Cockroaches might be the quintessential “dirty” pest. In movies and cartoons, you’ll see these insects skittering about houses that are dirty or abandoned, and you can’t make a show about the apocalypse without mentioning the roaches that are roaming around.

Residents in Salem, OR know that cockroaches are gross pests, but do you know how dangerous they can be when they get inside the house? Let’s talk about the common cockroach species in Coastal Oregon, and what Salem homeowners can do when cockroaches invade.

Cockroach Identification Guide

There are dozens of cockroach species throughout the United States, but few of them get anywhere near Salem households, and fewer still cause infestations. Most cockroaches share the same general characteristics: these pests have flat, oval-shaped bodies, with six legs and long, body-length antennae. Some cockroaches have wings, but most cockroach species are flightless or otherwise poor flyers. Cockroaches are nocturnal pests, so you probably won’t see them until at least sundown.

Three common cockroaches invade Salem homes. These are:

• The German Cockroach. These roaches are the most common in Salem households. They grow to around half an inch, have tannish-brown bodies, and usually have two dark stripes on their head.
• The American Cockroach. These are the largest roaches in the United States, growing upwards of 1-3 inches. These pests have reddish-brown bodies, and they are capable of flying short distances.
• The Brown-Banded Cockroach. These roaches look very similar to German roaches, but they are slightly smaller and have dark bands that stripe across their undersides.

No matter the species, these pests are quite formidable. The stereotype is that a cockroach could survive a nuclear blast, and while that myth isn’t entirely accurate, cockroaches can survive ten times the radiation that a normal human can. Cockroaches can also survive without their head for a month, they can go without food or water for a long period of time, and they can nestle into some seriously tiny cracks. Simply put, these pests are durable, making them tough to handle when they get in your house.

Are Cockroaches Dangerous?

On their own, cockroaches pose little danger to Salem families. These pests rarely bite, aren’t venomous, and won’t go out of their way to attack.

However, cockroaches do pose a danger to your household, primarily because they carry some dangerous diseases. Roaches are scavengers, meaning they look for food in places like alleyways, sewage, and trash heaps. Before a roach gets into your house, it spends its time in dirty places like dumpsters, picking up all sorts of diseases.

As a result, cockroaches can spread pathogens like salmonella, cholera, E. coli, dysentery, listeria, and giardia. These diseases trail behind the cockroach wherever it walks, and it enters your food supply if the pest gets into your pantry. Needless to say, roaches are bad news for your family and pets. When these pests get in, you want to get them out right away.

Cockroach Extermination Tips

Unfortunately, getting them out can prove quite challenging for Salem homeowners. Cockroaches multiply fast: one female can lay hundreds of larvae in her relatively short lifetime. Additionally, since these pests can fit in tight spaces, finding and clearing all of them out is very challenging.

When cockroaches get into the house, they want to stay, and no amount of DIY products or tips will get rid of them entirely. If you think you’re dealing with a roach infestation, your best bet is to reach out to a professional exterminator who knows how to eliminate these household dangers. The pest experts at Kanga Pest Control have the expertise to deal with the cockroaches in your Portland or Salem property. Contact us today, and we’ll make sure these pests don’t spread any more diseases around your home and family.