Cockroaches

Types of Cockroaches In San Francisco

Despite there being more than 4,000 species of cockroaches in the works, only 30 are going to live in human dwellings. In San Francisco, roughly five species fit into the pest category. If you have cockroaches in your home, you need to find out which species you’re dealing with immediately. You won’t be able to fix this problem until you’ve figured out the species and have hired a high-quality exterminator. Some species aren’t classified as pests, so they’re not going to live or reproduce in your dwelling. Only a few species are pests.

Once you’ve learned more about the species of cockroaches in your home, you’ll know why they’re there, how to get rid of them, and how to keep them away.

Common Species Of Cockroaches In San Francisco

Which cockroach species are common in San Francisco? Below, you’ll find comprehensive overviews of the most common cockroach species in San Francisco.

German Cockroaches

In all likelihood, German cockroaches are the most troubling. Once they’ve entered your home, you’re going to have big problems to deal with. You need to work diligently to remove the pests from your home because they’re not going to leave on their own. The German cockroach can grow a little over half an inch with some reaching 5/8s of an inch. You can spot German cockroaches because they have racing stripes running down the back of their heads. German cockroaches breed prolifically, so the infestation is going to worsen very quickly.

American Cockroaches

Although American cockroaches are bad, an American cockroach infestation isn’t as bad as a German cockroach infestation. The primary problem with American cockroaches is that the pest can grow up to two inches in length. These cockroaches live a long time with some maturing in two years before living another year or so. They tend to stick around areas with broken sewer lines and usually do not infest homes. If you’ve found American cockroaches around your home, you need to check your sewer lines.

There are other cockroach species you need to worry about. You also need to learn more about brown-banded, Oriental, Smokey brown, and Surinam cockroaches.

Pennsylvania Wood Cockroaches

Although they’re called Pennsylvania wood cockroaches, there is a chance that this pest is going to travel to San Francisco. The Pennsylvania wood cockroach tends to be smaller than many others with few growing up to 1 inch. Although they may sneak into your home, they will not reproduce inside. In some regions, they’re very common. Just remember that they’re primarily attracted to wood shingles, wood siding, and blocked gutters. If you have Pennsylvania wood cockroaches at home, it is a good idea to clean your gutters.

Spotted Mediterranean Cockroaches

These small roaches rarely grow up to one-third of an inch with dark speckles. They recently traveled from Europe and invaded the United States. Since this happened, the Spotted Mediterranean cockroach has quickly spread across the country. There is a good chance that you’ll find this small cockroach outside of your San Francisco home. If you learn your lights on, they might fly toward them. In addition to this, they are usually found in foliage.

Oriental Cockroaches

Oriental cockroaches are larger than other species since they can grow over an inch in length. They’re dark brown or black, and females never grow wings. Male Oriental cockroaches develop wings that cover three-quarters of their bodies. Although they’re similar to American cockroaches, Oriental roaches are cold-hardy, so they prefer staying outside during cold weather. If they enter your property, you’ll find them near your trashcans. They can also enter sewer systems and dilapidated buildings.

Smokey Brown Cockroaches

These cockroaches expand over an inch in length, and they’re reddish-brown. Although it is primarily found in the southern portion of the United States, this cockroach can travel to San Francisco. They can hitch a ride on a shipping container, so they may invade your home. They have full wings.

Surinam Cockroaches

Surinam cockroaches have light tan wings and reach three-quarters of an inch in length. They have a dark plate near their head. Although these cockroaches won’t be found in cold climates, they can be found in San Francisco. Nevertheless, they’re less common than many other cockroach species. If you find them in your city, they’ll likely be hiding in your greenhouse or atrium. There are no male Surinam cockroaches. They’re all female and they still manage to reproduce prolifically.

Brown-Banded Cockroaches

These cockroaches are small and have a dark brown mark near their head. They do not have racing stripes, so they shouldn’t be mistaken for German cockroaches. Although these cockroaches can be found in your area, they aren’t common. You likely won’t encounter them.

Reasons You Have Cockroaches

Why have cockroaches decided to enter your San Francisco dwelling? Well, the reasons are plentiful. When it comes down to it, cockroaches try to enter homes that offer what they need. Your house might have leftovers, crumbs, water, and suitable shelter. If so, there is a good chance that cockroaches will invade and hide in your home. However, not all species are attracted to cockroaches. Some prefer staying close to broken sewer pipes.

Dangers Associated With Cockroach Infestations

Unfortunately, cockroaches are incredibly dangerous. They don’t bite or attack humans or pets, but they create other issues for homeowners. Cockroaches may carry several dangerous diseases. Then, they can contaminate your food and water sources. If this happens, you may eat the contaminated food and you could get sick. You can’t let this happen. Once cockroaches have entered your home, you need to get rid of them as quickly as possible. If they’ve crawled through your food, you’ll want to replace it immediately. Clean your home and toss out the contaminated food to avoid developing salmonella.

Another thing to remember is that cockroaches can make it harder for asthmatics to breathe. Contact us and we’ll do our best to eliminate your cockroach infestation rapidly.

Removing Cockroaches From A San Francisco Home

Cockroach infestations can be devastating, so you cannot sit around and wait. When you’ve discovered a problem, acting immediately is recommended. How should you fix the problem? What can you do to take care of the cockroach infestation in your home? Well, you’ll want to start by calling us. Our company uses the latest tools, methods, and technologies to eliminate cockroaches. You may think about using DIY methods to deal with the problem. Unfortunately, DIY methods are not a good idea because they could be unsafe.

Cockroaches are difficult to deal with. When you’re ready to fix the problem, rely on the professionals. Call us.

What Is The Best Pest Control Method For Cockroach Infestations?

Contrary to belief, cockroaches do not target homes specifically because they are dirty or messy. In fact, this insect species do not discriminate. Every house, commercial establishment, especially restaurants and grocery stores, public facilities, and government entities are under constant threat of a cockroach infestation.

Cockroaches are nocturnal insects, meaning they rest during the day and feed at night when the household members are asleep. This behavior is why cockroaches are permitted to go undetected for several weeks or months before they are discovered by one or more of the household members.

Our professional-grade pest management supports cockroach infestations of all severity levels, which is unlike over-the-counter pesticides.

When Will The San Francisco Exterminator Be Available For My Pest Inspection?

This is up to you and your family. We will work with your schedule to ensure convenience on all levels. Each visit will be pre-scheduled to suit your needs and preferences. We can also perform the inspection while you and your family are away at school or work.

We can generally process a cockroach inspection request within 24 to 48 hours. Once your request is processed, we will contact you to set up an appointment at your earliest convenience.

Will My Children And Pets Be Exposed To Toxic Chemicals During The Treatment Process?

No, we take extra precautions to ensure this never happens. One precaution is to have the home evacuated before and after each treatment. This is just one way we protect our clients and their pets and family from pesticide exposure.

Another way we protect our community and environment is by only utilizing pest control products that are approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When manufacturers take the extra steps to see EPA approval, it shows consumers they mean to protect the environment from exposure to chemicals found in some pesticide and insecticide formulas.

What Is The Best Pest Management Cockroach Prevention?

We always recommend our professional-grade cockroach prevention because it combines routine visual inspections with a customized treatment when necessary. Unfortunately, DIY pest management is not always enough. Since you have to do all the work yourself, it is possible to leave out some of the important factors, which is where our licensed exterminators come into play. Please feel free to contact these experts if you feel the least overwhelmed by all the responsibilities of handling every step of the process alone.

If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.