Life Cycle of Cockroaches

Cockroaches are some of the hardiest creatures on the planet. They are known to survive in difficult conditions and as a result they can be difficult to eliminate them from your home. Many roaches will wander into your home looking for food and water and if they find it they will stay. Understanding the life cycle of roaches can help you understand the steps that you need to take to eliminate them.

Eggs

Roaches will lay eggs in pouches called ootheca. Each of these pouches can hold between 16 to 50 eggs. The number of eggs is determined by the species of roach. Some roaches will deposit this in an area that is close to food while others will carry it on their backs until the roaches hatch. The ootheca are flat and the same color as the roaches.

Nymphs

The eggs hatch about thirty days after they are laid. The nymphs will grow into adults. During this time they will molt and get bigger. You can spot a nymph because they are smaller and often have a white spot in the center of their backs. It can take three to six months for this phase.

Adults

Adult cockroaches can live up to a year. During this time, they will mate multiple times. Some cockroaches will lay eggs up to 90 times. The adult cockroaches may crawl over your dishes or food. Cockroaches live in nests in small spaces. They like refrigerators and rooms that have water.

Since cockroaches can multiply so quickly. A severe infestation can cause issues with people who have allergies or asthma. They can also spread disease. The nests are difficult to find on your own. A professional can help you effectively eliminate the roaches in your home. Contact the experts at EcoTek to learn about the different treatment plans available to you.

Learn more about cockroach extermination from Ecotek Termite and Pest Control of Virginia Beach: https://virginia-beach.ecotektermiteandpest.com/pest-control-services/cockroaches/

10 Facts About Cockroaches

Cockroaches are most people’s nightmare. The idea of them invading your home and crawling across you dishes and plates can be horrifying. However, some people find them fascinating. Here are ten fact about cockroaches that you may not know.

1. The world’s largest cockroach can grow up to six inches long It is reported to have a wingspan of a foot. However in the United States the largest cockroaches, also called Palmetto bugs, can grow up to two inches long. Most roaches that you find in your home are about a ½ inch long.


2. Cockroaches have been on the earth as long as dinosaurs and possibly even longer. The earliest roach fossils are estimated to be 350 million years old. Roaches manage to survive in very difficult circumstances, which is one of the reasons they are so difficult to get rid of.


3. Cockroaches are fast for their size. They can run up to three miles an hour, which can make them difficult to catch and kill with a shoe or a fly swat.


4. Cockroaches breathe through holes in their shell, which means they can live up to a week without a head. They do need water, and without a head they cannot drink. They can only go a week without water.


5. Cockroaches multiply rapidly. Roaches lay their eggs in ootheca. Depending on the species there can be between 16-50 eggs in each ootheca. A roach can lay up to 90 ootheca in a lifetime. This multiplies quickly. Add to this to the fact that the eggs only take about a month to hatch and you can see how quickly this can turn into an infestation.


6. There are currently over 4500 species of roaches. Not all of them are considered pests. The most common varieties considered pests in the United states are the German, Oriental and American cockroach.


7. Cockroaches are not considered native to North America. People estimate that the first roaches came to America in 1625 on a ship from Africa. The species is able t adapt to most conditions and quickly began to thrive in the United States.


8. Some cockroaches can fly, but not all roaches do. In the United States, the Palmetto or American roaches fly. Other roaches can glide or use their wings t balance while the jump.


9. Roaches can go up to a month without eating, but they do need a steady source of water. They can only survive a week without taking a drink.


10. A new type of roach, the Turkestan roach, is starting to invade the United States. These can multiply more rapidly than other species and is a growing concern, especially in the southwest.

While there are some interesting facts about roaches, it does not make the idea of an infestation any more appealing. If you see roaches, it is important to act quickly to limit your exposure to the diseases they can spread. The pest way to deal with an infestation is to call the experts at EcoTek.

Learn more about cockroach extermination: https://www.ecotektermiteandpest.com/pest-control-services/cockroaches/

8 Facts About Ants

Ants are prevalent throughout the world. The industrious insects work together to form a colony. Many people are fascinated by ants and all that they do. Here are 10 interesting facts about ants.

1. Queens Rule the Colony

The queen’s primary purpose is to lay eggs for the colony. The worker ants will bring the queen food and take care of her needs. If they need to evacuate, the ants will even carry the queen so that she does not move. Queens can live up to 15 years.

2. Tons of Ants

There are over 10,000 trillion ants throughout the world. There are estimates that the total weight of ants throughout the world is about equal to the total weight of humans in the world.

3. 12,000 Species of Ants

There are 12,000 species of ants throughout the world. Some ants are aggressive like the fire ant and army ant, while others are more focused on building a colony like a harvester ant or black garden ant.

4. Ants Vary in Size

The carebara atoma are the world’s smallest ants. They are about one millimeter long. The biggest ant is the camponontus gigas and their heads can be up to seven millimeters wide.

5. Lots of Eggs

A queen ant can lay up to 300,000 eggs in just a few days. Since queen ants can live up to 15 years that means she can lay millions and millions of eggs while she is alive.

6. Ants Have Super Colonies

Ant colonies can vary in size from species to species. However, there are super colonies that can have several queens and a large number of worker ants. According to Wikipedia, the largest ant colony is in Southern Europe that one super ant colony had millions of nests stretched along 3,731 miles of shore.

7. Ants Can Carry 3 Times Their Own Weight

Although very small, ants are very strong. They can carry up to three times their own weight. Ants will also work together to carry heavy objects.

8. Ants Have Hive Minds

Ants have a unique hive mind that allows them to communicate with each other and work together. The idea of a hive mind has been the basis of many science fiction stories, but ants seem to pull it off without any of the related fears and concerns.

Although ants are interesting creatures, they are not as fascinating when they are invading your home or kitchen. It is important to stop ants as soon as you see them since more are sure to follow. The experts at EcoTek Pest and Termite Control can stop the ants from invading your home.

Contact EcoTek for a free inspection and estimate, or learn more about ant extermination: https://www.ecotektermiteandpest.com/pest-control-services/ants/

5 Ways to Prevent Ants

Ants are a common household pest. If you see just one, many more are sure to follow until you see a steady stream of ants moving in and out of your home all day long. It is important to prevent ants from coming in your home. Here are five steps you can take to stop ants from invading your home.

1. Seal Windows and Other Cracks

Ants can come in your home through the smallest cracks around your windows or under your door. You can use caulk to seal the areas around your windows. You can add a plastic weather seal to your doors to make sure they are closing tightly. This has the bonus of stopping drafts too. It is important to remember that even the smallest space can allow ants in. Trace the ants back to the source to figure out where you need to apply additional caulking for deal with cracks.

2. Keep It Clean

Ants are coming in to your home in search of food. If the ants do not find anything to eat they will not come back. Be sure to store your food securely so that they do not get into it. Additionally, make sure you keep your kitchen and other areas clean. Wiping down your counters after you prepare food and doing the dishes right away will mean that the ants will not find anything to eat and will not come into your home. Sweeping in your kitchen and limiting the areas where you allow food in your home can also help, as well as taking out your trash each night.

3. Fix Your Plumbing

Ants are also looking for a steady source of water. A dripping faucet or leaking pipes may be just what they are looking for. If you find any area with a small, slow leak, be sure to address it before it becomes a serious problem. It may be as simple as changing out a washer in your faucet. If you think there may be more serious leaks, you can call a plumber to complete an inspection for you.

4. Put Up Barriers

You can put up barriers to keep ants out of your home. This can be as simply as applying a desiccant powder around your home or in front of doors or other areas where ants may be coming into the home. You can place animal safe ant traps around the exterior of your home to prevent them from coming into your home.  Salt is another option that will not harm your pets or children. It is not quite as effective as desiccant powder, but it also dries out the ants.

5. Stop the Problem Before It Becomes Serious

If you do see ants, the best way to get rid of them for good is to kill the queen. There are a variety of traps and sprays that can do this, but if you have pets or small children, you may be worried about leaving these out. The best solution is to call the professionals at EcoTek to come in and deal with the issue for you. EcoTek offers free inspections and estimates to help you deal with any unwelcome pests in and around your home.

Learn more about ant extermination: https://virginia-beach.ecotektermiteandpest.com/pest-control-services/ants/

 

Life Cycle of Ants

Ants are fascinating insects. They work together in colonies and can build extensive tunneling systems. Ants form a unique society structure working together. Many people are fascinated by the building that they do and may have an ant farm to watch it happen. Here are the four stages of an ant’s life

Eggs

Ants begin as eggs. The queen will lay all the eggs for the colony. There are workers that watch over the eggs and protect them. The eggs are very small and a queen can lay up to 300,000 eggs in just a few days.

Larvae

Once the eggs hatch, the ant larvae emerge. These are small soft insects. They are about the size of a period when they are first born. They will molt and grow several times as larvae. They will eat food that he adult ants chew up for them and give them.

Pupae

Once the ants have matured, they will spin themselves into a cocoon and develop into adult ants. At this stage, they are called pupae. Not all species will spin the cocoon. During this time, the ants will darken from white into black or brown. They will develop legs and antennae during this stage, but they are folded against the body.

Adults

Adult ants will continue to darken as they get older. The ants will be divided into workers, male ants or queens. The worker ants will take on specific jobs in the colony including foraging, building and caring for the younger ants. Most worker ants will live between one to three years. The male ants will mate with the queen for a few weeks, and then they will die. The queen will lay all the eggs for the colony. Usually a queen is larger than the other ants and will live much longer—up to fifteen years.

While ants are fascinating creatures, they can lose their appeal when they are invading your home and kitchen. If you notice an ant in your home, more are likely to follow as they seek out food and water to sustain the colony. To solve your ant problem, you must kill the entire colony. The experts at EcoTek Termite and Pest Control can help eliminate the colony and stop the ants from coming back.

Contact EcoTek for a free inspection and estimate, or learn more about ant extermination: https://manassas.ecotektermiteandpest.com/pest-control-services/ants/

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