Struggling With An Oriental Cockroach Infestation In The Bay Area?

While there are plenty of types of cockroaches that can invade your Bay Area home, unsanitary Oriental cockroaches are one of the worst. Here’s what local homeowners should know about how to differentiate Oriental cockroaches from other types, how these roaches can be harmful to your health, and how you can get rid of them if you’ve got an infestation in your Bay Area home.

How To Differentiate Oriental Cockroaches From Other Roaches 

Oriental cockroaches aren’t the only roaches you can encounter in the Bay Area, and it’s important to be able to identify the different types of roaches. The most common species of cockroach in the Bay Area include:

Oriental cockroaches: Growing over an inch in length, Oriental cockroaches can sometimes be mistaken for American roaches, but they have distinct shiny, black bodies that may look oily or almost glossy. Oriental cockroaches also move a little slower than other roaches and are more drawn to moisture.

German cockroaches: German cockroaches are the most common type of roach in the country. They are brown or tan and have two parallel stripes that run down their backs and grow to just over half an inch in length. These roaches prefer drains and sewers, but they also commonly infest houses and apartment buildings.

American cockroaches: American cockroaches grow larger than Oriental roaches, sometimes reaching as much as three inches in length. Their coloring is much lighter than Oriental roaches, and you may also hear them called water-bugs or palmetto bugs.

Field cockroach: Field cockroaches may sometimes get mistaken for German cockroaches, but they’re less common and only grow up to half-an-inch long. While they prefer to live outside, these roaches occasionally make their way inside. 

How Are Cockroaches In The Bay Area Harmful To Your Health?

Not only are cockroaches an unsettling sight when you encounter them, but they can also pose a threat to you and your family’s health. Here’s how cockroaches can be dangerous for your Bay Area home. 

They Can Spread Bacteria

Cockroaches may not be associated with specific diseases like rodents are, but they can still spread harmful bacteria like salmonella, streptococcus, and staphylococcus. Bacteria can be spread through the droppings they leave behind in your living space, but also by the roaches themselves if they crawl across surfaces where you eat or prepare food. Picking up this bacteria can lead to dangerous intestinal conditions like dysentery, cholera, or diarrhea. 

They Can Trigger Allergens

Many people are sensitive to an enzyme that cockroaches release in their saliva, droppings, and discarded skin. This can trigger allergies in many people as well as asthma attacks. These problems tends to get worse as the infestation grows, and anyone affected, especially younger children, may have begun experiencing runny noses, coughing, or have trouble breathing. 

They Could Scratch You

While it may not happen often, cockroaches have spiny legs that can scratch you if you encounter them. They aren’t an aggressive species, but it is easy to be scratched by these spines if you try to remove or kill a cockroach by yourself. This is another way that cockroaches spread harmful bacteria.

How Can I Get Rid Of Oriental Cockroaches In The Bay Area?

Unfortunately, Oriental cockroaches aren’t as easy to get rid of as they are to attract. Once they’ve made your house into their home, these pests can be extremely difficult to eliminate. During their lifetime, a female Oriental cockroach can produce more than a hundred new eggs. These nocturnal critters are also excellent hiders, and even if you find one hiding spot, the roaches in your home may just relocate to another one. 

There’s only one effective way to get rid of Oriental cockroaches if you have them, and that’s by enlisting the professional help of Bay Pest Solution. With close to a century of experience serving the Bay Area and surrounding counties, we’ve dealt with Oriental cockroach infestations of every size. If you suspect that you’ve got Oriental cockroaches or another kind of roach living in your home, don’t wait for the problem to get any worse or for the infestation to spiral out of control. Call us today at Bay Pest Solution to learn more about how we can help solve your Oriental cockroach problems.