The Clear Signs Of A Roach Infestation

One of the most dreaded pests across the country, cockroaches are sneaky critters that never seem to know when they’re not wanted. They can survive in a variety of environments and don’t have to live in the “dirty” places we associate with them because of their depictions in cartoons and B-grade movies. Since roaches can and will invade any home, it’s important to know the warning signs of an infestation before it happens. Let’s discuss the main hiding spots of roaches and the evidence they leave behind every time.

Where Are Roaches Found?

The first fact you need to remember about roaches is their preferred environment. They can technically live anywhere, but these nocturnal pests thrive in dark and humid spaces. This is why roaches are so difficult to discover and treat without a trained professional (more on that later). If you see any of these warning signs in your home, it’s worth investigating the darker corners of the house.

The most common hiding spots of roaches include:

• Inside walls
• Under appliances
• In trash cans
• Under sinks
• Inside cabinets
• In cracks and crevices
• Behind shelves
• Inside drawers

The majority of a roach infestation will likely be concentrated in these areas, but they will spread to other areas in search of food and water. With the current spring weather, it’s not uncommon for roaches to become more active due to the warmth and humidity. It won’t hurt to keep an eye out for these signs throughout the year, but not because an infestation is guaranteed (don’t worry, it’s not!). Rather, it’s because finding an infestation in the earlier stages is far preferred to seeing hundreds of roaches in one place.

Shed Exoskeletons

Roaches, like other insects, have tough exoskeletons that hold their internal organs together. As the roaches grow, they shed their exoskeletons like an old pair of jeans that don’t fit anymore. This happens about 5 to 8 times in their lives. Since roaches leave their unwanted exoskeletons behind, it will be evident that you have an infestation once the skins stack up. The exoskeletons are usually found in darker areas since most of the roaches complete their life stages in hiding.

Egg Cases

Similar to the exoskeletons, roaches usually leave their old egg cases behind (those litterbugs!). Cockroaches lay their eggs in long, reddish-brown cases called oothecae. Some species carry the oothecae around for a while, but most invasive species get rid of them. Oothecae are produced in hidden areas and contain up to 30 eggs, a reasonable explanation for why roach infestations grow unbelievably quickly. The more oothecae you find, the larger the infestation. Pay attention to the locations of the shed oothecae because higher volumes are found near the source of the infestation.

Strange Odors

Roaches already cause us plenty of issues, but the rotten cherry on top of this disgusting sundae is that they smell bad too. Some roaches, like German roaches, intentionally produce a smelly chemical to communicate with their fellow roaches. Others just smell unpleasant, especially once they die and sit out for days. The odor of roaches is often described as a musty, oily, and damp smell that is worse in the infestation’s concentrated areas. The scent is also more obvious in larger infestations due to the higher number of roaches.

Droppings

Roaches spread multiple diseases wherever they live, and one of the main ways they achieve this is with their droppings. Their droppings look like black pepper or coffee grounds, so they’re not entirely obvious unless there’s a lot of roaches in the same area. Roaches leave their feces in most areas they travel in order to mark their paths. Other roaches can use the droppings as a path toward a food or water source. As with their other discarded items, if you find a lot of roach droppings, the infestation is pretty large already.

Feeding Evidence

Roaches are the garbage disposals of the pest world, so they’re not very picky when it comes to food. They will happily chow down on anything in the kitchen, from packaged snacks to baked goods to leftover crumbs. Roaches are also found in trash cans and pet food, so it’s a good idea to keep these contained as much as possible. You’ll know when roaches have been feeding in your home if you find oothecae, droppings, chew marks, and dark smears anywhere around their food sources.

Smears

Speaking of smears, these disturbing stains are the result of food passing through the roach’s system. They are brown or reddish-brown in color, and have an irregular shape. Smears are left in the areas that roaches crawled through, so multiple smears in one area is a telltale sign that the family of roaches lives nearby. These smears stain most surfaces, including walls, shelves, carpeting, and furniture. They’re tough to get out once they set in, so try to clean any smears you find as soon as possible.

Allergy Symptoms

Oddly enough, cockroaches cause a major uptick in allergy and asthma symptoms in humans. Once they invade a house or building, the higher concentration of roaches will likely create physical symptoms that weren’t there before. The proteins in roaches’ exoskeletons, droppings, and saliva create an allergic reaction in most people. If you or anyone in your home suddenly begins experiencing allergy and asthma symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, shortness of breath, etc.) indoors, it could be a sign of a major roach infestation.

Any Cockroaches

Finally (and perhaps most obviously) finding any roaches in your home is a pretty good sign that there’s an infestation currently taking place. Smaller roaches, like German roaches and Oriental roaches, are usually the ones found inside infrastructure. If you see any roaches scurrying around during the daytime, it’s an unfortunately clear sign that the infestation is on the larger end. Roaches crave the darkness and won’t willingly be spotted in the daylight. We suggest keeping this important (but nightmarish) idea in mind: where there is one roach, there are almost always more nearby. The sighting of any live or dead roaches is a great time to pursue professional treatments as soon as possible.

Pointe Provides Lasting Protection From Roaches

As disgusting as roaches are, it may be a small comfort to know that you never have to tackle an infestation alone. At Pointe Pest Control, our licensed technicians leave no stone unturned in treating a cockroach (or any pest) problem. We begin every service with a full property inspection to uncover each area of pest activity, then create a treatment plan customized to solve those concerns. Our team receives ongoing training in the safest, most efficient treatment methods that will make a significant impact on the local pest population every time. For a free quote on the most reliable pest control in the Midwest, contact us today!

Citations

Mundorf, D. (2023, October 15). 9 common warning signs of a cockroach infestation. House Digest. Available at https://www.housedigest.com/1420434/signs-cockroach-pest-infestation-home/ (Accessed on April 3, 2024).

Pettit, J. (n.d.). October cartoon: 4 signs your establishment has cockroaches. StateFoodSafety Resources. Available at https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/october-cartoon-4-signs-your-establishment-has-cockroaches (Accessed on April 3, 2024).

Waterworth, K. (2024, March 7). Early signs of a cockroach infestation. Forbes Home. Available at https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/pest-control/signs-of-a-cockroach-infestation/ (Accessed on April 3, 2024).