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 Cockroaches
German
Adult
German cockroaches are light brown except
for a shield behind the head which is
marked with two dark stripes. They are
about 5/8 inch long. Young roaches are
wingless and nearly black with a single
light stripe running down the middle
of the back. Egg capsules are light tan.
German
cockroaches, are the most common roaches
found in houses and restaurants. Most
cockroaches have a flattened, oval shape,
spiny legs, and long, filamentous antennae.
Immature stages are smaller, have undeveloped
wings and resemble the adults. They eat
food of all kinds and may hitchhike into
the house on egg cartons, soft drink
cartons, sacks of potatoes or onions,
used furniture, beer cases, etc. |
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They
can develop into large populations and live
throughout the house, especially in the kitchen
and bathroom. During the day, these roaches
may be found hiding clustered behind baseboard
molding, in cracks around cabinets, closets
or pantries, and in and under stoves, refrigerators
and dishwashers. When seen during the day in
clusters, the total unseen population is large.
Roaches
can foul food, damage wallpaper and books,
eat glue from furniture, and produce an unpleasant
odor. Some homeowners are allergic to roaches.
The pests can contaminate food with certain
bacterial diseases that result in food poisoning,
dysentery, or diarrhea.
American
American
cockroaches are reddish brown and have
a yellowish margin on the body region
behind the head. They are usually around
1 and 1/2 inches long. When disturbed,
they may run rapidly and adults may fly.
Immature cockroaches resemble adults
except that they are wingless.
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 and sewers, and may
move outdoors into yards during warm
weather. 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. |
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Oriental
The
Oriental cockroach known as the "water
bug," is more closely associated
with damp areas than the other common
roaches. These insects feed on garbage
and decaying organic matter and are often
considered the filthiest of the house-infesting
roaches. They are found in damp basements,
cellars, crawl spaces, near drains, leaky
water pipes and beneath refrigerators,
sinks and washing machines, under floors,
and inside walls. They forage mostly
on the ground floors of buildings.
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Outdoors,
they are found beneath decomposing leaves or
stones in mulching materials, in trash and
at municipal sewer plants. During the autumn,
there can be a mass movement into buildings,
but because of their preference for cooler
temperatures, can be found outdoors and in
unheated buildings during the winter.
Adult
Oriental cockroaches are shiny, dark brown
or black, about 1 to 1-1/4-inch long and
have nonfunctional wings incapable of flight.
Females
are about 1-1/4-inch long, broad and have
only little pads for wings. Males are about
one
inch long, more slender and have wings not
reaching the tip of the abdomen. Immature
roaches (nymphs) are darker in color than adults,
similarly
shaped and wingless. Egg cases are dark reddish-brown,
one inch long (largest of the common roaches),
and appear slightly inflated.
Brown
Banded
| The
adults are rather small cockroaches about
5/8 inch long. The adult male is slender
in appearance with its wings extending
beyond the tip of the abdomen. Adult females
have shorter wings that expose a considerable
portion of their broad abdomens. They have
two light yellow or cream-colored bands
across their backs. These bands tend to
be hidden by the wings in the adults. The
markings of the brown-banded cockroach
are roughly crosswise while those of the
German cockroach are lengthwise. |
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Brown-banded
cockroaches are generally found on ceilings,
high on walls, behind picture frames, and near
motors of refrigerators and other appliances.
They are also found in light switches, closets
and furniture. They do not require as much
moisture as the German cockroach which explains
why they normally are found in rooms other
than the kitchen or bathroom. These cockroaches
dislike light and are not normally seen during
the day.
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