecessary items that could provide hiding places for roaches. 
• Keep your outdoor areas clean and well-maintained. 

Types of Roaches

• American Cockroach: This is the largest species of roach in the U.S. It has reddish-brown wings with a yellow band behind the head that can get up to 2 inches long. It can fly short distances and prefers warm and humid environments.
• Brown-banded Cockroach: This is a small species of roach that can grow up to half an inch long. Light brown bands cross its abdomen and wings. It does not need much moisture.
• German Cockroach: This is the most common roach species in the U.S. It can grow up to 5/8 inch long and has two dark stripes on its head. It reproduces quickly and can carry diseases.
• Smokybrown Cockroach: This is a dark brown species of roach that can grow up to 1 1/4 inches long. It has fully developed wings but rarely flies. It likes warm and moist areas.

Call a Professional Exterminator

While you can try some DIY methods to control roaches in your home, they may not be effective enough to eliminate the entire infestation. Also, improper use of some products could damage your health or the environment.

Contacting a qualified exterminator with the knowledge and tools to deal with any roach issue effectively and securely is best. Contact Southern Pest Control for the best pest control services in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region.