Cockroaches
Cockroaches can wreak havoc on your home. To win the war in cockroach control, here’s what you should know:
- Entry: Cockroaches can enter your home in many different ways, from the outside through cracks and crevices, vents, sewer, and drain pipes. We even bring them in on products like grocery bags, boxes, purses and on our person!
- Ideal environment: Your home is an ideal breeding ground for most species of cockroaches. With plenty of food, warmth, water and nesting sites, they can remain active all year round.
- Reproduction: Cockroaches reproduce quickly. For every one you see there can be many, many more hiding and multiplying behind your walls.
- Evasiveness: Because cockroaches are nocturnal, if you’ve seen one, you probably haven’t seen them all. The few cockroaches you see by day could mean they were likely forced out by overcrowding; a possible sign of severe infestation.
- Allergies/Asthma: The dust created by cast-off cockroach skins, dead bodies and droppings can aggravate allergies, especially in children and sensitive individuals.
- Do-it-yourself ineffectiveness: Cockroaches are better at hiding than you are at finding them, and their eggs are naturally protected from insecticides. Without special equipment, materials and know-how, cockroach control can be a losing battle.
Cockroaches belong to Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta and Order Blattaria. Some species invade human dwellings and are considered pests. These cockroaches can be carriers of various diseases because they are commonly found near waste deposits or in the kitchen, where food is present. Restaurants may also experience cockroach infestations.
Cockroaches can measure over one inch in length, with tropical species tending to be larger than those found in other climates. Cockroaches have six legs, two antennae and wings. However, a number of winged cockroaches are not particularly adept at flying.
Cockroaches emit unpleasant odors and may also produce sound. The Madagascar hissing cockroach is the most famous of these vocal cockroaches, although more common species may produce quieter clicking or chirping noises.
Cockroaches have existed for millions of years and there are thousands of species throughout the world today. Some of the more common species include the German cockroach, the American cockroach, the Brown-banded cockroach and the Oriental cockroach.
The German cockroach (Blattella Germanica) is the most common. It is l /2-inch long and is pale brown in color, with two dark-brown stripes behind the head. These insects typically live up to 12 months and produce more eggs than other species.
The American cockroach (Periplaneta Americana) is the largest cockroach found in homes. Adults can grow up to 1.5 inches in length. American cockroaches are reddish-brown to brown in color, with light yellow bands around the shield behind the head. Both males and females of this species have wings and are capable of flying short distances. The American cockroach can live up to two years and is commonly found in households where food is stored.
The Brown-banded cockroach (Supella Longipalpa) grows up to ½". Females have reddish-brown to dark-brown wings. The wings of male Brown-banded cockroaches are dark brown toward the base and lighten as the wings extend to the tip. Only males are capable of flight. Both males and females have two light yellow bands across their bodies. These species jump when disturbed. They live an average of three to 11 months.
The Oriental cockroach (Blatta Orientalis) has a glossy, dark-brown or black body. Females can grow up to 1.25 inches in length, while males typically measure less than one-inch long. Neither male nor female Oriental cockroaches are capable of flight. Their life span ranges from one to six months. Oriental cockroaches feed primarily on decaying organic matter.
Common Roaches
American cockroach
The American cockroach is also commonly known as the water bug, flying water bug, or palmetto bug. These large cockroaches can grow to exceed 2 inches in length. Although the American cockroach is a major pest in the United States, they are native to the tropical climates of Africa. Some evidence has suggested that the American cockroach was brought to North America aboard slave ships.
They are a peridomestic species and live primarily outdoors. In southern states, they are common in shady, humid areas, like flowerbeds and around trees. In northern areas, they are usually found in sewers and drains. Climate changes or food shortage can cause them to move indoors.
When they move indoors, American cockroaches prefer to live in moist, humid environments. They can also survive in dry areas with sufficient food and water sources. These insects favor temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When an American cockroach population infests a human home, the insects are drawn to food storage and preparation areas, as well as moist locations. In industrial settings such as restaurants and bakeries, they can be found in boiler rooms and steam tunnels. In residential and commercial buildings, the American cockroach typically infests basements and landscaping.
Unlike other cockroach species, American cockroaches are good flyers. They also gather together in open spaces, while other domestic cockroaches tend to hide in cracks and crevices. They do enjoy sweet foods, but prefer decaying material.
Brown-banded cockroach
Brown-banded cockroaches are commonly found infesting human dwellings. True to their name, brown-banded cockroaches have two brown bands that run across their abdomens. The brown bands are visible on every stage of the roaches' life cycle.
Brown-banded cockroaches are relatively small. Adults measure approximately ½" in length (males are slightly longer than females). Adults are light brown in color, with fully developed wings. Brown-banded cockroaches undergo three stages of development: egg, nymph, and adult. Females can produce up to 14 egg capsules in one lifetime, which ranges in length from 13 to 45 weeks. The Brown-banded cockroach egg stage typically lasts 37 to 103 days.
Brown-banded cockroaches prefer dry and warm locations and can be found inside cabinets, pantries and closets. They can also be found in electronic equipment or around refrigerators and motor housings. Brown-banded cockroaches can also hide from humans in a variety of places such as clocks and picture frames. They tend to avoid water sources and are more commonly found near the ceilings of infested homes. Brown-banded cockroach infestations can pose a number of health risks. These roaches have been found to carry and spread dangerous bacteria and protozoa, which cause gastroenteritis and diarrhea. More commonly, roaches indoors have been found to trigger asthma and allergies.
The first step in addressing any cockroach infestation is to identify the species correctly. The techniques used to manage one species seldom prove effective when applied to another species. Thus, it is best to contact your local pest control professional if you suspect an infestation.
German cockroach
The Blattella Germanica, or German cockroach, is a small, light brown cockroach. It is a common household pest. The German roach may infest more homes and businesses and in greater numbers than any other species of cockroach. The German cockroach is also commonly referred to as the Croton bug steam fly or steam bug.
The German cockroach is a relatively small specie, measuring approximately 3/4-inch in length. Pale yellow-brown in color, its pronotum has distinct, dark, parallel longitudinal bands. Male and female German cockroaches appear the same and both are fully winged. However, German cockroaches are poor flyers and use their wings for gliding from high elevations to lower locations.
Originally of Asian origin, the German cockroach is an extremely successful species. Because they are small, German cockroaches are easy to transport with every sort of human product. German roaches are found throughout the world. Because they reside in human buildings, they can even thrive in cold climates such as those of Greenland, Iceland and the Canadian High Arctic.
Inside our homes and buildings, German cockroaches prefer warm, moist habitats. They are common pests of kitchens and bathrooms. It is common to find them in places such as appliances, crevices, and cracks. Like other species, the German cockroach is omnivorous and will scavenge and consume a wide variety of foods, including paper, cloth, and decaying plants and animals.
German cockroaches produce a large number of nymphs in each ootheca. Their small size allows them to hide more efficiently and they have few natural predators inside human habitats. For these reasons, German cockroach populations tend to grow rapidly and require professional treatment. Contact your local pest control expert for a consultation.
Madagascar Hissing cockroach
The Madagascar hissing cockroach lives on forest floors and beneath rotten logs. Madagascar hissing cockroaches feed on fallen fruit and decaying organic matter and can live as long as five years. Growing up to three inches in length, the Madagascar hissing cockroach is one of the largest cockroach specie.
The Madagascar hissing cockroach differs from other cockroach species in that it possesses horns and is wingless. The female Madagascar hissing cockroach is also ovoviparous, giving birth to live young rather than laying an ootheca. Females can produce as many as 60 nymphs.
The young Madagascar hissing cockroach stays in close contact with the female for an extended period of time after birth. Nymphs undergo six molts in a span of approximately seven months before reaching the adult stage. Both nymphs and adults are wingless, although they are excellent climbers. Males of this species have larger horns and hairier antennae than females. They are also extremely aggressive and are commonly seen fighting.
Madagascar hissing cockroaches hiss when disturbed or alarmed. They produce this sound by expelling air though slits in the abdomen. The hiss of the Madagascar hissing cockroach is very loud and plays an important role in colony hierarchy, courtship and communication.
The Madagascar hissing cockroach is often referred to as the giant cockroach. However, the Rhinoceros cockroach is also sometimes called the giant cockroach.
Rhinoceros cockroaches, also known as giant burrowing cockroaches or litter bugs, are wingless, glossy, dark brown and stout-bodied. They are the heaviest species of cockroach ever recorded, weighing more than one-ounce when full-grown. This species can also grow in excess of three inches in length. Rhinoceros cockroaches live in deep underground burrows and consume dead leaves. Unlike other species of cockroaches, they reproduce only once each year. Like the female hissing cockroach, the female giant burrowing cockroach gives birth to live young. She may then take care of her offspring for up to two years.
Oriental cockroach
The Blatta Orientalis, or Oriental cockroach, is also known as the "water bug", shade roach, or black beetle. The Oriental cockroach is a, shiny, blackish-brown species that measures up to one-inch in length. The wings of male Oriental cockroaches cover two-thirds of the abdomen. Female specimens are wingless, and their small wing pads extend only to the middle of the abdomen. Oriental roaches do not fly.
Oriental cockroaches thrive in port cities throughout the world. They can be found throughout the United States, as well as in England, Europe, Israel, Australia and South America. Oriental roaches prefer cool, damp locations, so they are typically located in basements and cellars. Oriental cockroaches crawl around service ducts, toilets, bathtubs, sinks, radiators and pipes.
Although their natural habitat is outdoors, they commonly infest homes in summer. Inside, they tend to remain on lower floors. Like other cockroach species, the Oriental cockroach is omnivorous and thrives by scavenging for food crumbs, decaying plants, and animals. Oriental cockroaches tend to gather in large numbers near water sources.
Smokey-brown cockroach
Although Smokey-brown cockroaches are related to the American cockroach, they are slightly smaller in size and uniformly mahogany in color. Nymphs are the same color as adults and their antennal tips are white. Smokey-brown cockroaches can grow up to 1.5 inches in length. Both sexes have wings that are longer than their abdomens. Smokey-brown cockroaches are capable of flying and they are attracted to light.
Their oothecae, or egg capsules, hold an average of 17 eggs. Each female is capable of producing 17 oothecae in one lifetime. Nymphs undergo several molting stages, after which they emerge as adults. The life span of the Smokey-brown cockroach averages six months, although they can live as long as 12 months in ideal conditions.
While smokey-brown cockroaches prefer to eat decaying plant matter, they will consume any food source available to them. They are nocturnal and hide in small places during the day, making themselves inaccessible to humans and predators. Commonly found in tree holes, wood-shingled roofs and in gutters, smokey-brown cockroaches thrive in damp, dark, and poorly ventilated areas. Inside, they breed in attics, where their populations can grow unnoticed.
When their populations grow large enough, they will infest entire homes. However, they prefer non-dwelling areas such as greenhouses, nurseries and gardens. They can be found throughout the southern United States and are most common from Texas to Florida. They have also been found in Southern California. They are major pests in cities such as Houston and New Orleans.
Other Types of Roaches
Surinam Cockroach
Sand Cockroach
Flying Cockroach
Asian Cockroach
Woods Cockroach
Green Cockroach
Albino Cockroach
Florida Woods Cockroach
Death Head Cockroach
For information on other pests, visit the "Pest Index" home page.
