Cockroaches are nearly indestructible, extremely fast, and a huge headache for Las Vegas residents.
Adaptation is one of the most important characteristics of life. Some believe humans maybe the most adaptable creature on earth, but not without competition! The cockroach could be considered the most adaptable creature. German cockroaches have learned to not only survive in Germany, but also China, the middle east, and even here in Las Vegas. There are over 4,000 different cockroach species worldwide, the most common being the German Cockroach. Other cockroaches found in America, and some documented in Las Vegas, include the brown-banded cockroach, American cockroach and oriental cockroach. So what makes them so adaptable? For starters, these roaches seem to be indestructible.
Roaches can live up to a week without their head. This is possible because of their open circulatory system. They breathe throughout their bodies and not necessarily their mouth or head. In fact, they only die without their head because they can't drink water and they die from dehydration. Along with their head, they can live without food for even longer! At times, for over a month. Roaches are cold blooded insects, which enables them to live without sustenance. Since they can live so long without food, but not necessarily water, they look for high moisture areas around Las Vegas, which brings them into our homes, bathrooms, and dwellings. They love the water so much that they can be submerged under water for over a half an hour. It's not they can breathe underwater, but they can hold their breath for over 40 minutes.
You would think these suckers are athletes in a triathlon the way they can hold their breath, their speed, and their agility. They are able to run three miles an hour. This may seem slow, but when you see these small insects bullet across your floor it really shows what 3 mph is to such a small roach. As they zip through home they spread germs and bacteria extremely quickly. The amazing fact that infant cockroaches are as fast as their parents doesn't help the fact! They are literally natural born speed machines. These babies looks like a spec of dust that can move just as fast as their adult counterparts, making a really unfortunate combination. If you have roaches in your home it is not a surprise they don't stay as a spec of dust forever. In fact, the largest cockroaches are six inches long, with the average roach in Las Vegas being ½"- 2" long. No matter how big they become, it take an average of 1-2 months for a cockroach to become an adult.
Like some humans, when they become adults they start taking a liking to alcohol. Similar to other insects, roaches are drawn to alcohol, especially beer. We believe that they are attracted to hops and sugar. To prevent cockroaches, make sure your alcohol is locked up! On top of keeping your drinks sealed, it is smart to keep food stored properly and clean trash build up daily. You can also seek and seal cracks and holes in your home and keep your home ventilated and dry (including crawl spaces, basements, etc.)
If you have seen cockroaches, or suspect their presence in or on your commercial or residential property, contact Fortified Pest Management, LLC. We will perform a thorough inspection for cockroaches and formulate a custom plan of action to remove these spiders and prevent their return!
