Unlike nuisance pests that are unsightly but harmless, bacteria-carrying cockroaches pose a threat to public health and require serious attention, particularly in the restaurant industry. They’re good at hiding, good at reproducing, and able to eat just about anything — including plant material, fabrics, glue, hair, book bindings, human food, and their own cast skins.
Few pests disgust people more than cockroaches; in fact, this dubious honor has only recently been claimed by bed bugs. We plan to focus on specific species and treatment methods in future posts, but here’s a brief introduction to several common species.
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The German Cockroach
- Wings cover the entire abdomen
- About 1/2 inch long
- Tan, with two dark strips behind the head
- Adults can enter cracks as narrow as 1.6 mm wide
- Has the shortest life cycle of all roaches
- Commonly found where food is handled or stored
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The American Cockroach
- 1 – 1 1/2 inches long
- Wings cover the entire abdomen
- Brown or reddish-brown
- Prefers dark, damp areas
- Eats decaying organic matter, fabrics, sweets
- Can survive 2-3 months without food, 1 month without water!
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The Asian Cockroach
- First found in Florida in the mid-80's
- Resembles the German cockroach; field identification is difficult
- Prefers to live in leaf litter or natural mulch
- Most active just after sunset and before sunrise
- Able to fly hundreds of yards at a time
- Attracted to reflected light and incandescent bulbs
- Has yet to be reported in the Northeast
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The Oriental Cockroach
- Shiny and black or dark brown
- About 1 inch long; females are longer
- Females have small wings; males’ wings cover 50-75% of abdomen
- Lives in sewers, crawlspaces, basements
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The Brownbanded Cockroach
- Wings are crossed by pale brown bands
- About 1/2 inch long
- Males fly well; females do not fly at all
- Prefers warm, dry areas
- Avoids light; usually encountered at night
