When it comes to cockroaches in your restaurant, you do not want to play around. Educating staff on how to spot a cockroach infestation is important. With cockroaches, the sooner you can detect them, the easier and faster it is to exterminate them. Clear communication between all staff and management is key!
Here are a few signs that will accurately tell you that you might have a cockroach issue in your restaurant:
1. Seeing Cockroaches
The initial indication is simply catching sight of one. If you happen to observe one of these creatures darting across the floor, it’s likely there are more lurking around. This is the case even if you don’t spot others for months.
There are a few different species of cockroaches, such as the German Cockroach. You can read more about how to identify different species in our pest control library.
Given their nocturnal nature and preference for confined spaces, cockroaches can prove elusive to discover. When indications of an infestation are observed, prompt action becomes imperative. Creating a pest management checklist or protocol specifically for these situations becomes vital. Such measures guarantee that every team member is thoroughly acquainted with the required steps to undertake upon identifying the existence of pests.
2. Unpleasant Smell
Cockroaches produce a pungent pheromone that smells extremely unpleasant. This smell can even get into food and affect how it tastes! If a customer complains about the taste of the food in your establishment, this may be a sign of roach infestation.
3. Egg Casing
Cockroach eggs are oval-shaped and dark brown or reddish brown in color. Roaches tend to stash egg casings where they are safe, so be sure to check behind appliances, on shelves, etc.
4. Droppings
These nuisances leave droppings wherever they go. The droppings resemble coffee grounds and are made up of regurgitated food and fecal matter. These droppings are extremely unsanitary and can contaminate an entire container of food if they come into contact with it.
5. Molting Skins (exuviae)
Molting skins look like the exoskeleton of the cockroach, which they shed 5 to 8 times as they grow. These skins can generally be found close to where these pests live.
6. Smear Markings
Smear markings tend to be easier to spot than the cockroaches themselves, as they are night creatures. You can identify these markings as long irregular shapes or smears.
Having a solid Pest Management Program (PMP) in place is imperative in today’s competitive market. By the time you’ve discovered a cockroach problem, your staff or customer has more than likely experienced it. A PMP allows you to be proactive rather than reactive!
At Assassin Pest Control, we know that pest control service is more about inspections and preventative programs than it is about the catches. We realize the importance of keeping the pests out of the facility. Contact us for a Free Estimate.