SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When Pointer Pest Control gets a call in the springtime, chances are it’s because of cockroaches.
Since early May, Eduardo Saucedo and his dad have been on the road chasing roaches from Elk Grove to Rocklin and everything in between.
“In the past five years, we’ve seen an uptick but the last two, it’s been getting worse and worse,” Saucedo said.
Cockroaches are native to the Sacramento Valley, and Saucedo said they used to live in fields and wetlands but have recently found a literal pipeline to the residential areas.
“Primarily, these are going to be sewer roaches that are coming out of the sewers, on to people’s lawns then in to the home,” Saucedo said.
As we move into summer, cockroach sightings increase.
UC Davis Professor and entomologist Lynn Kimsey, with the Bohart Museum, said there’s a reason for that.
“When it dries out, it forces them out in to the open, looking for places that have water,” Kimsey said.
However, the dry hot temperatures are only part of the reason Californians are seeing more cockroaches in their home. The other reason is due to two exotic cockroach species that have been introduced to the population.
“The Oriental cockroach, which is an awful name, and the Turkestan cockroach... these are two introduced roaches, and you can thank the pet industry for them because they are used as feeder roaches for pets. And people can be kind of carless with those things, and that’s how they got lose,” Kimsey said.
It’s a well-known fact that it is very difficult to kill cockroaches.
Professional and over-the-counter pesticides do help but most pest control companies advise customers that a clean house and clean yard is the best way to prevent the insects from coming into the house.
“We are never going to get rid of them 100%. We just want to keep them out of your house,” Saucedo said.
It may seem obvious but simply cleaning will help prevent roaches from coming inside. So, clean the food off your tables, take out the trash and remove any yard debris. Do that and you might be able to keep the roaches off your property.
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