Nobody wants to turn on a light in their home to find a brown bug scurry across the floor. In the Lowcountry, it happens all the time. You may not want to hear it, but there are more than 3,500 species of cockroaches on the planet! The good news: only 30 species have adapted to live around humans. The bad news: 30 species of cockroaches can live around us!
Cockroaches are one of the most common household pests. No matter how many times we stomp them, swat them, or bomb them with hardware store sprays, they always seem to pop up. The American Cockroach, also called a Palmetto bug, is originally from Africa and made its way to the United States as a stowaway on ships in the 16th century. The American Cockroach is now on six of the seven continents and is the largest cockroach species.
So, why are they so hard to get rid of?
The American Cockroach has strong chemoreception genes; it’s how they smell and taste their environment. In fact, they have 154 olfactory receptors for smell and 544 gustatory receptors for taste, making them way better at sniffing out and eating food than many other insects! They’re not picky eaters. They’ll eat meat, cheese, and sugar as well as cardboard boxes, bookbinding, and, yes, even human toenail clippings!
Roaches also have a bunch of Cytochrome P450 genes that enable them to find a meal anywhere, even if it’s poisonous to other animals. Cytochrome P450 genes code for detoxification enzymes to keep the insects safe.
They also have incredible immune systems able to kill many microbes and fungi, essentially turning a disgusting kitchen into an A+ cleanliness rating to the roach.
Did you also know roaches can live up to a week WITHOUT their head? Because of a lack of blood vessels in the head, they don’t bleed out; their necks just seal off the opening.
If you want to lessen the chances of a roach running across your floors, keep your home clean, especially kitchens and bathrooms! Roaches feed off an unsanitary environment. Seal foods in airtight bags and containers, cover trash cans with lids, and keep these areas dry. You may also want to seal off cracks, cover electrical outlets, and sink drains. Get this, roaches can even climb up your plumbing pipes to get in your house!
If you want to sleep easy every night though, call Hilton Head Exterminators! We’re your best defense against roaches, ants, or any household pests. Our products are the best on the market, and our technicians are trained to specifically target areas where pests flourish. Don’t trust just anyone to keep you, your family, and pets safe. Trust the company who’s been protecting the Lowcountry for 50 years!
Thank you for reading our article on cockroaches! If you’re an existing Hilton Head Exterminators pest control customer, we want to show you how much we appreciate you choosing us to protect your home! Get a $50 credit when you refer a friend or neighbor, no limit! They’ll get $50 off their initial pest service, too! (Referral credit valid for new residential customers who sign up. This offer may not be combined with any other offers, and new customers must mention “Palmetto Bug” when calling to set up services.) Expires 9/30/2018. See more of our specials here.