German roaches in the Winter
By:
Bio-Tech Pest Control
| Published 02/11/2024
Ever wonder what happens with German roaches in the winter? Well they are still around and looking for a warm, safe place to reside for the colder weather. Dealing with German roaches in the winter requires a combination of strategies due to their resilience and rapid breeding habits. The entire life cycle of German roaches is generally completed in about 100 days. German cockroaches breed continuously with many overlapping generations present at any one time.
As cold-blooded insects, roaches don’t regulate their body temperature and will draw heat from the environment. When the weather outside drops below 40°F (4°C). German roaches reduce their normal activities such as reproduction and growth. To ensure survival, roaches will adjust to the falling temperature by searching for warm hiding places within the home. They will move into cracks, crevices, boxes, kitchen cabinets, subflooring, plumbing accesses and voids away from the light of your home. Within a home, they are mostly found in the kitchen and bathroom, where food and water are readily available. Areas around the stove and refrigerator in a kitchen usually have the largest number of cockroaches.
When left unchecked, you might be surprised to find a full infestation by the time Spring rolls around. Under ideal conditions, population growth can grow quite rapidly. With a varied appetite, the German cockroach is omnivorous, eating table scraps, pet food, leather and even book bindings. Cockroaches come out looking for food during the dark hours.
German roaches are more than just unsightly.
Food can be contaminated by transmitting pathogens. German cockroach feces, shed skins and bodies of dead cockroaches contain allergens which are asthma triggers. Chronic infestations can pose significant long-term economic and public health costs.
We have to adjust our sanitation methods to keep German roaches under control and out of our homes.
A thorough cleaning of the home both before and after German roach treatment is necessary. Should you need more time to prepare before a treatment, let your pest control professional know and we can adjust our schedule accordingly. We’re committed to ensuring a smooth and successful experience for you. We do recommend the following for the control of German roaches in the winter or any other time:
- Do not leave food out, clean spills and crumbs immediately.
- Keep trash in a sealed container.
- Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
- Clean out areas of the kitchen where food particles may have fallen into cracks and crevices.
- Check your pantry and other kitchen areas for dropped food or open or loosely packaged foods. Remove and/or safely repackage open food packages in airtight containers to keep these pests from returning.
Diligence, precaution and cleanliness make a big difference in keeping roaches out of your place. You might not know if your neighbor has German roaches, but you can try making it difficult for the roaches to seek shelter and food at your place. Remember, control and elimination take time and patience. It’s often necessary to continue treatment for some time after you stop seeing roaches to ensure that all of them, including their eggs, have been eliminated. If you think you might be experiencing an infestation, call to arrange an inspection with one of our experienced techs at Bio-Tech Pest Control 281-296-6022.
