Why are roaches so hard to get rid of

The Types Of Cockroaches That Invade San Diego County Homes

Do you know that all of the cockroaches that get into San Diego County homes are not the same? They behave differently. We could write pages on this topic but, for the sake of brevity, here are some quick cockroach facts that will help you control the types of cockroaches we have in our area.

American Cockroaches: You know what American cockroaches are. These pests are famous—or should we say infamous? Often referred to as palmetto bugs, American roaches prefer to explore areas that are humid or damp. Moisture control helps to naturally control this species.

Oriental Cockroaches: Have you seen black roaches around or inside your home? These are common roaches in San Diego County. The good news is that they don't generally stay inside structures. They go in and out. The primary reason is that they breed inside rotting gelatinous organic material in dumpsters, trash barrels, trash piles, etc. The materials they seek for breeding smell horrible, and you wouldn't tolerate them in your home for long. You should not tolerate them in your yard either. Sanitation can make your property resistant to Oriental cockroaches. 

German Cockroaches: These are the worst of all roaches. German cockroaches are highly adapted to living in structures. When these roaches get into your home, there is little you can do to stop them. They're not driven out by moisture control or sanitation.  

Wood Cockroaches: The cockroaches we've listed so far are rarely seen until roach populations in a home are high. Wood cockroaches are commonly seen. It is the primary reason people want to get rid of them. These roaches are not nocturnal light haters, like their cousins. They don't mind coming out into the light, which makes them super annoying.    

When you find roaches in your home, how concerned should you be? If they're wood roaches, you don't have to worry too much. They aren't as dirty as other roaches and prefer the outdoors. The other three, along with several other general pest roaches in our area, are a health concern. 

Why Can't I Get Rid Of Cockroaches In My Home?

The behavior patterns of cockroaches don't just help them get inside and make them a health threat to human health, they also help roaches avoid treatments. While certainly gross, cockroaches are amazing insects. When they get into your home, you can throw everything at them but the kitchen sink and still have a cockroach infestation. Here's why.

• Cockroaches are robust insects. They can survive exposure to harsh materials. When a cockroach nymph survives an encounter with a product that was meant to exterminate it, it can shed its skin and create a new skin that provides even more protection. The alteration is on a genetic level. What does that mean? The offspring of that cockroaches will have some immunity to the material as well. So, it shouldn't surprise you when cockroach control products fail to control roaches. We've thrown a lot of products at these pests over the last century and in some ways made them stronger.
• Cockroaches work together to avoid treated areas. If you put a product down to exterminate roaches, you'll get a few. But that is about it. The other roaches are going to learn from the mistakes of the few.
• Cockroaches learn to avoid dangerous food. When you select incorrect baits or misapply them, you could make the roaches in your home bait averse, making them even harder to control.
• Cockroaches can develop a genetic bait aversion. What happens is their taste receptors no longer detect the bait as favorable. Some populations of German cockroaches are born with bait aversion, which is another reason why they're the worst.

Are you impressed yet? You should be. Cockroaches are formidable opponents. You can't just put down some bait or place a few traps and call it a day. In fact, cockroach control is less about the products used and more about the strategy. Licensed pest professionals use field-tested methods and trusted protocols to combat the protective behavior patterns of pest roaches.    

Effective & Safe Cockroach Control

When you contact HomeShield Pest Control for a cockroach treatment, or for ongoing exterior pest management to keep roaches out of your San Diego County home, you benefit from our extensive knowledge and experience which work to counteract the behavior patterns of roaches.

• We identify your cockroach pests so that we can select appropriate products and apply an effective strategy that is known to work on the specific cockroaches that are infesting your home.
• We evaluate conducive conditions and report our findings to you. When you take steps to address sanitation, moisture problems, hiding places, and potential entry points, you make it much easier to keep roaches out of your home.
• The materials we use impact cockroach development to arrest activity. All products are applied according to strict safety guidelines. When harsher materials are needed, you can know for sure that we will take appropriate measures to guard your family, pets, and untargeted critters. 
• We apply many all-natural prevention products in our multi-pronged cockroaches strategies. For example, sticky traps are often used to track cockroach activity, populations, and the routes these insects are using to get inside. We get this valuable information without using any control materials. Another example is exclusion work. Sealing a hole or gap that roaches are using to get into your home is a simple, natural, and long-lasting solution.
• German cockroaches sometimes require strong methods to arrest activity. Multiple products may be required. We perform German cockroach clean-outs according to industry best practices.
• We evaluate the effectiveness of your treatment program and let you know when your home is roach-free. That means, once you get the all-clear, you don't have to wonder if the roaches are gone. You can rest easy.

It isn't easy to control cockroaches in San Diego County, but it is easy to drop us a line here at HomeShield Pest Control and have one of our technicians come over and solve your cockroach control problem. We provide you with the knowledge, support, and services needed to get complete control of roaches in your home, and we can put in place a plan to apply ongoing treatments around your home to prevent future infestations. If you'd like to learn more or schedule a service visit, contact us today. We'd love to hear from you, and we'd love the opportunity to guide you toward the right solution for you.