Spotting Cockroaches: A Quick Guide to Identification

Introduction to Cockroach Identification

Cockroaches are feared and loathed by many. These fascinating pests survived for millions of years, earning their reputation as one of the most resilient insects on the planet. They can live for up to two weeks without water and hold their breath for longer than 30 minutes. As a result, cockroaches remain a prevalent problem, infesting more than 120 million homes in the United States every year.

Thousands of different cockroach species exist worldwide, with only approximately 70 of those species found in the U.S. Only four are common in our region, and you can differentiate between them by looking at their physical characteristics and behaviors. Although it’s tempting to group all cockroaches together, understanding the differences between various species can help improve the success rate of cockroach control measures.

Why It’s Important to Identify Cockroach Species

Cockroaches are more than just an icky bug. These pests can pose a real health hazard. Cockroaches contaminate surfaces to spread vectors of disease, including bacteria and parasites. Not only can they make you sick, but they can also set off allergies and cause asthma attacks. Identifying that you have a cockroach problem is only one step toward eliminating them and restoring healthy conditions.

Determining the species invading your property is critical, as each one has unique habits you need to understand to properly eliminate them.

Common Myths About Cockroaches

Nobody wants to have cockroaches in their home or business. Many of the things that people believe about these skittering nightmares aren’t true and can prevent them from understanding the real risks that lead to an infestation.

Cockroaches Only Infest Dirty Places: Although sanitation can play a big role in preventing cockroach infestations, these critters are drawn to places that offer access to food and moisture. Not keeping up with cleaning can offer more temptation and increase the risk. However, you can have an immaculate home and still attract cockroaches if food sources and water are plentiful.
Cockroaches Are Always Active: Cockroaches are mostly active at night, which makes them challenging to spot early on when combined with their preference for hiding in dark places. Understanding their behavior can help you identify the issue sooner.
All Cockroaches Are the Same: Each species has unique characteristics and behaviors. Also, of the 4,000 species crawling worldwide, only about 30 have been deemed pests. In the wild, cockroaches eat decaying matter, providing key nutrients for plants through their waste materials. They are also a good source of food for predators, including spiders, mice, birds, and frogs.

Common Cockroach Species and Their Physical Characteristics

Across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, you might encounter one or more of the following cockroach species. All have flat, oval bodies and long, thread-like antennae that they use to smell and feel their way around in the dark.

Explore some other physical characteristics, which you can use to help identify what type of cockroach you’re dealing with on your property.

American Cockroach

American cockroaches hide in dark, damp spots with ample shelter, including under roof shingles, foundations, basements, and woodpiles. You may find them in kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, and other areas with easy access to food and water. They come out at night to seek food, including everything from garbage to the glue that binds books.

Size: American cockroaches are among the largest species, averaging 1 to 1.5 inches in size.
Color: Bodies are reddish-brown, with yellow-hued bands on their heads.
Wings: Both males and females have wings.

German Cockroach

These may be the single most common cockroaches found in American homes. German cockroaches often emit a musty odor that can signal an infestation.

Size: Considerably smaller than American cockroaches, this species averages 5/8 to 2/3 inch in size.
Color: Colors range from tan to light brown with two dark strips down their backs.
Wings: These cockroaches have wings but rarely fly, preferring to run instead.

Oriental Cockroach

These cockroaches are also sometimes called waterbugs and black beetles. They are on the smaller side, with females growing larger than males. These cockroaches love dwelling in areas like sewers, making them common vectors of disease-causing contamination.

Size: These roaches grow up to 1 inch long.
Color: Bodies are reddish brown to dark black with a shiny appearance.
Wings: Although these cockroaches have wings, they do not fly.

Brown-Banded Cockroach

Although the other common cockroaches found throughout the region prefer humidity, brown-banded cockroaches thrive in warm, dry spots. They scavenge for food and will eat just about anything, including starchy materials like paper.

Size: On the smaller side, these insects average about 1/2 inch long.
Color: Bodies feature varying shades of brown with distinct banding on their wings.
Wings: Both males and females have wings, but females’ wings are smaller.

Behavioral Characteristics for Identification

In addition to their size and other physical characteristics, some of the behaviors of various species can aid in cockroach identification. Specifically, consider their habitats and feeding habits to help narrow it down.

Habitat Preferences

American cockroaches are more common in commercial settings, warehouses, garbage dumps, and sewers, but they may invade homes, as well. They can often be found in and around drains and pipes, making them common in areas like laundry rooms, kitchen, bathrooms, and basements.

The German cockroach is a common home invader frequently found in kitchens, basements, and bathrooms. Oriental cockroaches frequent sewers, often entering homes and buildings through drains and door thresholds. They can often be found in crawlspaces, basements, and outdoor piles of leaves and firewood.

With their preference for dry conditions, brown-banded cockroaches are often found in areas like closets. They may also hide in other dark spots like inside radios, televisions, furniture, and appliances and behind drawers.

Feeding Habits

American cockroaches eat plants, other insects, and nearly everything else they can. German cockroaches prefer sweets but will also eat items like books and toothpaste. Brown-banded cockroaches thrive on starchy foods, including the bindings of books and paste used for wallpaper. Although the previously mentioned species may occasionally eat non-organic materials, oriental cockroaches typically stick to organic matter, including garbage.

What to Do If You Find Cockroaches

If you spot a cockroach — or signs of an infestation like droppings or finding egg casings — the first thing to do is remain calm. Heat waves, readily available sources of food, and easy access to moisture from leaky plumbing can attract these pests. Also, remember that they are among the most common insects in the world, and you are not alone.

Figuring out how you got cockroaches (i.e., leaving food out, leaking faucets, or a crack in the foundation) can help.

DIY Control Measures

Although there are pesticides on the market that you can try, DIY roach control can be very challenging. Crushing cockroaches can release oleic acid, a substance that can attract others to the area. Additionally, because these pests are so adaptable, getting to the root of the infestation to eliminate it entirely is often beyond the scope of what you can do on your own.

Preventing Cockroaches

Prevention is the most effective way to deal with cockroaches on your own. Keeping pet dishes covered, promptly repairing any plumbing leaks, and storing food in air-tight contains can help. Additionally, sealing holes and gaps in the foundation, around pipes and utility lines that run indoors from outside, and caulking around doors and windows can help seal entry points.

When to Call a Professional

As soon as you suspect you have a cockroach infestation, call for professional cockroach control. There are usually many more insects hiding in and around your property than you can see, which is why it’s critical to rely on the pros. At Catseye Pest Control, our highly trained technicians have extensive education and state-of-the-art equipment to address the problem. The Catseye team can identify the species and tailor the approach to both the unique needs of the property and the species infesting it.

Contact Catseye today to learn more about our services or schedule a free inspection to get started.

The post Spotting Cockroaches: A Quick Guide to Identification appeared first on Catseye Pest Control.

This article appeared first on Catseye Pest