When it comes to cockroaches, there are a lot of misconceptions out there. At one point in our lives, we’ve all heard the astounding fact that cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion. That’s incredible… Or, it would be if it were true. While it’s true that cockroaches can withstand significantly more radiation than humans (up to ten times more to be exact) they most certainly would NOT survive a nuclear blast.
This is just one of many myths and misconceptions about cockroaches that we want to clear up so you can make educated decisions and observations when it comes to pests in your home.
Another common misnomer is that bigger cockroaches equal bigger problems. Regardless of size, having a cockroach in your home is a problem. Whether a roach is big or small, it can still be a carrier for a wide variety of diseases that could harm your family. When it comes to cockroaches, size truly doesn’t matter.
And, if you think that you can avoid cockroaches by having a clean house, you’ve fallen for another one of the many cockroach misconceptions. Unfortunately for humans, cockroaches aren’t picky creatures. They’ll eat anything they can get a hold of, including a nasty spectrum of things like dead skin cells and feces. For this reason, the problem does not lie in how clean or dirty your home is, but rather, how accessible it is to cockroaches.
Easily accessible entry points into your home (like cracks in the foundation, siding, windowsills, etc.) and convenient access to food and water sources are far more likely to be the reason behind a cockroach infestation. That being said, maintaining a clean home can help you better detect and eliminate roaches if you do have them because you will be able to spot them much faster.
How to Distinguish the Facts from the Myths
It turns out that cockroaches are somewhat different than modern society and pop culture would have you believe. And while these pests aren’t quite the nuclear-proof super creature we once thought them to be, they can wreak a lot of havoc in your home. That’s why it’s important that the information you have is accurate.
So, the next time you read about cockroaches or do some investigatory research about these creepy-crawlies, make sure the site you’re on is reliable. For questions about pests like roaches, exterminators are a great resource for valuable (and accurate) information! Websites with .edu or .gov domain addresses are also a good source for information because these types of domains are strictly regulated and cannot be purchased by just anyone.
Still have questions about cockroaches? Presidio Pest Management is here and ready to help! Give us a call or request a home inspection today.
