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The Turkestan cockroach is the name of a new pest in town. There has been an increase in sightings of a pest that was once thought to be an exotic species that was rarely found in homes.

How much has the number of Turkestan cockroaches increased in recent years? Three or four years ago, the Alameda County Vector Control Services District reported receiving no calls involving Turkestan cockroaches. The agency has received 33 calls in the last 18 months about Turkestan cockroaches, which are distinguished by their rusty red color and the fact that they are primarily outdoor pests. 

Turkestan Cockroach

Turkestan cockroaches prefer to live outside, but they can be found indoors during their peak population season in the summer. Cockroaches found indoors are frequently males that were drawn in by lights and flew into the structure.

Wood and debris piles, irrigation and water meter boxes, crevices in the pavement or rock walls, and outdoor drainage pipes are all common habitats for Turkestan cockroaches around homes. They are also common in public storm drains and sanitary sewers, which provide the cockroaches with the dark, moist hiding places that they prefer.

Turkestan cockroaches live and breed outside, but they can enter homes in search of water. They cannot, however, survive indoors. You may find them upside down and dead in indoor spaces such as garages or near entryways, but rest assured that Turkestan cockroaches will not establish and thrive in indoor environments.

Turkestan cockroaches, like all outdoor pest cockroaches, are considered both serious nuisance pests and (potentially) public health pests due to their ability to transmit disease-causing pathogens. The most obvious signs of a Turkestan cockroach infestation are seeing them flying around lights at night and discovering them in their preferred habitats.

Pest Control Tips for Turkestan Cockroaches

  • Effective control requires good sanitation, particularly around outdoor trash storage areas, as well as exclusion from the home.
  • If possible, reduce sprinkler irrigation. Reduce water availability by repairing plumbing and irrigation leaks. Reduce moisture around your home’s perimeter by ensuring proper soil grading, and avoid planting within one foot of the foundation. In these areas, consider using gravel or bare soil instead of mulch or ground covers.
  • Leave pet food outside, especially at night. Keep trash in containers with tight lids and clean outdoor trash storage areas on a regular basis to remove food residues. Remove any trash and stored items from around the outside of your home, such as stacks of lumber or firewood. 
  • To improve light and air circulation, trim shrubbery around your home and remove leaf litter. Cracks in paved walkways, masonry features, and other hardscape crevices where cockroaches may hide should be identified and sealed.

Do you have any concerns about Turkestan Cockroaches invading your home? Call Official Pest Prevention today!

Jeff

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