German Cockroaches in Cleveland
The German cockroach can be found throughout the world and is the most common species in homes, apartments, restaurants, supermarkets, and processing plants. Ships, particularly naval vessels and cruise ships have a likelihood of being heavily infested. German cockroaches will enter structures through items brought in, such as boxes, used furniture, produce boxes, suitcases, and items of like. They prefer to live in humid, warm environments and are drawn to kitchens and bathrooms in residential and commercial buildings. If an infestation is particularly large, it can spread to less common rooms. A single female and her offspring can have over 30,000 offspring a year, making them the fastest-reproducing common cockroach.
German Cockroach Habitat
German cockroaches prefer to live in areas where daily access to water is available, such as kitchens and bathrooms. In poor sanitation areas, the cockroach can expand its habitat to nearly all parts of the structure, as long as adequate water, food, and shelter are available. German cockroaches will usually hide in paper or wood material, as well as electrical equipment. They are also found in drawers, under sinks, in cabinets, and inside heat-producing appliances like microwaves, coffee makers, and dishwashers.
German Cockroach Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers
The largest threat that German cockroaches pose to humans is their ability to spread disease by depositing bacteria and germs to the areas they inhabit. They can also leave fecal matter and case skins around the home, which can cause allergic reactions of watery eyes, sneezing, skin rashes, nasal congestion, and asthma. Beyond physical reactions are the psychological impacts of having a cockroach infestation in the home. There is a great social stigma to having cockroaches in the home, and homeowners tend to change their behavior by entertaining less and avoiding kitchen and bathroom areas at night.
German cockroaches can multiply rapidly, which means that a cockroach infestation should be addressed immediately by a professional cockroach exterminator.
