MB Integrated Pest Control-Cockroach

Cockroaches

American
Brown-Banded
German
Oriental
Smokeybrown

Cockroaches can wreak havoc on your home or business. To win the war against cockroaches, take note:

Entry: Cockroaches can enter your home in many different ways, from the outside through cracks and crevices, vents, sewer and drain pipes, even in grocery bags.

Ideal environment: Your home is an ideal breeding ground. 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 200 more hiding and multiplying behind your walls.

Evasiveness: Because cockroaches are nocturnal, if you’ve seen one, you haven’t seen them all. The few cockroaches you see by day were likely forced out by overcrowding; a possible sign of severe infestation.

Allergies: The dust created by cast-off cockroach skins, dead bodies and droppings can aggravate allergies, especially in 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, it can be a losing battle.

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American Cockroach

Latin Name: Periplaneta americana

Appearance: . Reddish-brown wings with a light yellow band around the edge of the pronotum. Bodies are 1½ to 2 inches in length. Adults have well developed wings and capable of gliding flight, but seldom fly.

Habitat: Prefer areas with high humidity. They are commonly found under tree bark or leaf litter outside and in barns. Sewer systems, while also providing another excellent habitat, also allows them to spread throughout campuses and major cities. The adults and nymphs move through the sewer pipes and enter kitchens and bathrooms through drainage pipes. When they are indoors they live in areas close to furnaces, heating ducts and food preparation areas. Very aggressive. More likely to be seen in daytime and outdoors than other species.

Diet: Scavenger; eats almost anything.

Reproduction: Female needs to mate only once to produce many egg capsules. Each capsule contains an average of 13 eggs. Nymphs molt 13 times in about 600 days before reaching maturity. Adult can live up to 15 months.

Other: Has shown a marked attraction to alcoholic beverages, especially beer. Also known as the "water bug."

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Brown-Banded Cockroach

Latin Name: Supella longipalpis

Appearance: Light gold to glossy dark brown coloration. Yellow bands transverse across the base of the wings and abdomen (more pronounced on nymphs than adults). Bodies are ½ to 5/8 inches in length.

Habitat: Nocturnal; can fly. Are more apt to be found in homes, apartments, hotels, motels, nursing homes and hospitals than in restaurants, grocery stores and other commercial establishments. They occupy drier locations within a building. Nymphs and adults frequently are found on ceilings in dark or dimly lit rooms, behind picture frames, in light switches, in upper walls of cabinets and closets, or on underside of furniture and inside upholstered furniture.

Diet: Scavenger; Prefer starchy foods and appear to have lower water requirements than other cockroaches, but eats almost anything.

Reproduction: Female carries egg capsule for 24 to 36 hours, then attaches it underneath or on the side of a protected surface. Capsules contain an average of 18 eggs. Nymphs reach maturity in an average of 161 days. Adults live up to 10 months.

Other: Sometimes confused with the German cockroach. Often hides egg capsules in furniture. Not as dependent on moisture as other species.

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German Cockroach

Latin Name: Blattella germanica

Appearance: Light to medium brown with two dark longitudinal streaks on the thorax. Bodies are ½ to 5/8 inches in length, with two dark stripes running lengthwise on the pronotum. Adults are fully winged but rarely fly.

Habitat: Nocturnal; because they cannot tolerate cold temperatures they are mainly an indoor pest. They are commonly found in homes, apartments, condominiums and commercial food establishments. Because of their size they can be easily introduced into a structure. They can gain entry by concealing themselves in groceries or luggage or by migrating from other infested structures. Usually seek dark shelters near moisture and food, such as kitchens and bathrooms. When populations become large and food scarce they can appear in bedrooms and other less likely places.

Diet: Scavenger; eats almost anything.

Reproduction: Have a high reproductive rate. Because of this fact they are one of the most important structure-infesting cockroaches. Their offspring have a better chance of survival because the females carry the ootheca (egg capsules) until they are ready to hatch. Females can produce one egg capsule every 20 to 25 days. Each capsule contains from 18 to 48 eggs. Newborns become adults in as little as 36 days. Adults can live up to one year.

Other: Extremely heavy infestations are not uncommon. Often found aboard ships. The most widely dispersed of all cockroaches in the United States.

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Oriental Cockroach

Latin Name: Blatta orientalis

Appearance: Glossy dark brown to black coloration. Females nearly 1¼ inches long; Males are 1 inch long. Male's wings cover most of the body; Female's wings are reduced to mere lobes. Not capable of flight. Do not move very fast even when disturbed.

Habitat: Capable of surviving in a wide range of outdoor habitats, but prefer areas with high humidity. They live in cool, moist places, such as beneath leaves, under porches, in plant compost, basements, cellars and crawl spaces. Homes are usually invaded through cracks in the foundation, along sewer pipes or under doors. These cockroaches are not capable of climbing slick surfaces. In structures they tend to live under refrigerators, sinks and washing machines.

Diet: Eats anything, but often found feeding on garbage, sewage and decaying organic matter. Seems to prefer starches, if available.

Reproduction: Egg capsules contain 16 eggs. Females will produce an average of eight capsules. Nymphs go through seven molts before becoming adults in about a year. Adults can live up to six months.

Other: Also known as "water bugs" or "black beetles." More sluggish than other species, gives off a distinctly unpleasant odor.

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Smokeybrown Cockroach

Latin Name: Periplaneta fuliginosa

Appearance: Dark mahogany brown to black, with size ranging from 1¼ to 1½ inch long. The pronotum is a solid dark color; both sexes have wings longer than their bodies; and antennae are as long as or longer than their bodies.

Habitat: These cockroaches require high humidity for survival. They are found outside in wooded areas that provide shade and moisture. They can also be seen in protected areas around homes (tree holes and mulch) and in buildings and attics. Stacks of lumber and firewood, sewer-access openings and trah piles can contribute to infestations. Once in structures they are commonly found in attics or near fireplaces. These cockroaches can be attracted by a leaky roof. Populations are relatively immobile compared with other species.

Diet: Scavenger; eats almost anything, but normally feeds on plant material.

Reproduction: Egg capsules hatch in 24 to 70 days. Each contains an average of 20 eggs. Females reach maturity in 320 days and produce an average of seven capsules. Adults can live up to 200 days.

Other: Particularly numerous in southeastern United States, they fly toward lights at night.

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