“What are you afraid of?” When it comes to this question, one answer that is common to hear is this insect of the order Blattodea called cockroach. There are thousands of species of cockroaches and out of these thousands of species about four of them are considered pests.
Cockroaches are most brown and black in colors. Depending on the species, some cockroaches can be 3 inches long. In terms of structure and features of the body, cockroaches have flattened bodies, six legs that have tiny hairs, long antennae, and wings.
Not all cockroaches can fly. For cockroaches, wings do not guarantee flying. Many species of cockroaches have wings, but there are some who cannot use it at all to fly.
An animal or any living organism is branded as pests when they cause human concerns or when they are nuisance and troubles. There are cockroaches that are considered pests because they invade houses and other human dwellings and pose health risks.
Common cockroaches in human dwellings
Which type of cockroach infestations are common in houses and buildings? Like what we read there are thousands of species of cockroaches but not all of them dwell inside our properties or houses. The unhygienic cockroaches that we usually see in commercial buildings and residences are the following:
Oriental Cockroach
Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) loves moist or dark surroundings that is why they can be mostly found in sewers. Adult male water bugs or oriental cockroaches are usually 18 to 29 millimetre long while adult female oriental cockroaches measure about 20 to 27 millimetre. There are oriental cockroaches that are reddish-brown but generally, oriental cockroaches are blackish.
Oriental cockroaches have strong, musty, and foul odor. Their egg case contains 16 to 18 eggs. Oriental cockroaches love living outdoor. They often can be found under stones or rocks, porches, or under trash cans. Indoors, their nests are usually in kitchen cabinets, behind refrigerators and cabinets, and other narrow spaces.
Signs of oriental cockroach infestation include their strong musty odor, feces, egg capsules or egg cases, and dead cockroaches.
Trivia: Oriental cockroaches are non-flying roaches. Both male and female oriental cockroaches have wings that are different from one another but both have no abilities to fly.
American Cockroach
American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) when adults are reddish-brown with an almost yellow color band around their pronotum. These cockroaches can be found not just in a certain country but all around the world. American cockroaches can reach up to about 2 inches in length. These types of cockroaches has well-developed wings when adult and can fly but for short distances only.
American cockroaches’ egg case contains 16 eggs. On average, an adult female cockroaches produce 150 young in her whole lifespan. These cockroaches are fast runners, their presence is more common in places or areas with warmer climates.
When it comes to what they eat, American cockroaches seem to have no problem with food as they eat almost anything like fruits, bread, fish, papers, clothes and even hair and dead insects. One of the common ways American cockroach enters residences are through plumbing from sewers and through trees that are beside properties.
Trivia: American cockroaches almost eat anything but they particularly like sweets.
Australian Cockroach
Australian cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae) has a big resemblance with American cockroach but unlike American cockroaches, Australian cockroaches have yellow bands on the upper margins of their forewings. They measure between 1.2 to 1.5 inches long and their color is reddish-brown to dark brown. Distinguishing a male Australian cockroach from a female of their type could be a difficult task but a difference they have from each other is that adult male Australian cockroach has two pairs of appendages while the adult female Australian cockroach has only one pair of appendages at the tip of the abdomen.
Australian cockroach likes warm and humid environments. They are found mostly outdoors and when indoors they are usually inside and behind drawers. Because Australian cockroaches love heat and humidity, inside the house they can be mostly found too in places like heated fish tanks. The egg case of an Australian cockroach contains 22 to 24 eggs.
Australian cockroaches are good fliers, because of this ability it is a bit easy for them to enter houses when they are in the trees near the properties.
German Cockroach
German cockroach (Blattella germanica) are often confused with Asian cockroach because of their many similarities that they are almost look alike. These cockroaches are about ½ inch to 5/8 inch long. Their color is tan to light brown with two dark stripes on their back. In spite of having wings, German cockroach doesn't fly.
German cockroach likes a warm and moist environment. They could be considered as the common species that could be found in most residential areas and commercial buildings like hotels and restaurants. Their egg case holds about 40 eggs.
German cockroaches are widespread all over the world. They commonly enter houses by going inside grocery bags and cardboard boxes, cartons, and luggage. German cockroaches have a significantly fast reproduction rate. German cockroaches can breed up to six generations in just a matter of one year.
Trivia: Did you know German cockroaches also eat soap and toothpaste?
Brown-banded Cockroach
Brown-branded cockroach (Supella longipalpa) is widespread throughout the world. They are called Brown-banded cockroaches because they have two brown bands in their wings and abdomen. Their color is light gold to dark brown that looks glossy. Their sizes range from 11 to 14.5 millimetre. Male and female wings are different in sizes. Female Brown-banded cockroaches’ wings are shorter compared to the males. The male’s wings cover and reach the tip of their abdomens while the female's wings are shorter than their bodies. The female Brown-banded cockroaches do not have the ability to fly. Their egg capsule contains approximately 16 eggs.
Brown-banded cockroaches can be found not only in the kitchen where there a lot of food sources for them, but they can also be found in areas like the bedrooms.
Trivia: Brown-banded cockroaches spend their entire life indoors.
How dangerous are cockroaches?
Cockroaches can carry serious diseases. These insects like to linger and feed on decaying matter and then fly or run to our food. In just seconds a cockroach can deposit harmful organisms on food and other things we like to touch or hold every day.
Cockroaches are known to spread 33 kinds of bacteria. Salmonella Typhi which causes Typhoid that can be fatal and Poliomyelitis which causes Polio- a potentially deadly disease too- are just two of the alarming health risks cockroaches pose.
There are scientists that even suggest that the infestations of cockroaches, specifically the German cockroach can cause psychological stress to humans.
What attracts them?
What attracts cockroaches in human dwellings? Cockroaches stay in places where they can find food and shelter. Dirty dishes, crumbs, and moisture and dampness are like a big welcome signal for cockroaches. Cracks and crevices invite cockroach too as well as the tiny spaces on the sides and behind refrigerators and cabinets.
Signs of roach infestation
√ Seeing their presence
If there is a cockroach infestation in your house there will be no chance that you will not see their presence, especially at night when you turn on the lights. You might find a few of them flying or crawling on the floor and wall.
√ Strong musty and foul odor
A strong musty odor is associated with cockroaches. When there is an infestation, you might smell this odor in the air or a particular area in your house or just inside the cabinets.
√ Cockroach droppings
Fecal droppings are an indication that there might be a cockroach infestation already in the house. The droppings of the smaller cockroaches look a bit like black pepper in appearance.
√ Dead cockroaches or their body parts in the house
Some dead cockroaches near the wall or in the corners of the house and some body parts like legs and wings on the floors and corners could be a sign of roach problems in the house.
√ Cockroaches’ egg cases
When you find egg cases of cockroaches (oothecae) in the house it means that cockroaches are dwelling inside your property.
How to get rid of them
Sanitation is a vital key in preventing and getting rid of cockroaches. Listed below are some advises that will help in preventing and getting rid of cockroaches.
√ There should not be dirty dishes that stay on the sink
From these dirty dishes cockroaches find food so, dirty dishes must not stay on the sink especially overnight when many cockroaches are very active.
√ Clean the crumbs immediately
Crumbs that fall on the table, floor or anywhere should be cleaned immediately as these crumbs are food for the cockroaches.
√ Food stocks should be stored properly
The food stocks should be stored properly. Cockroaches are always on the hunt for food and our food stocks especially the ones that are not stored properly are an opportunity of food they surely would not miss.
√ Dispose garbage cans properly
Cockroaches love to feed on almost anything so garbage cans are certainly perfect places for them. Dispose your garbage properly and regularly. For your garbage cans, always make sure not to leave the lids open.
√ Always close cabinets and food containers
Cabinets are common places where cockroaches are always found. To make sure that there will be no cockroaches that will greet you when you open your cabinets and containers, always close them tightly ensuring there are no open spaces or gaps that will give way for them to get inside.
√ Inspect grocery bags
German cockroaches can enter the house by hitching on grocery bags, cartons and alike so it is important that these are inspected first before going inside the house.
√ Avoid stocking things near to the walls or corners
Avoid stocking piles of papers, books, book binds, clothes, shoes or anything that might attract cockroaches close to the walls or corners.
√ Avoid positioning cabinets and refrigerators very close to the wall
Avoiding positioning refrigerators and such very close to the wall can help also in preventing cockroaches as these are some of their favorite locations to have their nests.
√ Seal leakages
Many cockroaches love moist, we don’t want their presence so there should not be any perfect environment for them in our house.
Remember, as long as there are foods and ideal shelter for cockroaches, it will be hard to prevent and get rid of them. Always make sure to check the house for any entry point of cockroaches. Inspect the house if there is like an “open invitation” for these pests like an open or exposed food source and an ideal environment. Cockroaches are very persistent if you want a long-term solution and if after your own efforts of inspection and eradication their presence remain, you'll probably want to hire an expert pest control company to assist you.
