What’s the difference between a wood roach and other roaches? Should you do things differently to prevent wood roach infestations? How can you tell if you have a wood roach problem? These questions are some of the most commonly asked by homeowners wanting to keep their homes cockroach free.
How To Identify Wood Cockroaches
Identifying various cockroach breeds can be difficult, as they scurry away and hide rather than stay put and allow you to examine them. You can distinguish a wood roach from other types of cockroaches by their coloring and size.
- Wood cockroaches can be more easily identified by these features:
- Wood cockroaches are chestnut brown and have a distinct, lighter-colored thorax.
- Their thorax is pale, yellowish in color, and this color extends to the front portion of their wings, which are outlined by it.
- They are small in size. Males average about one inch in length while females are even smaller, growing up to only one half to three-quarters of an inch long.
How Wood Cockroaches Get Into Your Home
Wood roaches are slightly different than other types of cockroaches in that they prefer to live in wood. They will take up residence in old decaying trees, hollowed out stumps, or your wood pile. Because they are attracted to light, they will come inside your home if they find an opening as they are wandering about searching for food. Most often they come in under doors that aren’t sealed properly or can accidentally be carried in with your firewood.
Problems Wood Cockroaches Cause
As with all cockroaches, wood cockroaches can carry and spread disease. If they enter your home, they may leave bacteria on your counters and contaminate your food. Some people are allergic to cockroaches and can have a negative reaction if there are many in your home.
How To keep Wood Cockroaches Out
- You can work to keep wood cockroaches out of your home. Here are a few steps to take:
- Check your firewood before bringing it in.
- Install sweeps on doors, including garage doors.
- Seal small cracks around the exterior of your home, including around pipes or utility lines, and around your windows.
- Getting Rid of Wood Cockroaches
Even with these preventative measures calling Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators is the best way to get rid of cockroaches. If you are worried about roaches in your home, contact us today so that our trained technicians can help you out. We use the most up to date roach control and prevention methods to effectively keep your home wood roach free.