If you’ve never had a roach problem, you could be left wondering what the big deal is. You’ve seen pictures; maybe you’ve even seen the odd roach wandering around. Heck, you might have had one on your wall that you smashed, and you’ve been roach-free ever since then. So why should you worry? They’re relatively small, and the good news is they’re not likely to bite you. It’s not the biggest risk, but there are cases of cockroaches biting people – especially sailors! From irritation to disease, there are plenty of reasons to want roaches gone.
Can Cockroaches Bite?
Yes. They can – But whether or not they will is a whole other story. There are cases of roaches consuming the flesh of both the living and the dead, but it is highly unlikely. If it does happen, it’ll happen at night when you’re not moving enough to disturb the roach. As far as where cockroaches will bite – it’s either your fingernails or other places that have been in contact with your food. If you see where we’re going with this, it’s not pretty. Roaches have been known to bite the lips. Sailors have to deal with this more than anyone, and there are cases of sailors having to wear gloves to prevent bites to the nails at night! Really, though, this should be your last concern, even though it is a creepy thought.
What’s Dangerous about Roaches?
While roaches aren’t known to transmit disease through their bites like ticks and mosquitoes, roaches can cause infections if a bite gets irritated. Again, though, not the biggest problem. The biggest problem is that, unlike many myths about roaches, they are filthy animals. We’re not sure where the idea of roaches being clean comes from. Sure, they clean themselves compulsively, but they step in fecal matter seconds later and track it all over your home. If they step in or encounter something diseased, their rapid movements spread it around your house quickly.
Roaches can track anything from staph to norovirus, and their droppings can also spread disease. If they get into your food supply, they don’t have any problem with “going where they eat,” and if you don’t notice it before you eat it, you can contract some serious illness. They’ve been known to spread salmonella more frequently than other pests, and even things as dangerous as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever! They are not clean animals, not by a long shot. The more roaches reproduce, the more droppings they produce and the more disease they spread just by walking, jumping, running, and flying around. You have to get rid of them.
Roaches are Very Hardy!
It’s hard to eliminate roaches on your own. They’re good at finding food in places you can’t see and only really venture out into the open when those food sources run out. Unfortunately, as they’re eating, they’re also laying eggs by the thousands. You might kill the stray roach now and they, but if you saw one out in the open, the odds of there being hundreds more where you can’t see are pretty good. Some strains of roaches are notoriously resistant to chemicals, too.
In Conclusion
What you need to do is call a professional as soon as you see a roach. Describe the situation, and they’ll know if it’s time to come over and investigate. Professionals like us know where roaches like to hide, and they know how to get rid of them before a problem can become severe. Give us a call and cut them off before they get the chance.
