They’re only 1 to 2 inches in size but cockroaches are ugly enough to scare and pester most of the household. Nobody wants to see cockroaches hovering over their meals, crawling on cooking utensils, furniture or through the kitchen. Besides looking filthy, cockroaches can be dangerous. Inhabitants of buildings with roaches, whether its a residential home or business facility, are vulnerable to many diseases and health risks.

If you ever see a cockroach in your building, you would be mistaken to believe it’s the only one on the premises. By that time, you’re already too late to prevent cockroaches from intruding. So here are three facts about cockroaches to consider and be aware of.

1. Getting rid of roaches isn’t easy.

Getting rid of cockroaches can be a very daunting task. Most people cannot exterminate cockroaches because they are elusive; they are nocturnal pests, and they scuttle, making it difficult to follow them. Furthermore, most of the cockroaches live in crevices, cracks, or in different inaccessible locations of the building or your home. They can reproduce easily. Once they have undergone the mating process, female cockroaches remain pregnant for the rest of their life cycle.

They continue to lay eggs, causing a great increase in the population of cockroaches. Due to the ease of reproduction, cockroaches can infester any habitat or building very quickly. Cockroaches are difficult to kill because they can sustain various injuries; even decapitated, a cockroach can survive for several weeks. There is a special opening in the body of a cockroach that facilitates the transfer of oxygen for respiration, allowing them to survive for longer periods of time.

2. Roaches can develop and survive without favorable conditions.

Unlike human beings, cockroaches are not dependent upon food for their growth. Cockroaches can develop proteins and other essential nutrients necessary for their growth and survival. They contain special bacteria, which develop the essential amino acids, ensuring uninterrupted supply of proteins. As far as the food is concerned, cockroaches aren’t picky.

They can eat whatever they get, i.e. wood, meat, human food, fruits, and paper. This alludes that cockroaches are virtually never short of food. Being cold-blooded pests, cockroaches can survive various harsh conditions; unlike human beings they don’t need to maintain constant body temperature. Cockroaches can maintain their metabolism in unfavorable and harsh environmental conditions. Thus, they are highly adaptable.

3. Cockroaches spread diseases.

Although cockroaches are not vectors which spread disease by biting directly, they spread various diseases indirectly. They can spread various diseases by leaving droppings, vomiting, and coming into contact with other materials. Cockroaches creep on the dirty floors of all areas of buildings from toilets to kitchens. It is very likely that those cockroaches that have crawled in to the filth of the toilets might come in contact with your food in the kitchen, infecting the food with germs and bacteria.

Food poisoning, diarrhea, typhoid fevers, cholera and leprosy are among the diseases which can be spread by cockroaches. They also contain many disease producing microorganisms which can cause food poisoning. Furthermore, there are many allergens in the waste products excreted by cockroaches. These allergens can cause various allergies such as asthma.

Overall, they are very hazardous for you and your surroundings and, if you notice a single cockroach in your building, make sure to take steps to fix the issue. We recommend hiring a team of Fairhope pest control professionals to implement roach control techniques and help you get rid of these intruders.