Cockroach Control
in Merion Station, Pennsylvania

Merion Station’s stunning architecture doesn’t protect it from pest activity. A stroll through tree-lined streets and carefully cultivated green spaces like Merion Botanical Park or General Wayne Park might make it seem like cockroaches wouldn’t be a concern. However, they’re highly active during the spring and summer months when humidity and heat rise.

Viking Pest partners with property owners in Merion Station to minimize pest activity and keep cockroaches outdoors where they belong.

Identifying Common Cockroaches in Merion Station

It’s spring or summer and you just spotted a scurrying bug skitter under your fridge. Was it a cockroach? If it had a flattish, oval-shaped body and long antennae, it might have been.

In Merion Station, most cockroach infestations are caused by:

• German cockroaches: These small, light brown insects often lurk in kitchens, scavenging for water and food.
• American cockroaches: An American cockroach is much larger, often reaching 2 inches long. They’re reddish brown and prefer damp areas like basements.
• Oriental cockroaches: These 1-inch, dark brown or black, flightless insects look for high-moisture areas to call home. They’re sometimes called water bugs.

Spotting an Active Cockroach Infestation

Because cockroaches are sneaky and hide in dark spaces, they’re hard to spot. You’re much more likely to notice signs such as:

• Shed exoskeletons: Cockroaches shed their outer shells as they grow, leaving a translucent husk behind.
• Droppings: These can range from brown smears to a material resembling coffee grounds or cylindrical pellets.
• Egg capsules: A cockroach lays its eggs in a capsule called an ootheca in dark, hidden places. It looks like a small brown pill or bean. However, German cockroaches carry their egg case until hatching.
• Chewing signs: These pests eat anything organic. If you notice chewed-up paper, leather, or other items, it could have been their next meal.
• Musty smells: Cockroaches leave a musty, greasy scent behind as their body oils and waste build up on surfaces.
• Live insects: Cockroaches prefer to stay in dark spaces, but you might spot them behind appliances or under cabinets.

How Cockroach Infestations Spread

Most often, cockroaches infiltrate your home through small gaps in your walls or foundation. If they find your home suitable, they may reproduce rapidly. Within months, a few stray insects can become thousands. Infestations also often spread from unit to unit in multifamily properties and offices, passing through pipes, vents and walls.

Preventing a Cockroach Infestation

Preventing an infestation is usually easier than treating one. It just takes a good maintenance routine to make your property less hospitable:

• Clean regularly, preventing food waste and standing water from accumulating.
• Sweep behind large appliances monthly.
• Check your plumbing for leaks regularly and repair any promptly.
• Fit your faucets with screens and drains with stoppers to prevent entrance through pipes.

It’s also wise to treat your property regularly. Contact Viking Pest for cockroach control in Merion Station.

The Merion Station Cockroach Exterminators You Can Trust

Viking Pest uses state-of-the-art products to keep cockroach infestations at bay. Whether we’re helping with preventative treatments or performing a cockroach nest removal in Merion Station, we send local experts to get the job done right the first time. Contact us for your free, no-obligation quote today!