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Hot Weather Blamed For Increase In Cockroach Infestations

CARMICHAEL (CBS13) – Homeowners in Carmichael have spotted unexpected visitors in their homes. They say more and more cockroaches are creeping around their properties.

"We'll look out and go 'look, there's one, it died overnight, it didn't make it to the door!'" said Toby Rodriguez.

Toby and her husband Guillermo say they find roach every day at their home: in the garage, near the fence, in the back, and in the front.

"Well, I was just wondering where they're coming from because we've never had that problem before," Toby Guillermo. "There's no way it can be just this house."

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And he's right. The Sacramento Area Sewer District says it's getting more and more complaints about roaches. So we asked Lance Vanzant with Clark Pest Control for an explanation and he summed it up in one word.

"Heat!" he said. "They prefer 85 to 95 degrees. But once it hits that 95 degrees, they're going to be looking for shelter. They're basically looking for moisture."

According to Vanzant, the most commonly spotted roaches are Turkestan cockroaches, which are often mistaken for the American cockroach or the Oriental cockroach.

"In reality, it's the same species and it's displacing them because they're reproducing so fast!" Vanzant said.

Guillermo said he sprays at least once a week. The Sacramento Area Sewer District says sometimes they do too.

When a homeowner calls, the district checks the pipes and sprays if necessary.

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Nicole Coleman, a spokesperson for the Sacramento Area Sewer District, said: "When a customer calls with a concern about cockroaches in the sewer system, a crew is dispatched to investigate. If our investigation confirms cockroach activity in our sewer pipes, pest control spraying of our pipes is scheduled."

She went on to say: "While cockroaches may take temporary shelter in our sewer pipes, they won't be able to enter homes from our pipes if customers' indoor plumbing is regularly utilized and properly maintained."

Vanzant recommends that residents take these steps to make sure the outdoor creatures don't venture inside:

  1. Get rid of the clutter around your home
  2. Trim down tall vegetation where they can hide
  3. Don't over water your lawn and give them a water source
  4.  Inspect your home for cracks

"They're looking to go into those cracks for moisture, for shelter," Vanzant said.

Guillermo says as long as he sees the roaches, he'll keep spraying to keep them away.

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