SAN ANTONIO – This ranking may not surprise San Antonians, but it’s still not something that we wanted to see.
According to a new study from Pest Gnome, a home services company, San Antonio ranked as the second “roachiest” city out of 25 other U.S. cities.
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Taking the top spot as the “roachiest” city is Houston. Dallas also claimed a place in the rankings, coming in ninth. You can see the top 25 cities ranked below:
Pest Gnome said it compiled data from the Census, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics and took into account the climates of each city to come up with the results.
In Houston, 37% of homes showed signs of pests in the last 12 months, likely due to the heat and humidity, the study said.
Typically, the flying American cockroach, or palmetto bug, and sink-dwelling German cockroaches are the two most common types found in Houston, according to Pest Gnome.
San Antonians had 28.32% of homes that showed signs of roaches in the last 12 months.
“All of these cities have sun and heat in summer, which roaches love, and winters here just don’t get that cold to kill them off,” Pest Gnome said.
You can help prevent these sneaky pests by sealing points of entry in your home, keeping counters and floors crumb-free and fixing any leaky pipes, Pest Gnome recommends.
As the temperatures start to get a bit cooler, cockroaches can still adapt. However, they can’t survive temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
The best advice?
“... Make your home less inviting. Keep it clean, and apply a barrier spray at doorways. You don’t want these critters moving in for the winter with your family,” Pest Gnome said.