Last Updated on April 27, 2023
Living in Dallas, TX, can come with its unique challenges regarding pest control. Perhaps the most notorious creature of them all is the cockroach. While you may have seen a single critter marching across your counters more often than you’d like, this pest has a particular fondness for making its home inside yours – and if left unchecked, it will be sure to continue to bring visitors along. To understand how these pests make themselves cozy in your house, let’s take a closer look at what attracts cockroaches into your Dallas home and why they keep coming back.
Common cockroach species in Dallas, TX
Dallas, Texas, is known to have a cockroach problem. The cockroach species commonly found in Dallas include the American cockroach, Brown-banded cockroach, Smokybrown cockroach, and Oriental cockroach.
American Cockroach: These are the largest home-infesting cockroaches in the US, measuring up to 2 inches in length. This species is reddish-brown and has a yellow pattern on the back of its head. Fortunately for homeowners, the roaches usually prefer to stick outdoors but still might make unwelcome visits inside in search of food or shelter!
Brown-banded Cockroach: The Brown-banded cockroach is one of the smaller home-infesting cockroaches found in Dallas. These are light brown, with two light yellow bands across their wings. They prefer warmer and drier areas of the house, common in living rooms, bedrooms, or office spaces.
Smoky brown Cockroach: These cockroaches can grow up to 125-35 mm inches long and have a uniform mahogany color. They prefer to forage for food outside at night but can easily make their way indoors. These common outdoor cockroaches thrive in various habitats, from piles of leaves and planter boxes to the more unexpected. You can also find them near your home where there is a moist environment, like under sinks and drains.
Oriental Cockroach – The Oriental Cockroach, also known as the water bug, is a species found in Dallas, Texas. This cockroach prefers warm and wet environments, such as sewers, storm drains, or basements. It thrives in decaying organic matter that accumulates in moist locations. Interestingly, this cockroach is known for its ability to withstand cold temperatures, allowing it to survive during winter months within buildings.
What attracts cockroaches in your Dallas home?
Cockroaches look for three main things when looking for a new home: food, water, and shelter. Dallas can provide all of these things to cockroaches, making it an ideal environment for them to live in.
Food: Cockroaches will feed on virtually anything that contains starches or sugars, including pet food, spilled drinks, and crumbs left behind after meals. Keeping your counters and floors clean and storing food in airtight containers will help keep these pests away from your Dallas home. Cockroaches can also eat some bugs in your home, like bed bugs. Although cockroaches eat bed bugs, as Forterra Pest control in Dallas claims, it doesn’t mean that these bugs attract cockroaches too.
Water: Cockroaches can live without food for a month but need water to survive. While this may seem counterintuitive, the pests will search high and low for sources of moisture, such as leaky pipes or standing water in sinks and drains. Therefore, it’s essential to inspect your plumbing and fix any leaks and empty standing water around your home.
Shelter: Cockroaches are nocturnal creatures that tend to hide under furniture or in cracks and crevices during the day. This makes it difficult to spot them until they start scurrying across the floor or countertop. To help keep cockroaches away, it is important to seal any potential entry points in your home and vacuum regularly.
Why do cockroaches keep coming back?
Cockroaches are especially resilient pests that can be difficult to get rid of. Even if you successfully eliminate all the roaches from your Dallas home, they can still find their way back. This is because cockroaches withstand harsh conditions and travel long distances to find food and shelter.
The best way to stop cockroaches from coming back is by ensuring that your home is clean and free of clutter and sealing off any potential entry points. Additionally, it’s important to watch for any signs of a cockroach infestation, such as droppings or egg sacs. If you suspect an infestation, it’s best to contact a pest control professional to help eliminate the pests from your Dallas home.