There are few things worse as a homeowner than spotting the first cockroach in your home. When you start to believe that your house may have a cockroach infestation, call Magic Pest immediately. Roaches have become such widespread pests because they thrive on very little. Cockroaches require three things: water, food and warm shelter. Roaches have survived off of these bare essentials for at least 320 million years.

When roaches are searching for a new place to live, they can check out your place by crawling through tiny gaps around doors, pipes and other open spaces. Contrary to popular belief, keeping a clean home won’t prevent you from getting a cockroach infestation. Instead, roaches that invade homes seek out warmth, moisture and darkness. Food sitting out is just a bonus.

Cockroaches enter buildings in infested boxes, grocery bags, beverage cartons, furniture and dried pet foods. They also enter around loose-fitting doors and windows, where electrical lines or water and steam pipes pass through walls, and through sewer lines.

Most cockroaches are nocturnal and appear during daylight only when disturbed or where there is a heavy infestation. They prefer warm, dark, and humid environments, which explains why they are often spotted around the kitchen sink. They can rest inside cupboards and cabinets, in pipes or electrical wiring, or behind window or door frames. It is important to know where cockroaches are hiding in your home because these are the locations that must be cleaned and treated.

Cockroaches feed on a variety of plant and animal products, including meat and grease, starchy foods, sweets, baked goods and other unprotected kitchen goods. They also feed on materials such as leather, wallpaper paste and book binding and sizing, so it is essentially impossible to deprive them of food.

Cockroaches rank high on the homeowner’s list of pest problems. Cockroaches contaminate food with excrement and other secretions, and they may leave an unpleasant odor. Cockroaches can also carry diseases, endangering your family and particularly small children. If you are experiencing a cockroach infestation, call Magic Pest today.