cockroach removal Archives

How to Prevent and Get Rid of Cockroaches in Canada

Cockroaches / January 30, 2023

Cockroaches are common pests that are incredibly hard to get rid of. They are famous for their intense survival skills, so it’s no surprise that there are over 3,500 species of roaches worldwide. Here in Canada however, we have 3 major species that homeowners have to contend with: the German cockroach, the brown-banded cockroach, and the American cockroach.

Below we share the best ways the get rid of roaches for good and all the key information you’ll need to make intelligent decisions about your cockroach problem.

Summary

What type of cockroach is in my Canadian home?
How to prevent cockroaches
Are cockroaches dangerous?
How to get rid of cockroaches

What Type of Cockroach Is in My Canadian Home?

German Cockroach

Possibly the most common household pest globally, German cockroaches are what most people think of when they think of roaches. They are most easily identified by their patterning, sporting two dark parallel bands on the back of their heads and can grow to around 16 mm long. They typically infest kitchens and bathrooms or anywhere with access to water and food, and their favourite snacks include meats, sweets and starches.

Can cockroaches fly?
Though all cockroaches have wings, most species, including German cockroaches, can only use them to glide for a short period of time. However, some less prevalent species are adept at flying.

Brown-Banded Cockroach

Brown-banded cockroaches are smaller than the other residential Canadian species (only up to 13 mm long) and like to hide anywhere they can wedge their slim bodies, such as under wallpaper, in walls or in electrical appliances such as fridges or TVs. You can identify the adults by the distinct tan or light yellow banding across their wings and their small oval bodies.

American Cockroach

The American cockroach is the largest roach we have in Canada measuring up to 40 mm in length. They are reddish-brown in colour and have a yellow band across the back of their head. American cockroaches are notorious for infesting North American sewer systems but can also sometimes be found in the basements of homes. Unlike the other species on this list, they mainly eat decaying matter including plants or small insects, instead of food from your pantry.

Are cockroaches dangerous?
While cockroach bites are rare these creepy crawlies pose other risks to those living in close proximity to them – such as triggering asthma attacks or allergies, transmitting disease, spoiling food and generally creating an unsanitary environment.

How to prevent cockroaches:

All cockroaches need food, water and shelter to thrive – by removing access to these resources you make your home inhospitable to them.

Clean up spilled food immediately and wipe down countertops after each meal
Store food in sealed containers
Don’t leave pet food out for longer than necessary
Take out the trash regularly
Don’t leave dirty dishes out overnight
Fix leaky faucets, toilets and roofs
Reduce humidity in bathrooms, kitchens and basements by using fans or a dehumidifier

Do cockroaches reproduce quickly?
Yes! The female German cockroach only lives for 100-200 days but in that time will lay between 120 and 320 eggs.

How to get rid of cockroaches

Cockroaches are incredibly hard to get rid of because they don’t die easily and they reproduce incredibly quickly. There are many products available designed to eliminate cockroaches however, they are not all created equal! Below we outline the effectiveness of the most common cockroach removal products.

Bombs or Foggers – Not recommended! These “bombs” spray pesticides into the air so that they cover every surface in the room. However, they have not been shown to be very effective against cockroaches, as they miss a lot of the nooks and crannies in which roaches live. Pesticides can also be hazardous to humans if mishandled and should be applied by professionals when possible.

Glue Traps – These traps cause cockroaches to get stuck in them and are a useful tool when it comes to identifying if you have a cockroach problem or where the roaches are coming from. However, it isn’t very effective as a control tactic because they simply can’t catch enough roaches to make a dent in the population.

Gel Baits – Gel baits are one of the most effective means of cockroach control, but are more complicated to use than they may seem. Different cockroaches are attracted to different baits, the baits must be placed in all the correct places to properly target the population and they must be reapplied regularly. Once again, this is why they are significantly more effective in the hands of pest control professionals.

Vacuum- While not a total control method on its own, regularly vacuuming an infested area, especially in little nooks where these bugs may hide can help get rid of eggs and make elimination faster.

Ultimately, the best and fastest way to get rid of cockroaches is by calling on pest control professionals, cockroaches are simply too resilient for the average Canadian homeowner to overcome alone. Professionals will be able to identify your problem correctly and address the issue from the source.

Terminix Canada offers expert pest control services for both residential and commercial properties. We have local pest control experts at locations across Canada including BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Call us today to learn how we can help.

Pest Control For Restaurants: Cockroaches

Cockroaches / February 28, 2022

Pest control for restaurants is important. These services are a necessity for any establishment looking to safeguard their reputation and public image. Customers fleeing your restaurant in a heebie-jeebie induced panic should prove enough inspiration to contact a restaurant exterminator right away. If not, then health inspections ought to offer plenty of motivation.

In short, commercial kitchen pest control for restaurants eliminate invading pests, most infamously cockroaches. Roaches in restaurants are bad news all round. Besides frightening diners, causing them to panic, and leaving a barrage of one-star reviews, cockroaches contaminate food with bacteria. When diners spot roaches, it immediately raises questions regarding the cleanliness of your restaurant premises.

Ultimately, pest control for restaurants helps business owners negate failed restaurant inspections, subsequent shutdowns, and a tarnished reputation to boot. Rest assured, a Terminix Canada restaurant exterminator will get to the root of any pest issues on your premises, fast. This way, your diners can say “yum” rather than “yuck”!

Avoid Serving Cockroach A La Carte

Put yourself in your diners’ shoes. After a long day at the office or working from home, all they crave are the pleasant aromas of a freshly barbecued steak, not a double serving of a musty, roachified stench!

Did you know that cockroach emissions produce pathogens that irritate asthma and sinus symptoms? Needless to say, patrons won’t be sending their compliments to the chef.

Take it from us. The first distinct, musty whiff of roach problems will lead to the authorities being notified. Health inspectors are not sympathetic to the plights of a roach-ridden restaurant either. Therefore, the onus is on you to seek pest control for restaurants at the very first sign of an infestation.

How To Remove Cockroach From Your Menu

Restaurants offer food, shelter, water, and humidity for cretinous cockroaches. So, if a roach finds your kitchen, it’s like their own Hakuna Matata-esque haven and they’ll have no worries for the rest of their days!

If you fear you have roaches, contacting a restaurant exterminator is always the way to go. However, these six cockroach prevention tips will help reduce the chance of roaches in restaurants.

Cleaning out clutter
Keeping everything dry
Emptying trash daily
Using trash cans with tightly sealed lids
Immediately cleaning food crumbs from any surface
Storing food in closed containers

Additional cockroach precautions you can take include sealing the molding surrounding doors and windows. Don’t forget inside cabinets and storage closets, around baseboards, and around backsplashes near sinks too. These are the most common entry passageways for cockroaches to infiltrate restaurants and kitchens. You can install protective mesh screens on drains too to barricade this additional entry point.

Kitchen Nightmares: Cockroach Edition

Did you know that back in June 2016, there was a report of a cockroach falling on a health inspector’s iPad in a South Florida restaurant? You can’t make that up!

With several repeat violations, both live and dead roaches were found throughout the less-than-hygienic restaurant’s kitchen. Okay, even we’re getting a bit queasy!

They discovered three cockroach egg casings in the kitchen hand wash sink, one live roach crawling on the dish rack of the drain tray and many, many more roaches contaminating kitchen pans and equipment.

While these are gross-you-out facts, they prove that a tiny roach problem can quickly escalate into a full-blown cockroach infestation if ignored.

blogTO’s Initiative

As an FYI to restaurant owners and customers alike, over in Toronto, blogTO, a source for local news and culture, provides weekly updates of local health inspections, provided by DineSafe.

Garnering recognition on this list would be a restaurant’s worst nightmare. Just like finding a roach in a burger is your customer’s worst nightmare.

The only way cockroaches could be any worse for your restaurant is if they blogged a bad review on Yelp!

Need Pest Control For Restaurants? Contact Terminix Canada Today.

Contacting Terminix Canada should be your priority number one at the first inkling of a cockroach in your restaurant. Our mains include tried-and-tested cockroach control and cockroach removal tactics, with generous sides including pest prevention services.

Backed by over 90 years of professional pest control experience, our team knows how to get rid of cockroaches for good. After all, we hear they’re lousy tippers! Visit our Branch Locator, find your nearest Terminix Canada branch, and give them a call today.

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Quit Making The Same DIY Pest Control Mistakes & Learn Proper Pest Control

Ants / February 14, 2022

If you’ve encountered a pest control problem in your home, it’s likely you’ll try and control the problem yourself using DIY pest control. Well, after you shake your fist and ask, “how could this happen to me?!” like you’re the main character in your own Shakespearean Tragedy.

We hate the be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes DIY pest control can cause more harm than good. Especially if you’re treating pest control as a one-size-fits-all solution.

To help you avoid falling at the first hurdle, we’ve gathered the most common mistakes. This way, you can learn from other’s errors and become a master of proper pest control.

Mistake #1: Squish And Move On

The litre of orange juice you drank earlier is wreaking havoc on your bladder. So, in a hurry you dash off to the basement bathroom. There, you encounter a handful of cockroaches casually strolling along the bathroom floor. Nature is urgently calling, so you quickly squish them and continue to take care of your own business. Once done, you wipe the roaches’ remains off the floor with a paper towel.

“Goodbye cockroaches!” you say smugly as you toss them in the garbage. However, if you thought that was going to be the last time you encountered roaches, you’re sadly mistaken.

Without finding the original source of cockroaches, spiders, ants, or any other household pest problem, you’re likely to have a new problem pop up in a couple days. Until you discover how those buggers got into your home in the first place, you’ll be dealing with a whole new group of creepy-crawlies on the bathroom floor tomorrow or the next day.

Once you’ve discovered how they entered your home, it’s important to seal any cracks, gaps or holes surrounding your windows, doors, seams, and foundation.

From there, it’s a good idea to spend some time researching the proper pest control methods for your pest. This could mean setting pest-specific traps, utilizing insecticide, or hiring a pest control company like Terminix Canada.

Mistake #2: One Trap Doesn’t Fit All

Just like bigger critters, each pest is unique. As much as you may hate them all equally, wants, needs and desires differ from pest to pest. You wouldn’t use honey to attract horses or a mouse trap to catch a dog, so why are you using the same traps for all pests?

Buying a generic trap for all pests is one of the most common mistakes made by homeowners. In order for your traps to be successful, and not just a waste of money, you’ll have to investigate exactly what kind of penny-sized monster you’re dealing with. This will allow you to successfully buy the necessary traps, insecticides, or other insect deterrents.

If you are unable to decipher what kind of pest is wreaking havoc in your home, now is a good time to put the traps down and pick up the phone. Consult with a local pest control company that can identify the pests that are plaguing you, and help you sort the problem out effectively and efficiently.

Mistake #3: Know Your Enemy

Even once you’ve determined exactly what pest has invaded your home, do you really know the best way to wage war? It’s important to truly understand who and what you’re up against.

Many homeowners place traps where their pest adversaries aren’t hanging out. For instance, you won’t find rodents in the middle of a room. Instead, you should be placing rodent traps along walls, behind the refrigerator, and in other dark corners.

Additionally, you may catch a few adult mice in a couple of days with your traps. However, odds are that there are still young mice lingering around. Therefore, it’s best to leave rodent traps out for a few weeks, so you can catch the remaining runts of the litter.

If you don’t get rid of the entire infestation, then they will simply multiply back to the levels they were at when you first discovered you had a problem. Two mice is all it takes to soon create a mischief of mice.

Mistake #4: Don’t Neglect Your Pet

We know you would never purposely neglect your pet. However, it can be easy to do when trying to remove an unknown infestation from your home. If you think you may have a flea, tick, or parasite infestation, you must also treat your pets for the potential problem.

If you leave your pet untreated, you risk causing them prolonged health problems. Additionally, you’ll never fully be rid of the infestation until your pet is pest-free. Your loveable fur-ball is the perfect vessel to smuggle pests into your home or provide them a safe shelter to continue to procreate in.

Mistake #5: Not Calling The Experts

Sometimes you’ll be tasked with a pest infestation too great to handle on your own. In these circumstances, it’s best to swallow your pride and call in the pros!

If you are looking for tried-and-tested pest control services in your home, contact Terminix Canada today for a free consultation. We can help you get to the root of your pest control problem and implement effective, efficient, and affordable pest control solutions.

Find your local Terminix Canada branch today, so you can stop waging a losing war against pests.

The Importance Of Pest Control In Pharmaceutical Plants

Cockroaches / January 17, 2022

If you are responsible for the operations of a production plant, then it’s crucial that you understand the importance of pest control. Furthermore, you must be on top of your pest control management in order to maintain the quality of your product and save the plant money.

An infestation could cost you a fortune in contaminated materials and impending pest control services. Additionally, it will also damage your brand’s reputation, as well as lead to a loss of orders, customer revenues, and trust. It is far more expensive to fix your reputation or your customer’s trust in your product than it is to keep your plant pest-free.

Why A Pest Infestation Is Detrimental For Your Company

Pests can affect your company in a plethora of ways. They can damage buildings, cause cross-contamination, infect your products, and more. The potential impacts include:

Losing trust from your customers, industry leaders or suppliers
Damage to your reputation and brand
Expensive batch recalls or damage to products
Production lines needing to be shut down, which leads to financial loss
You could be held legally liable for compensation if harm should come from your products due to pest infestation
Fines or legal action from regulatory bodies or public health authorities

The Importance Of Flying Insect Pest Control

While there is a huge variation in different flying insect pests, as well as what attracts them to infest your building in the first place or how they breed, they do still share many similar traits.

The biggest issue with flying insects is how they operate. They carry pathogenic microorganisms and move between contaminated food sources and clean areas. This means they can easily spread bacteria or filth on their bodies.

Flying insects actually present the greatest pest risk to production facilities. They capitalize on the various materials, environment, and potential breeding conditions within your facility.

Flying insects are attracted to:

Fermenting sugars
Oils
Carbohydrates
Decaying proteins
Vegetable matter

The above ingredients are frequently used in digestible medicines.

Flies that you need to watch out for in your production plant include:

The Importance Of Cockroach Pest Control

Different cockroaches prefer different environmental conditions to thrive.

The German cockroach prefers the wetter humid conditions usually found in equipment-dense production areas.

Whereas the larger American cockroach likes the warmer conditions. These conditions are found in drains, sewers, and waste storage areas.

Lastly, the tinier, brown-banded cockroach can only survive in heated buildings. They burrow around electric motors, light switches, and electrical appliances. They enjoy feeding on materials with high starch content.

Here is why you need to worry about a cockroach infestation at your production plant:

Cockroaches can carry disease-causing microorganisms such as Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli
Cockroaches eat mold, fecal matter in sewers, and animal carcasses. This can then be transmitted to your production area.
Cast skins and egg cases contaminate products and packaging
Droppings and shed skins contain allergens, which can trigger asthma attacks in densely populated areas in a production plant

The Importance Of Stored Product Insect Pest Control

Production plants often handle starches, sugars, or other natural herbal products used in food products. Unfortunately, beetles, weevils, moths, and mites often infest these ingredients.

They can easily enter paper, cardboard, plastic, cellophane, or foil packaging. The insects infiltrate through minuscule holes smaller than the human eye can even see.

If you notice any small beetles, moths, larvae, pupae, or silken webbing on your storage bins, you have an infestation. It’s also important that you are constantly on the lookout for holes, larvae, or webbing on the outside of packets or bags. You should also be inspecting beams and windowsills for the same signs.

The Importance Of Rodent Control

Mice and rats can easily enter buildings and other facilities through holes the width of a pencil. Even the most modern, tightly secured facilities can fall victim to rats and mice. Rodents breed extremely quickly, causing a wide range of damage to both products, materials and the building itself.

With 13 species of mice and four species of rats found in Canada, rodents cause property damage, spread disease, and constantly seek shelter in businesses.

The house mouse prefers to nest in dark, secluded areas where there is little chance of disturbance. Elsewhere, Norway rats prefer to burrow in the soil. Rodents are strong climbers, but did you know that rats are also strong swimmers?

Boasting a thirst for destruction, rodents use their continuously growing incisors to bite through cables and wiring in homes and businesses, and their claws to feed and dig with relative ease.

The Importance Of Pest Control To Protect Your Reputation

It is crucial that production facilities maintain extremely high standards of pest control and pest prevention. Contamination will not just spoil your products, but it will cost your business big time in the short and long-term.

Don’t wait until a pest infestation ruins your product. Implement consistent pest control measures instead. The importance of pest control in your production facility cannot be overstated. It’s important that your entire team working on the floor know what to look out for and how to react if they spot an infestation.

Terminix Canada offers commercial pest control services to protect your production plant. We offer both one-time services, as well as annual memberships, so we can quickly react and help you solve your pest problem as soon as it arises.

Do Cockroaches Die In Winter?

Cockroaches / January 03, 2022

For the insectophobes among us, the question remains: do cockroaches die in winter? When freezing temperatures come around, Canadian homeowners often feel relief from the onslaught of flies, bees and mosquitoes endured during the warmer months.

When technically answering “do cockroaches die in winter”, direct exposure to frigid weather does kill them. However, these nasty buggers have made escaping the cold an art form. Cockroaches achieve this by seeking refuge in our homes.

Cockroach Infestation Signs And Causes

Cockroach infestations in Canada tend to occur when roaches hitchhike their way indoors. Carried indoors on products and belongings, it’s no wonder that cockroaches want to avoid the great outdoors. When temperatures reach -10°C, any cockroaches that remain outdoors begin to die. In other words, it’s a life-or-death situation living rent-free.

Fundamentally tropical insects, cockroaches enter our dwellings at this time of year not only seeking shelter but humidity and food too. This is all part of the reason why cockroaches tend to set up shop in our kitchens and bathrooms.

It only takes food dirt on kitchen countertops, dirty dishes in the sink, or food crumbs lying on the floor to attract cockroaches. Nocturnal pests too, their evasive nature means that cockroach infestations may not reveal themselves until you’ve got a full-blown problem.

Where Do Cockroaches Hide In Homes During Winter?

Masters of subterfuge, there are many tell-tale cockroach hiding places throughout our homes, including but not limited to:

Cabinets

Unfortunately, wooden cabinet doors are no match for inquisitive cockroaches. Roaches can sniff out the tiniest food crumbs and can use their slender bodies to infiltrate gaps in your cabinets.

Appliances

Pooping where you eat, this is homeowners’ worst fear. Stoves, heaters, microwaves, coffee machines and toasters are all cockroach hotspots. It’s your duty to clean these appliances regularly to deter these pesky intruders.

Pipes

Cockroaches use pipe networks in homes to travel from one part of properties to another. A dark and moist harbourage area providing roaches the perfect environment they need to thrive; you should always check your pipework for leaks.

The ceiling

Believe it or not, cockroaches hide on ceilings too! Laughing in the face of gravity, you can seal cracks and holes in your ceiling to prevent roaches from burrowing deeper into your property.

The trim and moulding

Thought the cracks in your trim and crown moulding were too thin for roaches to breach? Think again! Cockroaches are more than adept at squishing themselves into the tightest of places just like this.

Electronics

Who isn’t a multitasker nowadays? If you work from home and eat lunch by your laptop on your desk, remember that any beverage spills or crumbs will attract roaches into your home office.

Furniture

We all enjoy eating snacks and refreshing ourselves with drinks on the sofa or couch. During your next Netflix binge in hibernation season, bear in mind that any rogue popcorn or chip crumbs will attract pesky roaches.

Ultimately, cockroaches will get comfortable anywhere that’s nearby a water source.

Notoriously difficult to dislodge once they make themselves at home, the best way to prevent a cockroach infestation is by keeping your residence clean. By making sure you don’t leave out discarded food items, partially washed dishes, or other food residue, you stand a better chance of eliminating roaches.

How Do I Get Rid Of Cockroaches?

Sure, cockroaches can’t survive Canada’s extreme winter weather. However, you’ll want more of an effective cockroach removal strategy than simply leaving your windows open during a snowstorm!

In short, effective cockroach control involves diligent sanitation to eliminate excess food, water, and harbourage areas. You can use gel baits and dust as effective means of cockroach control. If you’ve been recommended glue traps before, these are helpful but are seen more as monitoring devices than a cockroach control tactic.

If you have a vacuum cleaner handy, use it to vacuum cockroaches’ harbourage areas. By destroying cockroach eggs, you’re effectively neutralizing the cockroach populations living within your house.

We won’t lie to you. Cockroaches lay their eggs aggressively and persistent cockroach treatment is required to effectively solve the problem. That’s why you need to call a professional cockroach exterminator like Terminix Canada.

Leave Professional Cockroach Extermination To The Terminix Canada Team

Now you know the answer to “do cockroaches die in winter”, do something about your roach infestation with Terminix Canada. Our cockroach pest control strategies kill cockroaches quickly with minimal disruption to your home. Roaches have learned how to breach homes in winter, but they won’t breach our team.

Backed by over 90 years of professional pest control experience, our cockroach control and cockroach removal teams have ended thousands of cockroach infestations from Halifax to Vancouver. To learn more about how we get rid of cockroaches, call us today.

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Why Do I Have Cockroaches In Summer? Terminix’s Best Cockroach Prevention Tips

Cockroaches / August 03, 2021

Why do I have cockroaches in summer? If you’re asking yourself this question, you’re not the first and you certainly won’t be the last Canadian homeowner to do so. A nuisance pest year-round, you have to be particularly vigilant about cockroach prevention in the summer. After all, summer’s hot and humid temperatures provide optimal conditions for cockroach mating.

Cockroaches are constantly seeking out warmth, moisture and food. This means they will be inevitably attracted to your kitchen, especially if you leave food exposed.

It’s important to remember that cockroaches are nocturnal. In short, a cockroach infestation can flourish without you recognizing the severity until it’s too late for cockroach prevention methods. These wily little buggers tend to find cracks and crevices to breed in. You’ll be unsurprised to hear that these areas include places beneath refrigerators, stoves, and other kitchegn appliances, among other hiding spots discussed later in this blog.

How Do Cockroaches Get Inside?

How cockroaches breach your property’s perimeter depends on the species. Some cockroach species may hitch a ride into your home after your latest shopping spree. For example, they may get transported inside via bags of pet food or in food or beverage containers. Other species breach your home through small cracks and openings in your home’s foundation, or through drain pipes.

Because cockroaches hail from tropical climates, their first hiding spots of choice are places that are typically warm and humid. In other words, kitchens and bathrooms are prime real estate for these rent-free invaders. Don’t forget, cockroaches won’t confine themselves to these areas either. Happy roaming from room to room, these irritating pests wind up in multiple locations throughout your home.

Signs Of A Cockroach Infestation

When approaching summer cockroach prevention, the first step is keeping an eye out for cockroach warning signs. While cockroaches shy away from light, they do lay eggs en masse. Did you know that female cockroaches lay between 30 and 40 eggs in their lifetime? Each egg casing, called an ootheca, can contain anywhere between 10 to 60 nymphs. When you discover an egg cluster while vacuuming, this is a tell-tale sign of a cockroach infestation.

Elsewhere, deploying and regularly checking glue traps is also a useful way to keep track of a cockroach infestation’s size. When questioning “why do I have cockroaches in summer?” always remember that your best bet to get rid of cockroaches is hiring a professional Terminix Canada cockroach exterminator.

Best Places In Your Home To Look For Cockroaches

Ultimately, proper cockroach removal and cockroach prevention isn’t something that can be taken lightly. This is true especially during Canadian summertime. This means being extra careful about leaving food out, cleaning up crumbs and residue, and thoroughly cleaning kitchens and bathrooms. To help you get started, here is a list of common cockroach hiding places that you can inspect or vacuum after reading this blog.

Kitchen cabinets and drawers
Inside and underneath kitchen appliances
Sinks, drains, and pipes
Trash cans
Bathtubs, showers, sinks, and toilets
Behind and under tiles
Inside and underneath furniture
Behind or under baseboards and moulding
Inside vents and outlets
Closets and storage areas
Inside electronics
Basements and attics

Remember, cockroaches are often attracted to rich and moist soil like the kind found in flowerbeds, mulch, and other landscaped areas in your front and backyard. If you’re an avid gardener, you have to be particularly vigilant while tending to your plants and making sure you don’t leave any door screens ajar.

Removing Cockroaches Is What We Do Best. Leave Cockroach Control To Terminix Canada

If, despite your best efforts, you experience another cockroach infestation this summer, turn to Terminix Canada. Hiring a professional cockroach exterminator is the best way to get rid of cockroaches. It also means gaining access to over 90 years of pest control experience. They’ll tend to your cockroach infestation quickly and easily. You no longer have to stress over the question “why do I have cockroaches in summer?” You now have the answer and know exactly what to do to liberate your property from these disgusting crawling pests.

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7 Of The Best Hiding Spots For Cockroaches – How To Spot Cockroaches In Your Home

Cockroaches / March 22, 2021

If you’ve ever wondered ‘where do cockroaches hide?’ we don’t blame you. A nocturnal species, cockroaches are one of the most evasive, irritating pests of all! Ultimately, these six-legged nuisances love playing hide-and-seek. If you’ve unwillingly taken part in cockroach fun and games, you’ve likely discovered a gross bug, found a nearby shoe to swat it, and then experienced the sheer terror of the roach disappearing altogether.

Small, fast and agile insects, cockroaches can effortlessly squeeze themselves into ridiculously tight places. In short, they actually enjoy the squeeze. It’s like a free massage at the spa each day. Oh, to be a roach… not quite! With speedy cockroaches usually having the upper hand in hide-and-seek, Terminix Canada is here to help you level the playing field. This blog will not only answer the question ‘where do cockroaches hide?’ but it will provide a list of everyday measures you can take to keep disgusting roaches out for good.

Hiding Spot #1 – Your Cabinets

Unfortunately, simple wooden cabinet doors are no match for conniving, sneaky cockroaches. Roaches are capable of sniffing out the teeny tiniest of food crumbs and they’ll adventure across your dinner plates to get there. Carrying bacteria directly into food-dense areas like your kitchen countertop, the sheer thought of this is enough to make you vomit. Simple preventative methods of cockroach control include regularly cleaning out your cabinets and keeping food in sealed airtight containers.

Hiding Spot #2 – Your Appliances

Besides carrying bacteria into food-dense areas, cockroaches literally poop where you eat! Everyday comforts like our stoves, heaters, microwaves, coffee machines and toasters are all hotspots for a cockroach infestation. Not simply providing comfort and a place to hide out, this is where food debris and spilled sauces reside too. This is where roaches hit the jackpot. It really is a win-win for their survival. By cleaning these appliances as a part of your daily routine, this DIY method of cockroach removal can help.

Hiding Spot #3 – Pipes

Remember the infamous basilisk that travelled around Hogwarts castle’s pipes in the Harry Potter movies? Much like this, cockroaches often use pipes to travel to different rooms and parts of your property. Ultimately, pipes provide cockroaches plenty of rest stops. Roaches thrive in dark and moist places where mold can grow into delicious cockroach cuisine. By inspecting your home for leaks and ensuring your pipes are properly insulated, you are taking a good form of preventative cockroach control.

Hiding Spot #4 – The Ceiling

Thought that was the end of answering the question ‘where do cockroaches hide?’ We’re not done yet. Did you know cockroaches hide on ceilings too? These pests are so stubborn that they don’t even care about gravity! Like action movie stars who hide star-fished on the ceiling, roaches seem to know that we rarely look up. Cockroaches will happily chill in the corner of a room and then laugh at you as they scuttle away as soon as you turn the lights on. Another form of DIY roach control includes sealing even the littlest cracks and holes in your ceiling.

Hiding Spot #5 – The Trim and Moulding

At the outset, we discussed how cockroaches get off on squishing themselves into the tightest places. In short, there’s no place as tight as the cracks in your trim and crown moulding. Cockroaches use these cavities as tunnels to infiltrate your walls. We don’t blame you for thinking this is where roaches gather to collectively cheer and celebrate at shaking you off their tail! Cockroach removal in this situation involves sealing up every crack where trim and moulding come together with walls and floors.

Hiding Spot #6 – Your Electronics

Have you ever laughed at someone for being fussy about keeping their phone, computer keyboard, or gaming console incessantly clean? Well don’t! Ultimately, if you eat while using your electronics and leave any crumbs or spills, cockroaches will use this opportunity to scare you while you’re having a good time. No matter how much you enjoy multitasking, avoid eating while using your electronics and keep them clean.

Hiding Spot #7 – Your Furniture

There’s no place like an armchair or couch for a cockroach cuddle. Sure, us Canadians are used to hibernation season indoors. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant we’ve all spent more time home than ever before. Unfortunately, our indoor behaviours can affect the likelihood of a cockroach infestation.

These critters jump at the opportunity to feast on the popcorn or chip crumbs you’ve enjoyed alongside your weeknight Netflix binge. Ultimately, dark corners and crevices in your home make a lovely space for cockroaches to start a family. Besides your current furniture, if you’re buying used furniture online; remember to check it for eggs first. Vacuuming any furniture on a regular basis will help deter cockroaches since food dust and dirt will be minimized.

Now That You Know The Answer To ‘Where Do Cockroaches Hide?’, Take Action Right Now

While the simple preventative cockroach control measures discussed in this blog will help deter the pest, you still need Terminix Canada. In short, cockroaches lay eggs aggressively. The best way to get rid of cockroaches is persistent treatment from the professionals. Terminix Canada has helped homeowners get rid of cockroaches for over 90 years. We succeed where many fail with their ineffective, DIY cockroach killers.

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