Boy, this week’s “dog-blog” title is a bit confusing isn’t it? I’m down here working on my Bedbug detection certificate and I was actually pulled from training. The Termite detection trainers here at the Academy got together and thought it would be a good idea to let me spend a few days with the current Termite detection class. I was flattered when they asked me. They said I was so far ahead of the others in my bedbug training that given my classroom grades, and my field exercise grading; I am a shoe-in for reaching my goal of graduating #1 in my Bedbug detection class. All I have to do is max out on my finals and my mission to be #1 or “Magna Bark Loudly” of my Bedbug Detection class will be accomplished. I’ve worked extra hard for this and it’s paid off!

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I mentioned a few weeks ago that every morning we have a 2-mile run/walk followed by a 100-yard dash. I told you us Terriers clobber the Beagles and other breeds in the dash and that I was finishing consistently in the top 5. Well, I don’t know if it is the special diet they are giving us or the fact I am running more now than I have in years and in super good shape; but I am now 1st or 2nd every morning in the dash. It’s either me or my pal “Skipper”, another Terrier. He’s a great little guy and fast as a bullet. He says I amaze him being a little older and all, and I bark at him that a lot of it is between my floppy ears. One day he’ll understand what that means.

Bill Whitstine, the owner of the Florida Canine Academy, is also the head Termite trainer and head Bedbug trainer. There is nothing like learning from the best and Bill is the best. Bill was very patient with me when I first arrived here years ago straight from the dog pound. He saved my life, as he has saved the lives of hundreds of dogs that have graduated from this Academy. Once I met Daddy Nick and Mama Gena and realized my destiny was; I was going to be an important part of a loving Lupini family, as well as, an active player in the Loyal Termite and Pest Control corporate family, I was determined to be the absolute best K-9 Termite Detective I could be.

Like I said, Bill is a smart guy. He knows that I will not only train this termite class in the nuts and bolts of being a good Termite Detective but will also instill the importance of loving your family and the company you are working for. I have barked at them that when sniffing for termites turn off all other thoughts and only concentrate on the mission at hand. Sniff hard for that sweet like smell of the termite pheromones and let your handler know immediately at the first sign of detection. The key to being a top Termite Detective is total dedication; dedication to family, your company, and your company’s customers. I think Mike felt no one could get this point across to his current K-9 Termite Detection class better than me. I thank Bill for this unique opportunity.

More to come in next week’s report from me, Hunter, Loyal Termite, and Pest Control’s K-9 Termite (and soon to be Bedbug) Detective. Have a great week, Ruff! Ruff!

As you all know; the 4th of July weekend was big time fun here at the Academy. It was great to see my old pals at the termite class reunion and I hope we can all get together and run and play again soon. It is now, however; time to get back to business and continue my training and studying for my Bed-bug Detective Certificate. Here is a little background on why this issue is so important to me, hence this training, and why Loyal Termite and Pest Control must be heavily involved in this war against bed-bugs.

I’ve known for quite a while how bed-bug activity and residential and commercial infestations of bed-bugs have been on the rise over these past several years. Daddy Nick and Mama Gena explained it all to me around a warm fire when we went camping a few years ago. They told me that due to a combination of circumstances; America’s bed-bug dilemma has turned into a real pandemic. Bed-bugs prior to the development of DDT and many other harmful chemical products were as prevalent as we are seeing today. The use of these dangerous chemicals in the late fifties and through the sixties; as good as wiped the bed-bug species off the face of the earth!

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There is no telling; however, how many lives; human and animal (pet dogs, cats, and birds) were adversely affected (died) by coming in close contact with these chemicals. World governing bodies eventually outlawed specific chemicals known to be harmful to humankind. With that proclamation, time and evolution have allowed the resurgence of a special bed-bug strain resistant to many of the less harmful chemical products. It has been a world challenge on how to gain some kind of control of the bed-bug problem.

In recent years; more effective treatment products and techniques have been developed and we are beginning to get a grip on the problem.

Because of heavy international travel; bed-bug populations have re-established throughout the world. Once bedbugs establish themselves in a home, motel/hotel, or any other environment where there is a dependable food source (blood), bed-bugs have the ability to hide out and are very hard to find by a man/woman and his/her flashlight.

We dogs and the magic of our keen sense of smell could be the ultimate answer in bringing this bed-bug pandemic under control. The bed-bug detection training at this Academy is second to none. In just a short while I am money when it comes to finding bed bugs. I can’t seem to get their musty smell out of my mind at night. We, trainees, have developed an obsession in finding where the very last bed-bug adult, larvae, or egg is hiding.

In my next report, I’ll get into some more bed-bug specifics. This is information that Daddy Nick is paying this Academy very good money for; so I can become as much an expert in bed-bug detection as I am in termite detection.

Stay tuned; in my next “dog-blog” I will share with you some more important facts about bed-bugs. Bed-bugs are very creepy. We, at Loyal Termite and Pest Control, want our current clients and future clients to be as well educated about bed-bugs as is physically possible. Knowledge is power and I want you and our company to have the power over these creepy little bloodsuckers.

When I get back to the RVA I’ll be barking loud and clear; When it comes to termite and pest control, “If you got ‘em, we’ll get ‘em!”

I’ll be barking at you again next week, Ruff! Ruff!

Hello, “dog-blog” friends and fans. Hunter here, reporting from sunny and muggy Florida. I mentioned in my column, “Hunter’s Backyard” in the July ’13 Edition of The Loyal News newsletter, that Bill Whitstine, owner and operator of this renowned K-9 Training Academy; surprised me July 4th weekend by inviting back my Termite Detection graduating class. Well, we all had a blast. While the handlers and dog parents enjoyed their social time, we K-9’s chowed down on all the good food and treats brought in by the participants. It was great to frolic, run, and sniff around with my old pals. We played Frisbie and all kinds of competitive fetch games. It is important to note; the Academy provided a continual water source for us, so we were all well hydrated and free to let it all hand out in our games and free play. Remember; please keep your dogs well hydrated!

I can’t remember when I’ve had so much fun. Thank you to Bill, for making it all happen and having this special event in my honor. What he said about me at the Saturday Night banquet; “the most intelligent, hard-working, and naturally talented detection dog to ever graduate from the Academy”; made me a bit embarrassed; however, I am very proud of my accomplishments down here. All the dogs in attendance barked, “Hunter, Hunter”, repeatedly. It was quite a scene. The whole weekend was great fun! I just wish Daddy Nick and Mama Gena could have been down here; however, Mama Gena’s ankle brake kept them from attending. I miss them a bunch.

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As you can imagine, I have been very busy here at the Florida K-9 Training Academy going through all the exercises necessary to become a K-9 Bedbug Detective. The training is more intense than termite detection because bed bugs can be very elusive. We dogs have to be constantly on top of our game and the field detection training here will make me the best Bed Bug Detective I can be.

As far as the magic of our sense of smell; I have learned a lot. They have exercises where they try to trick us on what we are sniffing (Note: Photo in Header). To me, the difference between the scent of termites and the scent of bedbugs is like night and day. The pheromone scent of a termite is somewhat sweet, where the bedbug scent is mustier like. The trainers will mix up all kinds of scents used in various specialties taught at the school to confuse us. The key for me is to tune out all scents that are not “right on” the mark. Close does not count in this game like it does in Horse Shoes. We are taught to be scent specific to what is the primary challenge at hand. To me, termite detection is second nature, probably because I’ve been doing it for so long. I am now working to have that same sniffing confidence when I go out on a Bed Bug assignment as a K-9 Termite Detective. I am anxious to get back to Loyal Termite and Pest Control and begin my daily duties.

I will keep you informed of my progress in next week’s, What’s Buggin’ You? Stay tuned; testing is right around the corner and you all know I am determined to finish this training no less than #1 in my class. Up to now, it is; so far, so good!

Have a great week! Ruff!! Ruff!!

Thank goodness Daddy Nick gave me this new iPad before I left Richmond. Not only have I been able to email Daddy Nick and Mama Gena daily, but it also enables me to continue writing my weekly blog, “What’s Buggin’ You?” Before I left Richmond on this 9-week adventure to Florida, many of my “dog-blog” fans wrote into our website, www.loyalpest.com, requesting I report back on my blog what is going on down here and give a weekly progress report. Well, I’m not one to let my fans down, so with a little jawboning to Daddy Nick; he ended up springing for this IPad and surprised me with it at the airport before I left. I’m still getting used to it but I like it a lot. Thanks again, Daddy Nick!

Our daily physical routine down here is relentless. In order to be a master at Bed-bug detection, a K-9 has to be in top physical form. A dog’s senses are enhanced if he is in top shape and our job depends on our keen senses.

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Daddy Nick sent me an email with a Channel 6 News feature he did on bed bugs. He is well known locally as a bed bug behavior expert. Bed bugs are currently a national Pandemic and now showing up in homes and businesses like never before. There are 26 dogs in my current K-9 Bed-bug Detective class. I am proud to say we are all rescue dogs, the only dogs the Florida Canine Academy will accept and train. That is a lot of dogs in one class; however, the demand calls for us; all of us. We may be THE answer to putting a stop to, or at least slowing down, this nearly out of control Pandemic! Why, because where ever they hide, and they know how to hide, we will find them.

According to the New York Times, dogs trained to sniff out bed bugs are capable of detecting even a single egg and do so with 96% accuracy. The reason I am here is so when Loyal Termite and Pest Control gets a call from a potential client that bed bugs may be present; I will make sure they are detected properly, our company will then treat thoroughly for them, and then with a follow-up, we will make sure the job is complete.

The majority of my classmates are Beagles and Terriers like me. I am very proud of my breed and how well suited I am for my duty as a Termite Detective and now my pursuit to be the best Bed-bug Detective I can be. Remember, I am determined to graduate “Magna Bark Loudly” (#1) in this class as I did in my Termite class. Here is what the instructor said about us Terriers (my chest is puffed out now): a working dog that enjoys the thrill of the hunt, terriers are self-driven and relentless in the pursuit of their chosen target. Their loyalty to owners and impressive physical strength make them well-suited for a career in detecting bed bugs.

NUFF SAID!!

You know what I’ll be barking when I get back to Ricky-town:

When it comes to termite and pest control; Hunter says,
“If you got ‘em, we’ll get ‘em!”

I’ll bark at you again next week, Ruff! Ruff!

As I said last week; Daddy Nick gave me a nice list of our regional household pests that I have been following along and writing about weekly in my “dog-blog”. Although I am very well educated about the insect world in general, with termites being my specialty, Daddy Nick has exposed me to new species’ that we barely touched on in Termite Detective School.

Hello Loyal friends and “dog-blog” fans; welcome back to my blog “What’s Buggin’ You?” It has been nearly two weeks since I left Richmond, my loving family the Lupinis’, and all my good buddies who work at Loyal Termite and Pest Control. The photo above is me anxiously looking at Daddy Nick at the Richmond Airport before my flight departure for Florida. I’m not much of a flyer. I think that shows in this photo.

If you read my monthly column, “Hunter’s Backyard” in Loyal’s June 2013 edition of our company newsletter, The Loyal News, you know that I am now in Florida on a 9-week adventure. I’m feeling déjà vu all over again being down here at the Florida Canine Academy where I studied and received my certification as a Certified K-9 Termite Detective. Bill Whitstine, who owns the academy, is a Certified Master Trainer (CMT). He is the person responsible for rescuing me from a local Florida pound, taking me in to his renowned academy, training me to sniff out termites while I learned about the world of household pests, and finally making arrangements for me to be adopted by Daddy Nick and Mama Gena Lupini to begin my new life dedicated to my family and their business, Loyal Termite and Pest Control.

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I am tail waggin’ happy to be with him once again and be in this outstanding environment making new friends, learning new things, and going through a strict physical training regiment like never before; in order to become the best duel-threat detection K-9 in Central Virginia. If you remember from my column, I am going through an updated remedial program in termite detection but more importantly, when I finish this program; I will be a Certified K-9 Bed-bug Detective!

To be able to proceed to work with my family and friends at Loyal Termite and Pest Control makes me pant with joy. I can’t wait to get back and go to work, but there is much to learn and much to do before I am ready for that.

I will continue to post my weekly blog on Loyal’s website (www.loyalpest.com) while I am down here in Florida. Today’s technology is amazing! Daddy Nick gave me a new iPad before I left so I can email home and write my blog to keep my friends and fans informed of my progress from week to week.

I do get tired though; it’s up at 5:00 AM every morning, a two-mile run/walk, a hearty and nutritious breakfast; and that is just the beginning of the day. There is so much to learn.

Stay tuned; as I continue my adventure to one day be able to be referred to as Hunter the “Superdog”; a dog-gone smart duel-threat detection dog, dedicated to my work at Loyal Termite and Pest Control, my family (the Lupines’’) and all the future clients we hope to assist in our quest to be the “Best of the Wrest” termite and pest control company in Central Virginia. When I get back I’ll be barking loud and clear:

When it comes to termite and pest control; Hunter says,
“If you got ‘em, we’ll get ‘em!”

I’ll bark at you again next week, Ruff! Ruff!

Hello, Loyal friends and “dog-blog” fans. Thank you for joining me this week for another dose of bug wisdom; brought to you by Loyal Termite and Pest Control and me, Hunter, Central Virginia’s exclusive K-9 Termite Detective.

I mentioned in an earlier blog, I was sitting in Daddy Nick Lupini’s office one day, when I asked him to help me think of fresh subject matter or content, if you will, for my weekly blog. In my past blogs, and in all my future blogs to come; I want to continue to provide you with interesting termite and pest control information. Information that should help you better understand the various household pests found in our Central Virginia Region. Daddy Nick said, “Hold on a minute, Hunter”. He then began to write down a nice long list of ALL of the bugs, insects and other critters our highly trained technicians go on service calls, daily, to get rid of for our clients. It’s from that list that I discovered we service for the Powder Post Beetle. Enjoy!

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The term”powder post” comes from the fact that the larvae of these beetles feed on wood and, given enough time, can reduce that wood to a pile of fine powder. It is because of this behavior, they are considered pests.

Powder post beetle larvae spend months, sometimes years inside wood while developing, feeding mainly on the starch content of the wood. Their presence is only apparent when they emerge as adults; leaving behind pinhole-sized openings often called “shot holes”. They also may leave piles of powdery frass below. Shot holes normally range in diameter from 1/32 inch to 1/8 inch in diameter depending on the species of the beetle. If wood conditions are right, female beetles may lay their eggs and re-infest the wood; continuing the cycle for many years.

Wood preservatives can be used to prevent a beetle infestation. Items that can be infested by powder post beetles include; wooden tools or tool handles, frames, furniture, gun stocks, books, toys, bamboo, flooring, and structural timbers.
If you notice an unusually large amount of “shot holes” in any wood within or around your home you really should call a professional. Can you hear a song coming on? I can!!

Who ya’ gonna’ call? Call LOYAL!! I say, Who ya’ gonna’ call? Call LOYAL!!

Thank you for joining in on one of this old dog’s favorite songs. Until next week, this is Hunter, the best darn termite sniffer-outer in the state; wishing you a happy and prosperous week. I’ll be barking at you again next week, Ruff! Ruff!

When it comes to termite and pest control, Hunter says, “If you got ’em, we’ll get ’em!!”

About 3 months ago I sat down in front of my Daddy Nick Lupini, President of Loyal Termite and Pest Control, and we had a long talk and bark session about my blog and what I should be writing about. This is the 59th Hunter’s Blog, “What’s Buggin’ You?

Since I’ve slowed down a bit working in the field, sniffing out termites, I’ve decided to spend more time concentrating on my blog. It is very important to me that my “dog-blog” fans tune in each week and find some worthwhile value in the subject matter that I write about.

Daddy Nick gave me some sound advice, he said, “We are a pest control company that is very proud to serve the pest control needs of our customers. This geographical region, Central Virginia; is ripe with many, many, different varieties of household pests.” “Hunter, he said, “You’ve done a great job writing about any and all subjects relating to pest control and pest control management. Just stay the course. I’ll give you a list of pesky critters that are on our hit list that you haven’t written about yet. Why don’t you just start with this list? It should keep you busy for several weeks and your readers will continue to enjoy learning everything that is important to know about being a responsible household pest manager.” I always listen to my Daddy Nick. Why? Because I know what side of the bread is buttered? He buys my food and treats, Frisbees and balls! Of course, I listen to my Daddy Nick!

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It started with my 6 part series on cockroaches. I wrote a blog about each of the cockroaches that our local community may encounter during their lifetime. Although the subject matter of cockroaches is not very sexy; we got a lot of feedback from folks that didn’t know, for example, that the brown flying bugs that smack you on your head when you enter the well lit back door of your home at night are; Wood Roaches.

This blog is about the next little critter on my hit list; Clover Mites. If you see a mass quantity of tiny (1/64th of an inch), reddish to olive green, what at first look appear to be tiny spiders, these are Clover Mites.

First; do not be alarmed if you see thousands of these little critters as they are not harmful to people or animals. They do not bite or transmit disease of any kind. It’s just the enormous numbers that people find alarming. If they get into your home; well break out the vacuum cleaner and get after them, being sure to dispose of the bag far away from your home. If they are smashed, they will leave a nasty red stain. I’ve heard stories.

If you want to avoid Clover mites as a nuisance pest altogether, as well as, any other household pest for that matter; take away the elements that they love, that give them a safe haven to live. In this case, they love lush, well-fertilized grass and shrubbery. If you can maintain a barrier where grasses and shrubs are 18’ to 24” from your dwelling, these and many other pests will not become opportunists and enter your home. The pest world opportunists WILL find any cracks in your mortar or open seams around your home’s entry pipes and hoses. Make sure your screens don’t have holes in them. Be responsible and take the time on a pretty spring evening a do a visual walk-around the complete perimeter of our property. If a woodpile or loose wood is too close to your dwelling; move it! If there is standing water; disperse it! If there is a crack or seal that needs to be fixed; fix it!

Stay tuned, as each week I’ll give you an easy to read, in layman’s terms blog on household pests that you, your family, or friends, may encounter this spring a summer.

If you think you may have an infestation of any kind; Who ya’ gonna’ call? Call LOYAL!! I say, Who ya’ gonna’ call? Call LOYAL!!

When it comes to termite and pest control Hunter says; “If you got ‘em, we’ll get ‘em!!”

I’ll bark at you again next week. Ruff! Ruff!

I hope all of you Loyal “dog-blog” fans have been enjoying my series on; Cockroaches Common to our Central Virginia Region. Just kidding; enjoying may be the wrong choice of words; cockroaches are far from sexy creatures. Interested readers may be the correct term in that, if you understand and recognize a cockroach when you see it, by reading my blogs, you will remember the traits and habits of each and know how to handle the situation based on the cockroach species you are dealing with.

Last week you learned about the Wood Roach and their preference to stay outdoors and consume organic matter from wood and plants; where the American, German, and Oriental love to be inside your home in a damp environment, feeding on just about anything that is available. This cockroach blog will be the final in this series; it is focused on the Brown-Banded Cockroach.

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The Brown-banded cockroach is different from the other roaches in both appearance and general habits. Brown-banded cockroaches get their name from the two lighter bands they have across their dark brownish bodies. In addition to the distinctive banding, males have full wings, which reach beyond the tip of their pointed abdomens. Females, however; have underdeveloped wings, much shorter than their broad, rounded abdomens. The lighter band markings are much more distinct in nymphs than in adults of either sex.

Male Brown-banded cockroaches have been known to fly indoors. Among cockroach species, Brown-banded cockroaches have the most distinctions between sexes. They often hide their egg cases in or under furniture.

Within a room, these roaches tend to prefer warmer, drier, and higher locations than do any of the other urban pest roaches. They are often found in upper cabinets or in other rooms other than the kitchen (food preparation areas), or bathrooms.

It is important to know that Brown-banded roaches have been reported to spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria, six kinds of parasitic worms, and at least seven other kinds of human pathogens. They can pick up germs on the spines of their legs and bodies as they crawl through decaying matter or sewage and then carry these to food or to food surfaces. Germs that cockroaches eat from decaying matter or sewage are protected while in their bodies and may remain infective for several weeks longer than if they had been exposed to cleaning agents, rinse water, or just sunlight and air. Recent medical studies have shown that cockroach allergens cause lots of allergic reactions in inner-city children. They were even shown to cause asthma in children. These allergens build up in deposits of droppings, secretions, cast skins and dead bodies of Brown-banded cockroaches.

This last paragraph is not meant to scare you, but to educate you about the fact that cockroaches in general, and the Brown-banded cockroach in particular, can be harmful to your family’s health. If you notice that you have a cockroach infestation of any kind; call a professional.

Now, think of a tune that fits with this jingle; Who ya’ gonna’ call? Call Loyal!! I say, Who ya’ gonna’ call? Call Loyal!! If you are curious as to which tune I’m referring to, review some of my past blogs sponsored by Richmond’s Number #1 pest control company, Loyal Termite and Pest Control. Check into it, and you’ll know where this old dog is coming from.

When it comes to termite and pest control; Hunter says,
“If you got ‘em, we’ll get ‘em!”

Until next time, this is Hunter, Loyal’s very smart (how many dogs do you know that write a weekly blog?), K-9 Termite Detective.

I’ll bark at you later, Ruff! Ruff!

I hope you Loyal readers of my “dog-blog”, What’s Buggin’ You? have been enjoying my series on cockroaches native to our geographical region. This is the 5th installment (counting the introduction to roaches blog) of the 6 part series. Next week’s blog will be about the Brown Bandit Roach. Nice name huh? This blog will give you all you need to know about a bug most of you have seen many times during your lifetime but never knew what the heck it is. This little bugger is the Wood Roach.

The wood roach is often thought to be the cousin of the American roach. Wood roaches eat decaying organic matter and are attracted to light, whereas most roaches run from the light. This fact is the reason I know most of you have seen them and do not know what they are. Question? Have you ever come home at night during the spring and early summer months where your entry door is very well lit with a relatively high wattage white light bulb? I’m sure you have spent a few moments unlocking your door while there is a ridiculously large mob scene of insects and bugs of all kinds attracted to the light. You’re familiar with the moths, as well as, the ones that look like very large mosquitoes (it seems like every time you enter the house, one or two of those buggers sneak in and soon hang around your kitchen ceiling light); well, the ones that are a bit larger, brownish in color, beating their wings all to heck, smacking you on your face and head, creeping you out because you think a few have got to be flying down your shirt collar; these little nasty pests are Wood roaches. Now you know!

 

If a couple of these guys get in your house, they are NOT happy campers. Strangely enough, even though they are roaches; there is nothing in your home they like to eat; unless you have a small amount of firewood left by the fireplace. There they can hang out and eat the organic matter under the bark.

Females deposit their egg capsules outdoors under old logs, stumps, and firewood. There is one generation of Wood cockroaches per year and, in some cases, the life cycle takes two years.

Females deposit their egg capsules outdoors under old logs, stumps, and firewood. There is one generation of Wood cockroaches per year and, in some cases, the life cycle takes two years.

Wood roaches, which are also called the Pennsylvania Wood roach, do NOT survive indoors which is probably the best news you have read so far. They require the consistently moist environment of their natural habitats such as under wood piles or loose bark and in decaying logs. So, unless your housekeeping is way below par, the presence of wood roaches is strictly a temporary annoyance. They usually die within a few days in the house, so a call to a pest control company (Loyal Termite and Pest Control) is probably not required.

If Wood cockroaches are found anywhere inside the home, usually they are solitary. So, it’s not necessary to go looking for the mate. Wood cockroaches do not reproduce or multiply inside. Since they do not establish themselves indoors and their presence is temporary (a few weeks, at most) during the spring, pest control measures are rarely needed.

If Wood cockroaches are found anywhere inside the home, usually they are solitary. So, it’s not necessary to go looking for the mate. Wood cockroaches do not reproduce or multiply inside. Since they do not establish themselves indoors and their presence is temporary (a few weeks, at most) during the spring, pest control measures are rarely needed.

Tune in next week and I’ll catch you up on cockroach number #6 that is native to our region. Until then, “so long” friends. I’ll bark at you again next week.

When it comes to termite and pest control; Hunter says,
“If you got ‘em, we’ll get ‘em!”

I know that you faithful “dog-blog” fans have been anxiously waiting for part #2 of this cockroach series. Well, wait no longer! As you know, Part #1 concentrated on one of the five most common cockroach species found in our geographical region; the American Cockroach. In this Part #2 blog, of the 5-part blog series; I will focus on what is statistically classified as the #1 pest in American homes; the German Cockroach.

You know what they say, “a cockroach is a cockroach is a cockroach”. With approximately 4000 species worldwide, what will separate one from the other are generally size, color, and subtle characteristics exclusive to that particular species. One thing for sure; they are all scavengers. You name it and they’ll eat it; more on that later.

The German Cockroach is light brown or tan in color. Its size is ¼ inch to 5/8 inches long. They have dark lengthwise stripes on their head. Like other species, German cockroaches are fully-winged but rarely fly. They are most active at night, so unless you know what to look for, you may not even know that you have them! A pair of German cockroaches can produce 10,000 offspring in a year and infestations are often worse in the summer months. They love a hot and humid environment, such as a kitchen.

As I mentioned earlier; they will eat almost anything; leftover human food, paper, wood, leather, cigarette butts, toothpaste, coffee grinds, glue, soap, fabric, shoes, paint, human hair, packaging, and plastic. I’d say they’ll eat anything but the kitchen sink, however; I wouldn’t put it past them to give the kitchen sink a try.

They can squeeze through a crack 1/16 inch wide. They harbor in small cracks and crevices inside kitchens and bathrooms and other moist areas. When infestations are bad, they can be found throughout the entire home.

Here are a few facts you may not know about German Cockroaches;

German Cockroaches have incomplete metamorphosis.
German Cockroaches can carry salmonella and other diseases.
The ootheca (egg case) of the German Cockroach contains between 35-40 eggs.
The eggs take 1 month to hatch.
The female holds onto the egg case for a month and releases it just before it is about to hatch.
A German Cockroach takes from six weeks to six months to reach maturity.
German Cockroaches are able to climb on smooth surfaces because they have a sticky pad on their feet; this sticky pad is called an arolium.
German cockroach nymphs have a pale patch in the middle of their thorax.
Here, at Loyal Termite and Pest Control, our industry trained technicians are well equipped to take care of any roach infestation that our Loyal customers may be dealing with.

When it comes to termite and pest control, Hunter says, “If you got ’em, we’ll get ’em!”

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate; give us a call.

I look forward to continuing my cockroach series next week when I’ll be barking about another species found in our geographical region; the Oriental Cockroach.

I’ll bark at you again next week. Ruff! Ruff!