German cockroaches and American roaches are familiar sights for many Washington residents, no matter the state of your home!
Leaks, brutal weather conditions, and food can draw these pests indoors by the hundreds. But how long can roaches live without food once you clean up your kitchen or pantry?
Keep reading to know the steps you should take to remove roaches and how long an infestation may last in your home!
Plus, if you have pesky insects overstaying their welcome, remember that Zunex Pest Control is here to help! Contact us today for more information!
Many homeowners struggle with roaches even if they keep their homes in pristine condition. Some roach species, like the German cockroach, can’t survive well in the wild, so they’ll head indoors to bundle down and look for food.
Many roaches are also drawn to water sources, so any damp area in your home may become a hotspot for cockroaches looking for a drink. Some familiar places for roaches include laundry rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens.
Water damage can encourage other pests like carpenter ants, silverfish, or beetles, so keep an eye on any area collecting moisture.
But what do these pests eat whenever they infest your kitchen?
Cockroaches aren’t picky pests. They’ll eat almost anything in your home, especially if other food sources are scarce.
Like ants, cockroaches flock to sugary sweet food items. Sugars can give insects a good boost of energy, something they can’t regularly find outside. If a roach or ant catches a whiff of something sweet indoors, they’ll stick around until they’ve eaten their fill.
Cockroaches also turn to starchy foods to meet their nutritional needs. Like sugar, starch-rich foods are an excellent source of carbohydrates that many insects crave. Your artisan bread might fall victim to these scheming pests if left uncovered.
Besides sugar, starch, and everything else nice, roaches will consume other food items in your pantry or garbage can. From leftover meats to out-of-date cheeses, there aren’t many options a cockroach won’t try.
If a roach can’t sate its hunger for human food, it’ll turn to pet food. Because of the various ingredients in your furry friend’s meal, a cockroach can meet all their nutritional needs with just a few pellets.
Here are some other items roaches may consume in your home:
Even if your pantry is locked up tight, roaches can still find something to munch on inside your home. They may turn toward bar soaps in your bathtub or leftover toothpaste stuck to your sink.
Stray hairs or pet shedding are still delicacies to roaches, so they’ll have enough to eat regardless of the food available in your home. Plus, forgotten crumbs or spills are enough to fill up a few roaches too.
While roaches are crafty little creatures, they can’t survive long without sufficient sustenance. Bed bugs can stick around for months without food, and so can many spiders, but cockroaches still need consistent access to nutrition to survive.
Like most insects, animals, and humans, cockroaches require frequent trips to their watering hole to stay alive. Cockroaches can only live a week without water, so they tend to stick around humid or moist areas inside.
Despite their reputation as one of the most indestructible pests in the world, they must meet their needs to stay healthy and alive.
But how long can roaches live without food?
Roaches can usually live about a month without food, meaning they’ll live long enough to see if they can snatch up any leftover foods you may miss cleaning. These pests may crawl through your garbage to find their fill if they’re hungry enough.
That’s a long time to stay hungry!
You can quickly eliminate the roaches terrorizing your home with proper exclusion methods and pest control options.
To prevent a roach infestation or control the pests currently in your home, consider deep cleaning your kitchen and pantry. Roaches will creep around forgotten corners to find their food, so thoroughly check under fridges, stoves, and counters for any messes.
If you have gaps between your counters and appliances, try safely removing the objects and sweep or vacuum up any crumbs or food pieces you see. Because cockroaches can survive a month without food, they’ll wait until you slip up!
After cooking, sanitize and wash your countertops, sink, and stove. A simple bleach-based solution or storebought kitchen cleaner can keep your home squeaky clean and nip any difficult roach infestation in the bud.
Always remember to remove your trash too. While it may be annoying to take frequent trips to the dumpster, it’s always better to stay safe. Cockroaches aren’t shy houseguests and will plunder through your discarded goods when the lights go out.
If you’re noticing roaches in your pantry, consider placing easily accessible items in thick plastic containers with tight lids. This will protect your food from cockroaches and other invading pests like beetles and rodents.
Besides protecting your food, also consider repairing any leaks around your home. Keeping your sinks, showers, and tubs dry can also decrease the number of pests you may encounter.
Are you interested in eliminating cockroaches quickly? We can help! The trained technicians at Zunex Pest Control can easily remove any tough infestation you have in your home. Contact us today to learn more!
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