What You Need to Know About Roaches in Hawaii

Even though Hawaii is a tropical paradise brimming with home and business owners enjoying the diversity of the state’s environment, it is also a haven for cockroaches that also like what the state has to offer. With more than a dozen of the crawling, and sometimes flying, pests calling Hawaii home, chances are you’ll see them in and around your property.

There are several species of roaches in Hawaii that stand out among the crowd. These include the American cockroach, German cockroach, brown-banded cockroach, and the Surinam cockroach. The American and Surinam species prefer the outdoors, and the German and brown-banded are more domestic preferring indoor habitats. The German cockroach is highly active in Oahu. The least common of the roaches in Oahu is the brown-banded.

Cockroaches have preferences on where they like to hide, but seek out places that offer food, water, and shelter. Places where you are likely to encounter cockroaches include bakeries, grocery stores, restaurants, storm drains, and sewers. In the home, they are likely to be found in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.

Since Hawaii is a tropical state, the warm temperatures and moisture from trade winds coming in from the Pacific make the environment a cozy oasis for cockroach activity. The rainy season generally runs from October to April bringing plenty of moisture. From May to September, it is generally drier.

There are several visual signs that indicate a cockroach infestation. These include:

  • Seeing live roaches in areas such as the kitchen or bathroom where water or food is available.
  • Signs of shed roach skin.
  • Egg capsules.
  • Damage to food packaging, holes in clothing and materials such as leather.
  • Tiny droppings left behind by the pests.
  • A damp musty odor permeating the air.
  • Smear markings also left by the pests.

Dangers Cockroaches Pose

Cockroaches are wary insects that are usually seen most often at night while it’s dark, and they can explore in search of provisions. Flip on a light switch, and you may see one or more running to escape the light. The pests prefer dark and cozy places but are known to be visible, and active, during the day.

Because cockroaches travel through many types of environments, including sewers, drains, and toilets, they may be carrying a variety of pathogens and diseases. Pacific cockroaches may be carriers of polio and typhoid, salmonella, and E.coli, as well as allergens, which can be dangerous for those suffering with asthma.

Tips for Dealing with Cockroaches

To dissuade cockroaches being attracted to your home, there are a few basic things to do that can help such as taking the garbage out versus leaving it in the home, removing food crumbs from countertops and the floor, not leaving dishes unwashed, and rinsing out empty food containers and cans. Periodic spraying with bug spray or setting bait traps can help but, in most cases, it won’t resolve the problem. Caulking around windows to seal any cracks and crevices, replacing the weather-stripping around doors, and sealing any areas around water pipes will help keep cockroaches outside.

While these tips can have an impact, the most complete program to help with cockroach removal and prevention, both inside and outside, is securing the professional services of Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions.

Protection When You Need It from Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions

When six-legged uninvited guests invade your property, and you need to send them packing, call us for fast, efficient, and effective help. With our QualityPro certified technicians on the job, they’ll inspect the property, create a plan of action, then put the plan in motion. Our goal is to resolve the current infestation problem and help prevent pests from returning for another short term or extended stay.

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