About Cockroaches in the East Valley
Cockroaches are among the most resilient pests on the planet. They have been around for more than 300 million years, and their ability to adapt is what makes them so difficult to eliminate. In the East Valley, the two primary species homeowners deal with are the German cockroach and the American cockroach.
German cockroaches are small — about half an inch long — light brown with two dark stripes behind their head, and breed almost exclusively indoors. A single female can produce hundreds of offspring in her lifetime, which is why small problems escalate fast. American cockroaches are larger, reddish-brown, and often enter from sewers and storm drains. Both species carry bacteria, contaminate food, and trigger allergies and asthma.
Where Cockroaches Hide and How They Get Inside
Cockroaches are nocturnal and spend the daylight hours hiding in tight, dark, moist spaces. In kitchens, they nest behind refrigerators, under sinks, inside dishwashers, and inside wall voids near plumbing. Bathrooms, laundry rooms, and garages are also common harborage areas.
They enter homes through gaps under doors, cracks in the foundation, plumbing penetrations, and vents. American cockroaches frequently travel through sewer lines and emerge from floor drains. German cockroaches are often introduced through grocery bags, cardboard boxes, and secondhand appliances. Once inside, they multiply quickly — a few roaches can become a full-blown infestation in a matter of weeks.
When Are Cockroaches Most Active in the East Valley?
Cockroaches are active year-round in the East Valley due to the warm climate, but populations surge during the hottest months when they actively seek water and cooler shelter indoors. German cockroaches breed continuously inside heated structures regardless of season.
How to Get Rid of Cockroaches
Store-bought sprays and traps may kill the cockroaches you can see, but they do not reach the colony hiding behind your walls. Cockroaches reproduce so quickly that surface-level treatments cannot keep up, and improper use of repellent sprays can actually scatter them deeper into your home.
Professional cockroach treatment uses targeted gel baits, dusts, and growth regulators applied directly into harborage areas — inside wall voids, behind appliances, along plumbing runs, and in other places where cockroaches actually live. These products are carried back to the nest, eliminating the population at its source. Follow-up treatments are critical to catch newly hatched nymphs and ensure complete elimination.
