Colorado is a unique state with a diverse climate ranging from dry, hot deserts to snow-covered mountains. This is because Colorado has an altitude ranging from 3,315 to 14,433 feet.
Rocky Mountain National park is a major tourist attraction point attracting almost 85.5 million tourists annually to the state. The massive influx of tourists, warm climate, and large wild landscapes are the hallmarks of cockroaches in Colorado.
German Cockroach is the most common cockroach in colorado, and it infests indoor spaces. The second most common cockroach in colorado is the American cockroach, followed by Brown-Banded and Oriental cockroaches. However, these cockroaches infest indoor spaces less commonly than German roaches.
Wood cockroaches, including Parcolblatta and Pennsylvania wood cockroach, are especially abundant in Gunnison National Forest, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Fortunately, Wood roaches in colorado are accidental intruders and rarely infest indoor spaces. Moreover, they are easy to exterminate.
I have written this blog to help people living in colorado to identify the type of cockroaches invading their space. This will help prevent and exterminate Colorado roaches efficiently. Moreover, this blog will also help tourists avoid taking back cockroaches in their luggage to their hometown.
Tired of cockroaches? Invest in only these products and follow the guide to eliminate roaches!
Use these products, and you will be roach free in less than a week.
1. Advion Cockroach Gel Bait (Review)
2. Gentrol IGR Point Source (Review)
Other Products to try:
1. Combat Roach Traps (Easy than gel baits)
2. Hot Shot Foggers (To kill in masses – 95%)
3. Pet Safe Killers (Uses Essential Oils)
4. Ortho Defence Outdoor Roach Killer (Prevent Roaches)
Types of roaches in Colorado
Colorado is different from other states like Virginia because it is warm but not humid. Unfortunately, to avoid extreme temperatures; therefore cockroaches in Colorado invade indoor spaces more often.
At least 5 species of cockroaches have been identified in Colorado (Reference). Most of these species live in the wild, but some can be pretty notorious invaders.
Here are the types of cockroaches in Colorado found in abundance,
German Cockroach
The German cockroach is the most common Colorado roach. It infests indoor spaces and can’t survive in the unpredictable weather of Colorado.
The German cockroach is half an inch in size and has dark stripes on the back of the head. They have two sets of wings but can’t fly.
The German cockroach loves to infest houses, buildings, damp basements, apartments, and restaurants. Bedrooms and kitchens are hotspots of German cockroaches in Colorado because the former provide air conditioning while the latter has plenty of food sources.
Interestingly, Colorado’s hotels, guest houses, hostels, and dormitories are visited by many tourists taking German roaches, their babies, and eggs along with them. Therefore these spots spread German roaches throughout the US.
German cockroaches are more dangerous than other roaches because they spread disease and trigger allergies. They also love to visit sewerage more often. Moreover, German roaches reproduce very quickly and infest very heavily.
American Cockroach
The American cockroach is the second most common cockroach found in Colorado. However, it infests indoor spaces when the outside temperature and conditions worsen, mainly during July.
American cockroaches are found mainly inside gutters, damp basements, under the rocks, and sheds. It is one and a half to 2 inches in size and has a brown color with a flat body.
American Cockroach has flight-capable wings and reproduces quickly and has a life span of up to 2 years.
The American cockroach is among the flying cockroach in Colorado and is notorious for flying toward flashes of bright light or when feeling threatened.
Brown Banded Cockroach
Brown Banded cockroaches are the third most common cockroaches found in Virginia. It is different from the German roach and has two noticeable lighter stripes across its back. Hence, called brown-banded.
Brown Banded cockroach measures about ½ inch long, and the male roach has wings covering the whole abdomen. However, the female Brown-Banded cockroaches have tiny wings with no ability to fly.
Brown Banded cockroaches rarely infest homes in Colorado, but they often infest restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Wood Cockroach
Wood roaches are the most common cockroaches found in the wilder part of the Colorado state. They live in forests in large numbers and are accidentally carried indoors with firewood.
Wood roaches are the main type of cockroaches in Colorado Springs. They infest wood huts or houses made of wood in Colorado Springs. However, they are easy to exterminate because they are less shy than other roaches and roam freely.
Although all counties are infested with Wood roaches, El Paso County (Colorado Springs), Gunnison, and Garfield County in Colorado have the highest infestation rates with wood cockroaches.
Do you know the biggest cockroaches measure more than 3 inches in size?
Oriental cockroach
Waterbug is a misnomer for Oriental Cockroaches in some states but not in Colorado. Interestingly, Oriental cockroaches and water bugs are quite different. Nevertheless, they have also successfully made it to the list of common Colorado roaches.
The Oriental cockroach is 0.71–1.14 inches with a dark brown to the glossy black oval body. Interestingly, the female Oriental cockroaches resemble Florida Woods Cockroaches.
The male and female both have short wings, but none of them is flight-capable, excluding them from the group of flying roaches in Colorado.
Oriental Cockroaches live in dark and moist places near decaying organic matter, sewers, drains, damp basements, porches, and other damp locations.
Oriental cockroaches rarely infest indoor spaces in Colorado but sometimes are seen in damp basements in hot and humid cities like Yuma and Philips.
Other types of roaches in Virginia
Smokey Brown, Asian, Oriental, and Australian cockroaches are very rarely found in Colorado. Moreover, these roaches mostly love to live outdoors and rarely infest indoors.
Therefore, these roaches do not impose a major infestation problem in Colorado unless the outside conditions become extreme, mostly during heat waves. Then these roaches may move indoors and cause infestation.
Electronic Cockroach Repellent; Does it work? Read this article to know more.
Roaches in Colorado are pretty common
Cockroaches in Colorado are pretty common. Cities including Denver, Fort Collins, and Pueblo have everything that is needed for cockroaches to thrive, breed, and reproduce.
Lots of tourists come to visit Colorado every year from the US and the rest of the world. Tourists bring cockroaches, their eggs, or nymphs along with them and therefore can introduce new species to the region.
Therefore, utmost preventive measures should be taken to prevent an outburst of a new species of cockroaches in Colorado.
Preventing and Getting Rid of Cockroaches in Colorado
Prevention is better than cure, and so is preventing cockroaches than exterminating them. Moreover, preventing cockroaches from getting indoors is less expensive than exterminating them.
Therefore to prevent cockroaches in Colorado from infesting your living space, follow these guidelines,
- Pick up clutter, spilled food, and garbage regularly.
- Adequately cover garbage bins and bathroom drains when not in use
- Use Natural Repellents to keep roaches away
- Keep mothballs inside your luggage when traveling to endemic areas
- Cover crevices and gaps in doors and windows with masking tape
- Use window mesh screens to prevent American roaches from flying inside
- Use IGR spray or device inside the house. It prevents roaches from maturing into adult bugs.
- Keep lights dim on the patio and backyard to prevent Wood roaches from entering your space.
Can you kill a cockroach by stepping on it? Read this fascinating article to know more!
Getting rid of roaches in Colorado
If you have an old roach infestation or have failed to prevent roaches from entering indoor spaces, follow these three simple methods to get rid of roaches in Colorado.
Method 1: Using a bait
Using bait is an excellent method to get rid of cockroaches inside your bathroom, cupboards, kitchen cabinets, and basement, which are all the favorite spots of cockroaches.
Cockroach Baits are better than sprays as baits will kill the entire colony.
You can get your hand on many baits, but these are my favorite ones. Use each of them according to the instructions on the pack.
– Bengal Roach Killer is a dry spray bait, very easy to apply and use. (How to use guide)
– Advion Cockroach Gel Bait is the most effective gel you can buy.
– Hot Shot Liquid Cockroach Trapper and Killer is the best trap you can get for cockroaches.
– Combat Max 12 Month Roach Killing Bait is the best bait out on the market.
Method 2: Using an IGR
Using an IGR helps ensure the roach nymphs don’t grow into adults. Cockroaches are notoriously fast breeders among insects in Colorado. Using an IGR spray will keep it in check for you.
An IGR alters the internal hormones of roaches to molt. The roaches can not transform into adults and fail to reproduce.
Gentrol Growth Regulator (Amazon Link) is the only and the best IGR device for roaches. It’s easy to use. Just purge one of them and place it in a hidden place inside your bathroom.
Method 2: Insecticide Spray or Roach Bombs
Insecticide spray or roach bombs are quick solutions for getting rid of cockroaches in Colorado. However, Insecticide spray kills roaches but does not destroy eggs; hence, we often start to see roaches again just after a few weeks.
To get rid of Virginia cockroaches, seal all doors and windows, turn off ventilators or air conditioning and spray around all the corners and cockroach hiding places. Then, wait for 30 minutes before you ventilate the room.
Additional Read!
