What Every Boca Raton Resident Should Know About Roaches

As Floridians, we've all dealt with it. We've all seen that dark shadow that scurries across the kitchen floor when we turn the light on or seen the brown figure disappear around the corner when we enter a room. Cockroaches are a fact of life here in Florida.

There are a lot of myths when it comes to cockroaches, and their creepy appearance has only helped these urban legends grow. But how much do you really know about cockroaches? Read on to learn more about these disgusting and potentially dangerous pests and how Boca Raton pest control experts at Great Southern Environmental Services can help keep your home roach-free.

What Is A Cockroach

Cockroaches are one of the more ancient pests on Earth, having been around for millions of years. Cockroaches typically have oval-shaped bodies, long antennas, and six legs. Cockroaches have wings, but most species are not capable of sustained flight, although they may be able to jump and glide for short distances.

Cockroaches are a resilient species that has evolved for survival over many millennia. They can go for a month without food, live for a week without their head, hold their breath underwater for up to 40 minutes, and run up to 3 mph.

Are There Different Types Of Cockroaches

There are more than 4,000 different species of cockroaches worldwide. Here in Boca, we have three different species that are native to our area.

When you see a cockroach in your home, you probably don't take the time to look too closely. If you did, here are the three species you would see and how to identify different cockroach species:

• American Cockroach: This is the most common and largest roach we see inside homes. They are reddish-brown both males and females can fly short distances.
• Oriental Cockroach: These roaches are dark-brown or black. They are smaller than American cockroaches and lack the ability to fly.
• German Cockroaches: German cockroaches are pale brown with two dark-brown stripes behind their head. They are the smallest of the three species we see in Florida.

Call us immediately if you see any cockroach species around your home. Our trained pest control technicians can identify the species quickly and develop a plan to remove them from your home.

How Long Do Cockroaches Live For?

Cockroaches are resilient and live longer than other common household pests. The life expectancy of a cockroach depends on the species. The American cockroach lives the longest of the species in Florida, with a life expectancy of up to two years. German cockroaches are next, living up to a year. Oriental cockroaches have the shortest life expectancy of the three, living around six months on average.

Professional Cockroach Control Made Simple

Eliminating cockroaches from your home is a job that requires the expertise of a professional pest control technician. You should never try to eliminate a cockroach infestation on your own. One of the main reasons for this is because of how well cockroaches can hide. Even if you kill the roaches, you can see that many more are hiding in your home's unused and difficult-to-access areas.

At Great Southern Environmental Services, our trained technicians know exactly where to look to find the source of your cockroach infestation and precisely what steps to take to get rid of cockroaches efficiently.

Our home pest control plans will prevent cockroaches, and many other common household pests, from returning, so you and your family can relax and enjoy time at home without worrying about the problems these pests can cause.