What Are American Cockroaches?

Nothing is worse than discovering a cockroach scurrying across a surface in your home. One of the most common species of cockroaches invading our Dallas homes and businesses is the American cockroach.

American cockroaches are the largest home-invading cockroach living in the United States. Adults grow to between one and two inches in length.

This species of roach is not only identified by its large size but also by its unique color pattern. Flat and oval in shape, the American cockroach is reddish-brown with a pale yellow marking on the edge of the pronotum (located right behind the head).

Fully developed wings give American cockroaches the ability to fly short distances. However, like most species of roaches, American cockroaches prefer to move from place to place using their six spiny covered legs.

American Cockroach Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are American cockroaches dangerous?

American cockroaches pose dangers to both people and our property.

• Cockroaches spread disease, bacteria, and parasites to food and surfaces. Before making their way into your home, American cockroaches were traveling through sewers, drains, garbage piles, and in other less than sanitary areas.
• As young cockroaches develop into adults, they shed their skins. Shed skins and feces trigger allergies and asthma attacks in many people.
• American cockroaches produce foul-smelling secretions which affect the flavor of food stored in areas where they are living.
• When inside your home American cockroaches chew on and stain with excrement personal belongings, walls, and fabric items.

Why do I have an American cockroach problem?

Any property that provides access to water and humid living conditions is attractive to American cockroaches. In addition to moisture, easy access to sources of food is a big draw for American cockroaches.

American cockroaches feed on most of the same food we do which is why our trash cans, outdoor eating areas, and kitchens are so tempting to these scavengers.

Preferring temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees, American cockroaches move inside if the outside environment becomes too hot, dry, or cold. These roaches also often move inside while searching for food or hitchhike inside on our belongings.

Common entry points for American cockroaches include:

• Spaces under doors or around windows
• Damaged screens
• Open basement or garage doors
• Drains
• Inside boxes, used appliances, or on potted plants

Where will I find American cockroaches?

Another common name for the American cockroach is “palmetto bug.” This is because when living outside they like to live on or near palmetto trees. Palmetto trees are native to the Dallas area.

Some of the American cockroaches’ other favorite outdoor habitats include damp soil, under shrubs, garden areas, under mulch, and in and around sewers or drains.

If American cockroaches move inside to seek food or shelter they typically migrate to the areas of a home that are normally humid- kitchens, basements, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.

How do I get rid of American cockroaches?

Locally owned and family-operated, All-Safe Pest & Termite is the best choice to get rid of American cockroaches from your home or business. American cockroaches breed quickly and invade multiple areas of a home, making them difficult to control.

Our residential or commercial pest control programs offer the affordable and hassle-free services needed to maintain pest-free properties. Trust our professionals and our modern pest control services to rid your Dallas property of dangerous, disease-spreading American cockroaches.

Discover why your Dallas neighbors choose All-Safe Pest & Termite for their pest control needs. Give us a call today!

How can I prevent American cockroaches in the future?

Prevent problems with American cockroaches by partnering with All-Safe Pest & Termite and by implementing the following prevention tips:

• Cover drains leading into your home with a tight-fitting screen.
• Place screens in windows and doors, make sure the screens are secure and free of holes.
• Install door sweeps on all exterior doors to remove gaps that cockroaches can move through.
• It is also important to inspect your home’s foundation and exterior walls sealing any spaces and gaps discovered.
• If your home has a garage or basement, keep the doors to these rooms closed when not in use.
• Get rid of excess moisture around the perimeter of your home by creating a crushed rock barrier between any soil or mulch and your home’s foundation.
• Remove trash from your home daily. Place in outdoor trash cans with locking lids until it is trash pick-up day.
• Vacuum floors and wash dishes daily to eliminate the American cockroach’s easy access to food.
• Reduce humidity levels in your home by repairing leaky pipes and using dehumidifiers and ventilating fans.