Invasive Turkestan cockroach drives surge in Sacramento-area pest complaints
It's a pest problem many Sacramento homeowners know all too well this time of year, but experts say a relatively new invasive cockroach is helping drive the surge in complaints across the region.
The Turkestan cockroach is an invasive species that's been taking over in the Sacramento region for about the last five years. This cockroach is primarily an exterior roach, but recently, they've been making their way inside.
Entomologists speculate the Turkestan cockroach landed in the United States by way of military equipment coming from the Middle East. The invasive species is now one of the most common roaches found in the Sacramento region.
"We've got bases all over the place. I'd argue this is far more favorable than where they even come from," said Josh Fleenor, president of Pest Pros Pest Solutions.
That's because, he said, Sacramento's warm climate coupled with regular moisture serves as the perfect breeding ground for the Turkestan cockroach.
They're easy to misidentify, which can be a problem because different species require different extermination techniques.
"Traditional methods for treating exterior roaches aren't as effective on these guys as, say, oriental roaches that we used to deal with consistently," Fleenor said.
Fleenor has been in the industry for 26 years and said their phones have been ringing off the hook recently for the Turkestan cockroach. He suspects our past few milder winters might have something to do with it.
"They tolerate the heat fairly well, to a certain extent. It starts getting warm enough they're going to push inside. However, they do not tolerate the cold weather well at all. So if we get to freezing temperatures, you're going to see a population drop," he said.
But it's not just the weather helping these pests spread. Fleenor said rapid development is creating the ideal habitat for the roaches to thrive.
"We're building all over the place –– West Roseville, Elk Grove, all over. We're creating these new communities with new lawns and lots of moisture and new irrigation boxes," Fleenor said.
The cockroaches are most commonly found in irrigation boxes, but also within cracks in the concrete, underneath bark, in leaves and in drains. And the pests will even enter homes if they're in search of water.
"There was an exterior cockroach season, but we're getting calls January through December, all year," Fleenor said.
Experts say the best defense is prevention. Eliminate standing water, patch up any leaky pipes and seal your entryways because with Turkestan cockroaches, the one you see is a sign of a much larger population nearby.
