Why Cockroaches Love New Jersey

There are two things cockroaches love more than bacteria, and that is moisture and heat. On a hot summer day in Jersey, roaches thrive. You may even see one take flight. If you do, you should know that you’re looking at one happy cockroach. Roaches that have the ability to fly rarely do so. It takes a lot of energy. The sighting of a flying cockroach is an indication that the temperature and humidity are ideal. But, surprisingly, it isn’t the climate that cockroaches love most about New Jersey. It’s the urban sprawl. Roaches love living with humans. And that’s what makes them a year-round pest problem. Here’s what you need to know about cockroaches in every season.

Summer

The height of cockroach season is the hot summer months. This is when you’re most likely to have cockroaches enter your yard.

• Make sure you put trash bags in sealed containers, even if you store trash in your garage. Cockroaches can smell your trash from quite a distance.
• Cockroaches are always looking for places to hide. One place they prefer is under objects that block out the sunlight. This is because these locations are dark and usually moist. Remove objects from your lawn to reduce cockroach harborage.
• If you have compost, make sure it is away from your home.

Fall

When it starts to get cold, cockroaches start looking for a place to hide from the cold. For this reason, our fall prevention tips will focus on exclusion.

• Inspect your foundation walls and apply a sealant to seal cracks or gaps.
• Inspect your exterior walls and door frames. If you see a hole, fill it in or patch it.
• Inspect your door and window screens and repair or replace damaged screens.
• Inspect weather stripping on sliding doors and make sure the bristles are not dented or damaged. It doesn’t take much of a gap for a cockroach to squeeze through.

Winter

Do you know that you can get a cockroach infestation in the dead of winter? Here are some ways it could happen.

• Cockroaches have an affinity for getting into stored boxes. This could allow stowaway cockroaches to enter your home like soldiers in a Trojan horse. If you buy something online, be sure to do a detailed check of your boxes.
• If you buy some groceries in bulk, you might bring cockroaches in. Stored boxes that have food in them are especially susceptible to a cockroach infestation.
• Some female cockroaches keep their eggs on their backs. If a roach is stepped on, these eggs can get into sneaker treads. If those eggs rub off on your carpet, they could hatch and begin an infestation in your home. In the winter, this is more likely if boots or sneakers are thrown into a bag and carried home.
• If your kids have a sleepover, roaches could come home in the items they brought with them.

Spring

In spring, all the bugs in New Jersey come back out to play, including cockroaches. It is also the wettest time of year. Since roaches are fond of wetness, these tips will focus on how to keep things dry.

• Fix any plumbing leaks outside.
• Fix any issues with your gutter system or downspouts to make sure rainwater channels away from your foundation walls.
• Trim bushes and trees to allow sunlight to dry your foundation perimeter.
• Loosen any compact ground.
• In spring (or fall) it is important to rake leaves. Leaf canopies offer the perfect harborage for cockroaches.

How Year-Round Pest Control Fits Into The Picture

If you apply the tips above, you can make your home and yard less interesting to cockroaches and make it more difficult for them to get into your home, but sometimes it can be a challenge to control moisture, food options, and harborage. This is where a pest management professional (PMP) can help. Your PMP can apply products to vulnerable locations to ensure full exclusion of cockroaches and help to keep roach populations low in your yard so that, in fall, you’re going to have fewer cockroaches exploring your walls in search of a place to hide from the cold.

If you’ve had enough of cockroaches getting into your New Jersey home, reach out to us to request a free inspection from ChemTec Pest Control. Our QualityPro Certified team uses industry-leading pest management methods and products to stop cockroaches, and other household pests, every time.