Both German roaches and American roaches can be found in home kitchens around Austin

Most people aren’t interested in talking about roaches, but we love it! Besides making us a bit strange, our interest in these creepy crawlers is crucial to properly identify and handle the bugs. There are a variety of cockroaches in and around Austin, so correctly identifying them is the key factor to eradicate these unwanted pests.

We find out the type of roach you have and then offer a targeted service to handle them. It involves a combination of precise inside and outside treatment as well as applying products under the structure if needed, for homes that are built on a pier and beam foundation for example. Regardless of the pest and method used, all of our services are people and pet-friendly.

In Austin, there are two primary types of roaches. The first, and most common, is the American roach.

American Roaches

This is a large, around 1.5 inches or longer, reddish-brown winged cockroach. Yes, they can fly, and yes we understand that for most people that is the stuff of nightmares. Luckily, our treatments are thorough, precise and long-lasting. We even guarantee you won’t see a lively, active roach during our warranty period, or we’ll come back out to re-treat them at no charge.

Roach Prevention Tips

The American roach lives outdoors but can come inside to seek food or water. It is a scavenger. It will eat just about any organic matter. Compost tumblers, for example, are one such area where they may congregate so you can keep these further away from the home if possible to help reduce intruders. Another preventative factor is to rake up or blow away accumulations of falling leaves and debris near the home, in or around gutters and under your outside decks.

They also like damp areas, so you can check for leaking pipes inside and out and persistent wet areas near the home to help eliminate a conducive environment.

American Roach Treatment

We treat American roaches using our General Pest Service and it warranties against large roaches, small spiders, pill bugs and millipedes.

Get an instant quote for a general pest treatment by calling us at (512) 443-0123, or filling out our easy online pest quote form for an email quote.

Our general treatment will help against all types of roaches, except German, which require a different but equally effective technique.

German Roaches

Another common Austin-area roach is the German roach. It is smaller, usually between ½ inch and 1 inch. These are lighter in color and more tan or brown than the American roach. They have wings, but don’t fly. So while that scary scenario is off the books, these are particularly troublesome bugs because they reproduce quickly and stay very hidden.

German cockroaches (eggs included) can be brought inside by hitchhiking on belongings, appliances, luggage, boxes, or packages. They are often found in apartments or rental properties as a result. One recent customer had purchased antique items from a person whose property was infested. He brought the boxes inside to unpack them and that’s how German roaches came in. Very soon he had a major roach issue with pests that literally crawled out of the woodwork when we started treatment.

They reproduce in large numbers if left untreated and in particular are found in cracks, crevices and any small spaces near food, moisture and warmth. They are seen mainly in kitchens and bathrooms as a result.

Another sign of German roaches is their excrement droppings which look like black pepper, and a general “musty” smell under or around cabinets where they are nesting. The location of their droppings helps to identify treatment areas but it should be removed with a vacuum cleaner or wiping to reduce asthma and allergies in sensitive people.

German Roach Treatment

At Aztec Organic Pest Service we have a highly effective low-toxicity treatment for German roaches. We employ a precise treatment system around cabinets, crevices and drawers using people and pet-friendly safe and non-toxic products that are long-lasting and effective.

If you have a German roach problem, fill out our online form or call us at (512) 443-0123 for a fast quote.