What’s Scarier: Halloween or Cockroaches?

Spooky season is creeping around the corner!

Slowly but surely, leaves are changing colors, temperatures are dropping ever so slightly, and your favorite horror films are back on T.V.  It’s the perfect time to grab your Halloween decor from the attic. 

After unpacking a few boxes full of fall decorations, you come across the bright orange plastic jack-o-lantern that graces your front porch stoop every year. It has always had a menacing smile, but you never noticed the large bug that seemed to crawl out of its mouth. As you get a better look, you realize that it isn’t a plastic cockroach—and there’s way more than one!

Why do cockroaches come into your home during fall and winter?

Although cockroaches can survive in extremely cold weather, they prefer to live in warmer environments. They would even prefer if you set your thermostat to at least 70ºF or higher, as this is the ideal temperature for an American Cockroach. 

The reason they nest in homes is to avoid going into a state of hibernation, where their growth stops and their metabolism slows down during the winter. It is also easier for them to get the resources they need in your home, because in the fall and winter months, all of their food sources are diminished. Your house is the perfect place to get warm and cozy with an abundant supply of food and water.

Where are cockroaches located in your home?

Cockroaches like to hide in dark, tight spaces and tend to avoid the daylight. Common places you can find cockroaches in your home will be:

• Appliances – These produce heat and moisture, both of which cockroaches love.

• Pipes – Pipes are extremely dark and damp, which creates a perfect home for the pest.

• Furniture – The inside of your couch is a great place for a momma roach to lay her eggs.

• Cabinets – Cockroaches love to get in cabinets and feast on your food. 

• Trashcans – This is a great place for roaches to find food and hide in the dark.

What can you do to prevent an infestation?

Before calling a pest control company in Indianapolis, IN, try these simple tricks to keep your home cockroach free. 

• Keep your kitchen clean – Crumbs, spills, and other messes attract cockroaches. They are able to live on the grease buildup on your stovetop. It is important to take the time to tidy up your kitchen and clean up any food waste left behind. 

• Store food in sealed containers – By storing your food in sealed containers, you are eliminating any possibility of cockroaches sniffing out your favorite snacks and crawling in the cabinets to eat them. They are small enough to fit in the cardboard containers the food is packaged in. 

• Do not leave dirty dishes out overnight – Cockroaches can crawl up through the pipes and feast on the food debris left on dirty dishes.

• Wash and put away pet food bowls every night – Pet food bowls are also a source of food and water for cockroaches, so you do not want to leave them out in the open. 

• Use a trashcan with a tight-fitting lid or take the trash out every night  – If your trash is easily accessible to roaches, they may find a new nest for themselves. 

• Vacuum and sweep floors on a regular basis – This helps clean up food debris and can pick up any possible cockroach pheromones that attract other cockroaches to your home. 

• Clean the inside of your refrigerator, microwave, and toaster on a regular basis – The leftover crumbs and food debris stuck in the tiniest of spaces in these appliances serve as a roach’s next meal. 

How can AAA Exterminating help you get rid of roaches?

Even after taking precautionary measures, a cockroach may still find its way into your home. Within days, one can multiply rapidly and completely disrupt your home. It is important to come up with a plan to stop the infestation quickly, and that is where AAA Exterminating, a pest control company in Indianapolis, IN, can help! We understand that cockroach extermination is no easy task, and we take your safety very seriously. We guarantee safe, tested products when it comes to your home. Don’t hesitate to call AAA Exterminating for your pest control problems this fall!