German Cockroach

The German cockroaches are the most common pest found in homes and restaurants. These cockroaches have a flattened, oval shape, spiny legs, and long antennae. Immature stages are smaller, have undeveloped wings and resemble the adults. They eat food of all kinds and may hitchhike into the house inside egg cartons, soft drink cartons, sacks of potatoes or onions, used furniture or appliances, beer cases, etc.

Once inside your home, these roaches generally develop in the kitchen and bathroom areas where there is moisture. Keeping areas dry can be an effective way to limit the possibility of these roaches from becoming a problem.

German Cockroach Life Cycle

German cockroach females, unlike most other roaches, carry the egg capsule protruding from their abdomen which hatches between 25 and 30 days. During the last three or four days prior to dropping her egg case, the female German cockroach does not forage for food or water. The case is then placed in a secluded location, with the nymphs emerging sometime within the hour and develop between 40 and 125 days.

A female may produce four to six cases during her lifetime, each containing 30 to 40 eggs. Female roaches live about 200 days, with males living not quite as long. The German roach produces more eggs and has more generations per year (three to four) than other roaches, and only a few individuals are needed to develop into troublesome infestations.

How To Prevent German Cockroaches From Entering Your Home

It is important for you to inspect sacks, cartons and boxes, etc., before bringing them into your house and destroy any roaches. Sanitation is also very critical in roach control.

Clean up any spilled foods and liquids and avoid leaving any scraps of food on unwashed dishes and countertops overnight. Try to keep food in tightly sealed containers, rinse cans and bottles before recycling them and remember to take your garbage outside every night.

American Cockroach (Water Bug)

These cockroaches are 1½ to 2 inches long, making them the largest of the house-infesting cockroaches. The American cockroaches have a yellowish margin on the body region behind the head and have reddish-brown, fully developed wings. When disturbed, they may run rapidly and male adults may fly. Immature cockroaches resemble adults except that they do not have wings.

American cockroaches generally live in moist areas, but can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. They prefer warm temperatures around 84 degrees Fahrenheit and do not tolerate cold temperatures. In residential areas, these cockroaches live in basements, around pipes and sewers, and may move outdoors into yards during warm weather.

Oftentimes, the American cockroach can be found under decks, under mulch, inside hollow block construction, or in any cool and damp area. Because of their fondness for sewers, large populations of American cockroaches will be seen in many cities after heavy rains or flooding.

American Cockroach Life Cycle

Females produce egg cases that are generally placed on a surface in hidden locations. The female may glue the egg case to the side of a structure or interior wall of a basement. These egg cases are 3/8 inch long, brown, and purse shaped.

Immature cockroaches emerge from egg cases in 6 to 8 weeks. The nymphs require 6 to 12 months to mature. Adult cockroaches can live up to one year, during which females produce an average of 150 young.

How To Reduce American Cockroach Infestation

During certain times of the year, these cockroaches may move inside your home from outside sources. For example, in winter these cockroaches may move indoors, seeking warmer temperatures and food.

Cockroaches may enter houses via sewer pipes, under doors, around utility cables, air ducts, or other openings in the foundation. To reduce cockroach populations in basements, dampness should be decreased and insecticides should be applied in cracks and crevices where there is evidence of cockroach activity.

Oriental Cockroach

Oriental Cockroaches are dark reddish-brown in color, sometimes referred to as the “Black Beetle”. When disturbed, it may run rapidly and the adult males, who have wings, may fly. The adult females, however, are wingless. Female Oriental cockroaches can be distinguished from large nymphs by the wing stubs, which have definite venation. The adult roach is about 1 inch long (some being reported as 1 1/4 inch in length) and immature cockroaches resemble adults except that they are wingless.

Unlike other pest cockroaches, oriental cockroaches cannot climb up smooth surfaces (they lack sticky pads on their feet). Oriental cockroaches generally live in moist areas, but can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. They prefer cooler temperatures and can overwinter in protected areas outdoors where temperatures average 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

These cockroaches are common in basements, crawl spaces, cracks and crevices of porches, foundations, and walkways adjacent to buildings. They feed on a wide variety of plant and animal material. The Oriental cockroach breeds well in poorly ventilated crawl spaces or basements where humidity is high.

Oriental Cockroach Life Cycle

Females produce egg cases and may carry them protruding from the tip of the abdomen for about 30 hours. Egg cases are then generally glued to a surface in a hidden location, usually a warm sheltered spot where food will be available for emerging nymphs. Egg cases are 3/8 inch long, brown, and purse shaped.

Immature cockroaches emerge from egg cases in 6 to 8 weeks and require 6 to 12 months to mature. Adult cockroaches can live up to one year, during which females produce an average of 150 young. This cockroach prefers to feed on starchy foods but (like other roaches) will adapt to survive.

How To Keep Oriental Cockroaches Away

Oriental cockroaches may enter houses via sewer pipes, under doors, around utility cables, air ducts, or other openings in the foundation. Applying an exterior barrier treatment around buildings is the best way to stop the inward movement of this pest.

To reduce cockroach populations in basements, dampness should be decreased and insecticides should be applied in cracks and crevices where there is evidence of cockroach activity.

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