Do you know that it is more likely that you’ll see signs of a cockroach infestation before you see a roach? Yup. Most roaches don’t like to be seen. They stay mostly hidden from view, even at night. If you see a cockroach in your home, you likely have thousands of them. But, with this quick list of six signs, you could detect cockroaches before you see them—and before you have thousands of them.
Sign #1: Droppings
The first but somewhat difficult way to tell that you have a roach infestation is to pull your oven out of its place and look under, behind, and on the sides. If you see tiny black specks, you likely have a cockroach infestation. There is an easier way to find droppings, but it isn’t nearly as reliable as looking in tight spaces, dark voids, or undisturbed areas of your home. You could look:
- In the backs of your kitchen drawers
- Behind food packages on your pantry shelves
- In the cabinets under your kitchen and bathroom sinks
- In the voids above drop-down ceilings
- In your boiler room
Sign #2: Holes In Cardboard, Clothing, And Food Packaging
Cockroaches chew holes in many things. If they get into your food cabinets, you may find holes chewed in your cardboard and paper food packages. They may chew on wallpaper. They may chew holes in clothing. They might nibble on documents or books. If you’re finding holes, you could have a roach problem. Of course, it could also be silverfish, clothing moths, carpet beetles, or something else.
Sign #3: Shed Skins
As a cockroach grows, it sheds its skin several times. These shed skins can be found in tight, compressed spaces and in dark, humid voids. If you have a cluttered attic, this is a good place to look for shed skins. Be sure to look inside stored furniture if you can. This is a common hiding place for roaches. You can also find them in the places we’ve already mentioned above.
Sigh #4: Egg Casings
The egg case of a cockroach, known as the ootheca, looks like a little brownish-red or orangish-red coin purse. You may find these cases intact or as a husk in the hidden places of your home.
Sign #5: Seeing A Cockroach
When you do an inspection, you might see a roach. It is important to be aware of what a cockroach looks like in all stages of development. Fortunately, cockroaches make it a little easier than many other pests, like carpet beetles, which start as grubs and later become beetles or flies that start as maggots and later become flies. Cockroaches start as nymphs. Nymphs have six legs, two antennae, and three body parts. The distinctions are that they are small, wingless, and may have slightly different coloration.
Sign #6: An Unpleasant Odor
Cockroaches excrete stinky chemicals called pheromones. If you have roaches in your Orange County home, you could smell them. While this can alert you to cockroaches before seeing them, it is not an early warning sign.
Let The Professionals At Admiral County Pest Control Solve Your Cockroach Problem
If you suspect that your Orange County home has cockroaches in it, or you’d like to have a pest professional inspect your home for cockroaches, reach out to Admiral Pest Control. We use the same industry-leading pest control methods and products to protect commercial structures and residences. Let our team help you get control of your cockroach infestation and guard your property against damage (and your family from the health threats roaches present). Reach out to us today for assistance.
