5 Interesting Facts About Cockroaches

English: High detail closeup of a cockroach. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Not-So-Fun Facts About Cockroaches

Cockroaches are equal opportunity invaders. Regardless of who a person is, how they make a living, or where they reside, cockroaches can be a problem. Roaches enter homes and businesses through cracks and crevices in the walls and floors. They walk through open doors and stowaway in empty boxes from the storage shed.

Cockroaches are waterproof. A thick protective coating of waxes and oils keeps the cockroach from drying out. Without this coating, the insect dies of dehydration. To preserve this coating, roaches groom themselves regularly, brushing their “hairs,” combing antennae and rubbing up against objects to stimulate productions of body oils.

Cockroaches are killed off by eye wash. Boric cid, the antiseptic powder used in eye washes, is extremely effective in roach control. Cockroaches don’t recognize boric acid as a poison, so they walk right through it. The powder sticks to their legs and antennae, and they ingest it while cleaning themselves. Within a day or two, the roach is dead.

Cockroaches are not equipped to swim underwater. While the roach’s waterproof coating allows it to float, the insect cannot swim. So contrary to popular opinion, cockroaches do not come up household drains from the sewer—water in the traps keep them out. If a home is left empty, or a drain is not used for awhile, traps can dry out and allow roaches to come through.

Cockroaches carry disease like the postman carries mail. Roaches are naturally contaminated with about 40 different types of bacteria, including those that carry leprosy, bubonic plaque, dysentery, diarrhea, urinary tract infections, food poisoning, and typhoid fever. They also harbor polio viruses and eggs of parasitic worms. By walking and feeding on filth, roaches pick up germs at one point, and deposit them somewhere else. With that being said, roaches have never been found to cause an epidemic.

Cockroach Control

It’s no mystery that cockroaches are common place here in Las Vegas, NV. They are becoming more and more prevalent because they are becoming more resistant to insecticides that where once figured to be effective. If you are a Las Vegas, NV resident, and have cockroaches inside your home, try eliminating them with boric acid. In the likelihood the boric acid doesn’t take care of the problem, contact a local pest control professional today!