Seeing a single cockroach of any size is grounds for caution. But seeing a single cockroach that’s nearly one-and-a-half inches long, large, and winged is certainly unsettling - and definitely not a sight that anyone would wish to see in their home or property, especially in a swam (yikes!).
This description, unfortunately, fits the bill for a cockroach species you may encounter in the Colorado Springs area, and that’s the smoky brown cockroach. Also known as palmetto bugs, they are strong fliers - both males and females are winged - and mahogany in color. Smoky brown roaches are often commonly mistaken for American cockroaches. However, smoky browns have a uniform mahogany color, while American roaches are lighter around the perimeter of their bodies.
Smoky brown cockroaches are invasive to Colorado Springs. In the United States, these roaches are native to the Eastern Seaboard and the South, but they occasionally find their way elsewhere by hitching a ride on shipping, produce, products, fruit, and nursery stock. Read more to learn how smoky brown cockroaches can pose a danger to your home, how and why they may be entering your home and some prevention tips.
Smoky Brown Cockroaches: A Danger To Your Home
There’s a reason why cockroaches carry a reputation for being dirty—and that’s because they are. Like other species of cockroaches, smoky brown cockroaches are a threat to the health and safety of your family and housemates, as they’re known to carry disease-causing bacteria that can affect humans, pets, and livestock.
Smoky brown cockroaches have been linked to the spread of the bacteria that causes leprosy, cholera, tuberculosis, dysentery, and typhoid disease, as well as gastroenteritis and diarrhea. Cockroaches contaminate living spaces and food sources with their feces and saliva.
How Smoky Brown Cockroaches Enter Homes
Smoky brown cockroaches enter homes much like any other pests, though their ability to fly adds an additional challenge for homeowners. Here are a few ways they may be finding their way in:
- Through cracks and crevices in the home, including the foundation, siding, walls, roofing, perimeters surrounding windows and doors, and ventilation areas.
- On firewood that’s brought into the home.
- Through open windows and doors, they fly and are attracted to light at night.
- Through open or accessible trash left outdoors and next to the home.
Smoky brown cockroaches also require much water and thus are commonly found in moisture-prone areas in and around your home. These may include:
- In gutters, underneath shingles, and along rooflines, where they feed on organic debris
- In piles of wood and leaves, in mulch, and tree bark
- In greenhouses
Tips On Preventing Smoky Brown Cockroaches
The best way to remove smoky brown cockroaches from the home, for good, is with help from the professionals at Beeline Pest Control. But to curb cockroaches from heading your way, consider these preemptive tips:
- Seal Up All Potential Entry Points: Cockroaches often enter homes in areas that require repairs, such as cracks and crevices in foundation and window frames. Perform a check around the perimeter of your home and patch up any openings.
- Do An Outdoor Clean-Up: Cockroaches may also collect in outdoor areas with considerable organic matter, such as in leaf piles and heaps of firewood. Remove outdoor debris to avoid giving them a place to hide and breed, including cleaning gutters and window wells and storing firewood away from the home if possible.
- Don’t Leave Out Pet Food: Even for indoor pets, leaving food out at night can serve as a moonlight buffet for these cockroaches. Clean up pet food before bed, and for outdoor pets, clean up pet food from outdoor areas.
If you suspect you may have smoky brown cockroaches in your home, Beeline Pest Control offers full-service solutions for pest control. If for any reason, you encounter pest problems after we’ve treated your home, we’ll return to re-treat it at no charge. For additional advice and pest control services in Colorado Springs, contact Beeline Pest Control today.