Here in Honolulu, we’ve got a lot going for us: scenic mountains, beautiful beaches, and a thriving restaurant scene and nightlife. Two things we don’t have are harsh winters and a dry climate – two things that make it harder for cockroaches to reproduce uninhibited. That means roaches can pose a serious problem for Hawaii homeowners, especially here in Honolulu where there are so many buildings to shelter them and kitchens and garbage cans to feed them. Far from being just a nuisance, roaches pack a perilous pathogenic punch. So let’s talk about a few ways to keep these pests away from you.
Cockroaches In Hawaii
Hawaii has over a dozen species of cockroaches, but the most common home infesters are the German, Oriental, and American cockroaches. German roaches are the smallest and are usually lighter in color. Oriental cockroaches are usually the darkest in color. Meanwhile, American cockroaches are the largest of the three – and by a long shot. The American cockroach can grow to over two inches long. While all these roaches look different, seeing any of them probably won’t be the first sign you have an infestation. Roaches are good at hiding, so you might notice a lot of other signs of a roach problem before you see a roach itself. Aside from live roaches, you could see things like:
- Roach droppings (these look like tiny coffee grounds)
- Egg capsules (these look like very small pills instead of individual eggs)
- Smear marks from roaches crawling through the water
- Shed roach skins or wings
- Musty or foul odor
- Bite marks on food packaging from roaches chewing through to get inside the wrapper
Cockroach Prevention
Cockroaches are truly one of the most disgusting pests on the planet. They love to hang out in warm, moist, dark places, and they aren’t picky. Dumpsters, compost heaps, sewers, and even rotting corpses are some of their favorite haunts. When they come into your home after hanging around these spots, they bring all kinds of pathogens with them, including deadly ones like typhoid fever, salmonella, cholera, and dysentery. With that in mind, it’s safe to say you don’t want these buggers in your house! To keep them out, take measures like:
- Pay Attention To Sanitation: Cockroaches aren’t into cleanliness. Clearing clutter leaves them nowhere to hide. Washing dirty dishes right away leaves them with no food in the kitchen sink. Keeping trash in covered garbage cans prevents them from accessing edible refuse. And vacuuming sucks up crumbs they could otherwise eat.
- Limit Access: Reduce roaches’ ability to access your foods by keeping them in the fridge or hard plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. Never leave things like fruit bowls or cookie plates just sitting out. Inspect your house thoroughly and seal any cracks or holes you find in the exterior, including tears in window screens and gaps under doors. Remember, no hole is too small for roaches – they can squeeze their bodies into some pretty shocking places.
If these measures don’t work, cockroaches can be tough bugs to convince to bugger off. They breed insanely fast (so fast it should be called breeding like cockroaches instead of breeding like bunny rabbits), and they can fly under the radar until their numbers are so great homeowners can do little to reduce them. Luckily, you don’t have to go it alone.
Here at Able Pest Management, we’ve been dealing with a host of Hawaiian pests for over 20 years. Customer satisfaction is our #1 goal, and we focus on cultivating relationships with our clients as much as getting rid of their pest problems.