Cockroaches, the sheer thought can send shivers down your spine! These crawling insects are synonymous with dirt and filth, not to mention they can spread a range of diseases as well as trigger asthma and other allergies.
We can often find cockroaches crawling around our homes and businesses, but have you ever stopped to wonder where these crawling insects actually live?
Cockroach habitats
Providing a generic response to the question to where cockroaches live can be quite tricky, only because it can differ between each species and there are currently over 3,000 different species of cockroaches.
The 3 main species of cockroaches which can be found in our homes and businesses are:
- American cockroach (Periplaneta Americana)
- Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis)
- German cockroach (Blatella germanica)
So let’s explore where each of these species of cockroaches like to live.
American cockroaches
American cockroaches prefer to live in warm environments and can often be found harbouring outdoors in and around drains, sewer systems, garbage bins, trees and wood piles.
However, there are cases were American cockroaches will venture inside in search of food or water. In these instances, they will often live in damp areas such as basements, garages, bathrooms and kitchens.
Oriental cockroaches
Generally speaking, Oriental cockroaches thrive in the outdoors. They can often be found living in areas that are dark and cold such as mulch pits, leaf piles, beneath rocks and stones.
However, much like American cockroaches, Oriental cockroaches will often venture indoors in search of food and water. Here you can find them living beneath porches and in wall voids and crawl spaces. They can also be found living in storm drains and sewers as well as basements and cellars.
German cockroaches
Compared to the other species of cockroaches in this blog, German cockroaches actually prefer the indoors and thrive better within homes and businesses rather than outside.
In these settings and environments, German cockroaches will live in areas which are warm and humid. For the most part, this will be in areas such as a kitchen or a bathroom. However, it isn’t uncommon to find German cockroaches in other locations if food and moisture are available.
How to prevent cockroaches
As already established, your home or business can provide cockroaches with a suitable place to live. Luckily, there are a handful of prevention tips that you can utilise to keep these crawling insects out of your home.
Cockroach prevention
- Store foods in airtight containers
- Empty bins regularly
- Clean up any and all food and drink spillages
- Rinse cans, bottles and plastics before recycling
- Seal all potential entry points with expanding foam
If you need assistance in removing cockroaches from your home or business, get in touch with the experts at Rentokil today for advice. We are here to help!
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