If you suspect you have a cockroach infestation, look out for the following signs:

1. Seeing a cockroach. Cockroaches are nocturnal and usually hide in dark places out of sight. If you see one cockroach in your home, that likely means there are more hiding in the shadows.
2. Spotting their droppings. Have you seen small piles of a substance that looks like coffee grounds on the floor, counter or cabinets? Those might be cockroach droppings, and that’s a sign that there are roaches scurrying around your Salt Lake area home.
3. Finding shed skin. Another clear sign of a roach infestation is seeing their shed skin around your home. Since cockroaches shed multiple times in their lifetime, there’s a high chance you’ll see this around your home before other signs.
4. Noticing chew marks. Cockroaches will eat just about anything. If you see chew marks on things like books or the packaging of food, you likely have a pest problem. It could be a roach, mouse or other pest, which is why it’s helpful to work with a professional pest control company who can help identify which pest is causing troubles.

Yes, cockroaches can bite. Fortunately, it’s very rare that they would bite a human or animal. Unlike spiders or ants, cockroaches don’t bite as a defense mechanism. Instead, they run away and hide. Plus, their mouthparts aren’t big or strong, so it would be difficult for them to bite down.

That being said, cockroaches could bite you as a last resort for a food source. In this situation, they would likely bite fingers and fingernails where there is more likely to be food residue. Essentially, they are trying to eat the food on you. They most likely would bite at night.

Cockroach bites are not venomous, but their bites can still cause pain and physical side effects. The biggest cause of concern would be infection, since roaches are extremely dirty and can spread diseases. If you or a loved one has been bitten by a cockroach, wash the site with warm water and soap and refrain from itching. If the person bitten experiences an allergic reaction, seek medical attention.

Part of the reason cockroaches are so hard to get rid of is because they can survive in pretty extreme conditions. Why? Because they find food in just about everything. They are omnivores, so they eat both plants and animals. If they can’t find nutrients in a typical food source, they will turn to books, clothing, wood, leaves, or dead pests. They can also survive for months without food, so long as they have access to water.

Given the choice, cockroaches will eat meat or sweet food or drinks. They usually find these food items in the garbage or on the floor under kitchen appliances.

If you have roaches inside your Utah home, you may be asking how they got in your home in the first place. There are several ways.

If you recently moved into the home, the cockroaches could have already been living there and were good at hiding. If you’ve been in the home for a while, the cockroaches could have come in from the outdoors through an open door or window or, more likely, a crack or gap in your foundation — often near a pipe.

Cockroaches are more likely to travel between properties that are in close quarters, such as apartment complexes. They also occasionally hitchhike, meaning they travel in people’s luggage or on a piece of used furniture that you bring into the home.

Once cockroaches are in your home, they are really hard to get rid of. As mentioned, they are excellent at hiding and can survive for months without food. It’s best to work with a professional roach exterminator in Salt Lake who can ensure cockroaches are completely out of your home.

Some of the cockroach species in Utah, such as the American Cockroach, have wings. But, they don’t usually use these wings to fly. Instead, they use them to glide and get quickly from one spot to the other. For example, they may glide from a window down to the floor or from one ledge to another.

There are other types of roaches that use their wings to fly, but those ones are not in Utah.