Photo Album: Cockroach infestation in Wickatunk, NJ

Two Cowleys pest control technicians were dispatched to a home in Wickatunk to resolve a heavy roach infestation. Roaches rank as one of the most repulsive insects that can invade our homes, right up there with biting bed bugs. What attracts roaches inside our homes? The major attractant for roaches is food. And not just human food. Roaches will eat whatever is available to eat, and that may be pet food, bird seed, cardboard, and even hair, dead skin cells that have flaked off in the shower, grease, and sewage. No one why these bugs creep us out!

Fecal matter from roaches in Wickatunk, NJ

Our inspection indicated that there was heavy roach activity. We noticed activity soon as we open the cabinet door, underneath the bar inside the kitchen), and behind the refrigerator. Roach activity was not limited to the kitchen area. In the living room, we found fecal stains. In fact, by the time we were called to this home, there was extensive roach activity throughout, including the bedrooms and bathroom.

Underneath the bar inside the kitchen

We searched high and low for roach activity.

Roach activity in cabinet

Unfortunately, these persistent, resilient insects are one of the more challenging insects to get rid of. Because of their fast growth rate and reproduction cycle, an infestation must be properly treated at the first sign of trouble. Because roaches are nocturnal and forage for food at night, you often see signs of a roach infestation before running into live roaches. Signs of roaches in your home are: roach droppings (ranging in size from tiny specs to oval pellets), roach egg cases (oothecae), and even roach smells - roaches can produce a pungent odor and dead roaches will start smelling as they decompose. You usually see live roaches when you turn on the kitchen light and see them on the floor or counters darting off to their dark hiding places. If you do nothing or delay treatment through ineffective DIY remedies, you are sure to have an entrenched infestation in no time.

Cockroaches found in Wickatunk, New Jersey

We talked to the tenant upon arrival. They told us that they tried to handle the situation by themselves, but were unsuccessful. The infestation became worse, and they felt they had no choice but to contact a professional pest control service. It's an all too common scenario: homeowners or tenants try to take care of the infestation on their own and their "treatments" are either ineffective or make matters worse and spread the infestation. When it comes to a roach infestation, you are much better off using a a pest control service as the first resort, not last resort.

Cockroaches everywhere in Wickatunk

A full inspection revealed extremely heavy infestation.

Behind the refrigerator is a cockroach home

Roach evidence.

Treating the cockroach infestation

This was a job where we needed to use applications requiring the tenants to leave their home and not return for five hours. My partner and I suited up, ready to tackle the challenge at hand. As I proceeded to micro inject the home focusing on the cracks and crevices, my partner treated the home with a chemical application. With the two of us simultaneously delivering a deadly "one-two punch," the roaches didn't stand a chance. They knew the jig was up and came out from every nook and cranny. They had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. My partner and I achieved the result we wanted: an absolute knockdown of the infestation. After our two week follow-up visit to re-assess the infestation and provide any other needed treatments, we are confident that this roach infestation will be completely gone. No matter what, we will deal with this job until the infestation is gone and this home is roach-free.

Preparing to treat the infestation in Wickatunk, NJ

Sometimes, even if you keep your home and kitchen are kept spotless, you can still wind up with a roach infestation. Roaches or roach eggs may be inadvertently hidden in boxes or paper bags brought into the home. Those who live in high density buildings are at the mercy of their neighbors, and once they are in a building and their population increases, they'll spread out from unit to unit in search of food. Finally, roaches are a health hazard. They carry diseases, cause allergic reactions, and contaminate food with their wastes.