Spring is just around the corner and with spring comes life. Gently swaying trees begin to bud new leaves, delicate tiny purple blossoms appear in clumps in the soft soil, and the days begin to warm, welcoming ladybugs and butterflies to arise from their slumber.
Roaches—with their foul-emitting musty, oily smell, long antennae, and greasy backs—also come out of hiding in the springtime. Forget about the soon-to-be beautiful green trees and the fragrance of the blossoms surrounding you. We must do something about these cockroaches!
Roaches hide
Roaches may be crawling through holes in your home and living in your walls. They could be hiding out in the moist, dark crumb haven under your refrigerator. They’re known to sneak into cabinets to have a food feast. In the silence of early mornings, can you hear a “drip-drop” of a leaky pipe? They may just be hanging out (and breeding) where that drain, pipe, or faucet leaks.
Roaches smell
As disgusting as the thought of stepping on a roach sounds, we all want to get these bugs out of our homes (and our lives). As the toe of your feet makes contact with their sleek, rounded back, you might hear a crunch. Then, your nose detects a dirty urinal smell, the kind that the portable toilet at the fairground reeks of. Roaches literally stick, as they store uric acid in their bodies, which is a major component of human urine.
Roaches skitter
If a roach were a human, it would be able to run over 100 miles an hour. If a roach were a horse, it would be able to cover approximately 450 feet per second. As wild as these analogies are, they point us to one clear fact: Roaches are fast—arguably the fastest land creatures on earth with respect to their size.
Roaches aren’t normal
- Cockroaches can survive decapitation, or, put simply, live without their heads. Cockroaches have an open circulatory system, allowing them to breathe without a mouth. They will die within a week, though, as they can’t drink water without their mouthparts. Water is a necessity for their survival.
- Cockroaches love language is touch. This is why you’re welcome to freak out when you see one cockroach, as one most likely means that there’s a large extended family somewhere. Cockroaches are thigmotropic—meaning that they seek touch along all sides of their bodies—and social, enjoying the company of generational counterparts. Those left without the company of their friends are known to get sick or lose their ability to mate.
- Cockroaches will eat their housemates. They’ll actually eat just about anything, from finger cuticles to book bindings. If food becomes scarce, though, they’ll turn on one another to survive and get rid of their competition.
- Cockroaches are older than dinosaurs. Though they probably wouldn’t withstand a nuclear apocalypse, they have withstood time. Research suggests that they have lived on earth for more than 280 million years. Their egg production helps, as a female will produce 30-50 eggs six to eight times throughout their lifespan, allowing them to quickly and easily reproduce in large numbers.
What causes a fear of roaches?
Children are born fearless and unabashedly curious. There is no bug they won’t hold high above their heads, no critter that they won’t snatch and stick deep down into the recesses of their pocket. But, if a parent screamed when a child caught a lizard or tried running after a cockroach, that child may inherit their parent’s fear. Or, if this child had a traumatic experience with a creepy crawly, it could send them into a tizzy (over that small creature) for the remainder of their life.
How to protect your home from cockroaches
Cockroaches are very versatile. They’ll happily travel, eat anything, and live anywhere, regardless of unsanitary conditions. There are, however, means in which you can keep these vile, quick legged insects at bay:
- Clean up the kitchen. Leaving a sticky countertop and dirty sink can attract bugs.
- Take out the trash. A full trash can be a magnet to roaches and other bugs.
- Keep the area around your home tidy. Clip those hedges. Clean up decaying branches, wood, and leaves.
- Fix leaks. Wet and damp conditions are an attraction to many species of bugs.
- Store foods properly. Use airtight containers to prevent roaches from spoiling your foods.
- Treat area at first sightings. Use Dr. Killigan’s to rid your home of roaches.
Dr. Killigan’s solutions for cockroaches
When it comes to getting rid of cockroaches, Dr. Killigan’s has solutions. We have two proven methods for ridding your home of roaches. First, Dr. Killigan’s Six Feet Under® is an on-contact all-natural roach killer. It is 100% safe to use in all areas of your home, including your kitchen, where food abounds, and around your pets and children. It is a proven non-toxic method to rid your home of roaches.
Second, we have Dr. Killigan’s Insect Buster®, a sturdy bulb designed to disperse Dust to Dust. Dust To Dust is a non-toxic powder that is a superb alternative to traditional insecticides such as diatomaceous earth. Dr. Killigan’s Insect Buster bulb is easy to aim, safe to store with Dust to Dust powder inside, and comes with attachments that fit into cracks and crevices where sprays can’t reach to get rid of bugs.
