You may have heard that cockroaches are nocturnal, but have you ever wondered why? As it turns out, they have specific activity rhythms where they tend to be inactive during the day and start to hunt for food at night. This usually happens around 4 hours after the lights go out. They emerge to feed on whatever they can find in your house including food that’s been left out, pet food in a dish, crumbs on the floor, garbage, sludge between the stove and counter, or any other source of fresh or rotting food matter.

Do they come out during the day? Yes. If you are seeing cockroaches during the day, it is a good indication that you have a significant infestation. Daytime activity usually means that food sources are limited for the population of cockroaches present. So, those roaches are forced to hunt for a meal at less-than-ideal times.

Signs You Have Cockroaches in Your Home

If you see a tiny, tan, or brown cockroach that has two dark lines on its back just below its head, you should know that you have a German cockroach infestation and that it is time to call a professional. It doesn’t take long for an infestation of German cockroaches to get out of hand. Some other signs to look for are:

• While German cockroaches are mostly nocturnal, you’re likely to see a roach here and there during the day if you have an infestation. If you see one tiny roach now and again, you need to understand that there may be an infestation.
• If you have cockroaches, you should notice tiny black droppings stuck to surfaces or littered on the floor in secluded locations. Use a flashlight to peer into tight spaces. Roaches prefer tight spaces where their backs and their bellies can touch hard surfaces at the same time.
• If you have roaches in your home or business, you’re likely to start smelling them before you see them. This smell is most often described as oily or musty. If you’re detecting a smell you would call “nasty,” coming from a storage room, you should definitely take a closer look.
• Female German cockroaches carry their eggs until a day or two before those eggs hatch. So, you aren’t likely to see eggs lying around but you will see egg cases if you have an infestation.

Professional Roach Removal You Can Count On

If you are dealing with roaches, the professionals at Rottler are standing by to assist you with industry-leading pest control. Schedule your free inspection today!