MEET THE OUTDOOR COCKROACH - THE WOOD ROACH

While no one likes to talk about cockroaches, they are a common pest issue in many areas, including the cottage. In Ontario’s cottage country, you can find an abundance of the Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach species, which are more commonly referred to as pine bugs, cedar bugs or wood roaches by cottage, home and business owners.

The Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach is an outdoor cockroach, and aside from their looks, these roaches share very few similarities with other common cockroaches, like the German cockroach, American cockroach, Oriental cockroach and Brown Banded cockroach.

First, the wood roach cannot survive indoors. It does not feed or breed in indoors either. Instead, they live and breed outside in forested areas among loose bark and dead wood (like trees, stumps and logs). They therefore do not pose health risks or concerns like the other cockroach species, who tend to eat, breed and live in unsanitary environments like garbage and sewers.

Wood roaches can be active at any time, and when discovered, they do not scurry off and hide. When found in doors, they do not gather together in certain area, rather they more or less wander around. Only male wood roaches can fly and can be found congregated in large numbers around outside lighting, which acts as a beacon for them.

If you discover the occasional wood roach inside your cottage, home or business, suck it up with a vacuum or sweep it up and dispose of it outside, and away from your structure.

In some situations, the number of wood roaches in and around a structure can be found alarming, even though these pests do pose any risk, aside from being a true annoyance. In these instances, working with a pest control company is the best course of action to help manage and reduce the infestation.

For the most part, getting rid of wood roaches is best done by preventing them from getting inside and deterring them from hanging around your cottage, home or business. Try these 5 pest-proofing tips, which can also help you keep other common nuisance pests out too:

1. Fix broken and loose screens, and make sure to have screens in all windows.
2. Put screens over all vents that lead outside.
3. Install door sweeps on all exterior doors.
4. Look for and seal exterior gaps and cracks.
5. Reduce or avoid using exterior lighting directly around your home, cottage or business.

We hope these tips help you enjoy your summer fun up in cottage country. Enjoy!