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If you've been seeing large reddish-brown cockroaches darting across your driveway, patio, garage, or landscaping, you're not imagining things—and you're certainly not alone.
Across the Sacramento region and throughout Northern California, homeowners are reporting an explosion of Turkestan roaches, an invasive species that has quickly become one of the area's fastest-growing pest concerns.
The issue has become so widespread that Pest Pros was recently featured on CBS 13 Sacramento, where our President, Josh Fleenor, discussed why these roaches are spreading so rapidly and what homeowners can do to protect their properties.
At Pest Pros, we've seen a significant increase in service calls related to Turkestan roaches over the past several seasons. While many people assume they're dealing with a typical household cockroach infestation, the reality is quite different.
What Are Turkestan Roaches?
Turkestan roaches (Blatta lateralis), often referred to as Red Runners, are originally native to Central Asia and parts of the Middle East. Over the past two decades, they've become firmly established throughout California, especially in the Sacramento Valley and other warm, irrigated regions.
Unlike German cockroaches, which primarily live and reproduce indoors, Turkestan roaches are outdoor pests. They thrive in environments that provide warmth, moisture, and plenty of hiding places.
You'll commonly find them in:
- Landscape beds
- Mulch
- Rock landscaping
- Irrigation valve boxes
- Wood piles
- Around home foundations
- Utility boxes
- Sewer systems
- Commercial landscapes
As outdoor populations continue to grow, they naturally begin invading garages, homes, sheds, and commercial buildings in search of food, water, or shelter.
Why Are They Suddenly Everywhere?
One of the most common questions we hear is:
"Where did these things come from?"
While there isn't one definitive answer, entomologists believe Turkestan roaches likely arrived in the United States through multiple pathways.
One widely accepted theory suggests they were accidentally introduced through military equipment returning from overseas, particularly to Army installations in the Southwest.
Another theory points to the reptile industry. Because Turkestan roaches reproduce rapidly and are highly nutritious, they're commonly sold as feeder insects under the name Red Runners. Escaped or intentionally released insects likely contributed to establishing outdoor populations.
Once introduced, Northern California provided the perfect environment.
Long, hot summers, mild winters, expanding suburban neighborhoods, and widespread irrigation systems have allowed Turkestan roaches to flourish.
Today, they're spreading throughout communities across Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Elk Grove, Folsom, Davis, Vacaville, Fairfield, Concord, and beyond.
What We Shared During Our CBS 13 Interview
During our recent CBS 13 interview, Josh Fleenor explained that Turkestan roaches have become one of the most common outdoor cockroach species we're seeing throughout the Sacramento region.
Unlike traditional household cockroaches, these insects often establish massive outdoor populations before homeowners ever realize there's a problem.
Many people first notice them running across sidewalks after sunset, gathering around garage doors, climbing foundation walls, or appearing inside garages seemingly overnight.
Unfortunately, by the time they're highly visible, there are often hundreds—or even thousands—living throughout the surrounding landscape.
That's why controlling only the insects you see rarely solves the problem.
Why They're So Difficult to Eliminate
One of the biggest misconceptions is that spraying a few visible roaches will eliminate the infestation.
Unfortunately, that's rarely the case.
The roaches running across your patio represent only a tiny fraction of the total population.
Turkestan roaches reproduce quickly and hide beneath mulch, rocks, irrigation boxes, landscape timbers, utility areas, and countless other protected locations.
Without addressing the breeding areas, new roaches simply continue emerging.
Successful control requires reducing the overall population—not just the insects that happen to be visible.
What Homeowners Can Do
Although professional treatment is often the most effective solution, there are several steps homeowners can take to reduce conditions that attract Turkestan roaches.
- Repair leaking irrigation systems and eliminate standing water.
- Keep mulch and dense ground cover away from your home's foundation.
- Remove leaf litter, wood piles, and unnecessary yard debris.
- Seal gaps around doors, garage doors, utility penetrations, and windows.
- Reduce outdoor clutter where insects can hide.
- Limit exterior lighting when practical, as lights attract insects that provide food for roaches.
While these measures won't eliminate an established infestation, they can significantly reduce the conditions that allow populations to thrive.
Why Professional Treatment Makes the Difference
Turkestan roaches require a comprehensive pest management strategy.
At Pest Pros, our Service Pros don't simply treat the areas where roaches are visible.
We perform a thorough inspection to identify breeding locations, locate conducive conditions, evaluate the property's layout, and develop a treatment plan designed to reduce the overall population over time.
Depending on the property, that may include targeted exterior treatments, habitat modification recommendations, monitoring, and ongoing prevention to keep populations under control.
Every home is different, which is why experience matters.
It's also why CBS 13 turned to Pest Pros to help educate Northern California homeowners about this rapidly growing invasive pest.
Don't Wait Until the Population Explodes
Turkestan roaches aren't a seasonal nuisance that simply disappears on its own.
As populations continue expanding throughout Northern California, early intervention becomes one of the most effective ways to prevent a minor issue from becoming a major infestation.
If you're seeing Turkestan roaches around your home or business, now is the time to act.
At Pest Pros, we're committed to helping families protect what matters most through knowledgeable Service Pros, customized treatment plans, and long-term pest prevention.
After all...
Do you have pest control, or do you have Pest Pros?
Step Up to the Pros.
Watch Our CBS 13 Feature
Want to learn more about why Turkestan roaches are spreading throughout Northern California?
Watch our recent CBS 13 interview featuring Pest Pros President Josh Fleenor, where he discusses this growing invasive pest and what homeowners should know.
https://youtu.be/H8wE5dcKbjQ?si=7LrUFw1sAR21A9Wy