SMOKY BROWN COCKROACH

APPEARANCE:
This roach is very similar to the American Roach, but is smaller in size and is dark brown-mahogany, black in color. Adults have well-developed wings that stretch to the tip of the abdomen.

DIET:
Normally they prefer plant material, but will eat almost anything when they come inside the home. They feed on plant material and may inhabit greenhouses.

HABITS AND BIOLOGY:
The Smoky Brown is a tropical roach, thus more common in the southern United States. This species is occasionally shipped all over the U.S. on fruit or nursery stock. They enter houses in the summer or hitchhike on firewood. Females lay a dark brown capsule that contains 24 eggs, hatching in one to two months. The young will become an adult in 10-12 months. This roach is not usually found in the northern states, unless they are brought in. However, in the southern part of the country, they are numerous. These roaches fly at night toward lights.

ORIENTAL COCKROACH

This roach is also called "water bug" or "black beetle".

APPEARANCE:
This roach is shiny black and is about 1.25 inches long. They have wings, but can't fly.
The total length for the female and male is 1". The females have small nonfunctional wings, while the males have wings that cover about 1" of the abdomen; neither the female nor male can fly. Adults are very dark brown or black in color.

DIET:
Decayed organic matter in mulch piles and rubbish. The Oriental Cockroach prefers starchy food, and builds up populations around garbage cans. Most of their water consumption is gotten through their food and the moisture around them.

HABITS AND BIOLOGY:
Females produce an average of 8 egg capsules, containing 16 eggs in each, from spring to mid-summer. Unlike other urban cockroaches, the Oriental roach produces only one generation per year where temperatures are cool in winter. The female will carry the egg capsule (irregularly shaped, black, 3/8" long, and 1/4" wide), for around 30 hours and then drops or attaches it in a protected area, near a food supply. The eggs hatch in about 60 days under warm conditions. At least 75% of the eggs must hatch to open the capsule.

The young become adults in 6-12 months. Nymphs (young) are active from about March through much of the summer. During this period, they molt seven to ten times, and are reddish-brown to black in color, except in the first stage when they are pale tan. The older brown Oriental Cockroach nymphs are very difficult to distinguish from the American Cockroach nymphs. This type of roach will have seasonal cycles in its development. They peak to adults during the spring and early summer, dwindling in numbers by the late summer/early fall. In early spring, only adult Oriental Cockroaches are found. By late spring, nymphs are abundant. As nymphet numbers increase, the adults die off and by August, any adults are new ones. By fall, almost the entire population is adult.

Inside they can be found in damp areas such as basements, crawl spaces, and kitchens, indoors and out. They are usually found at or below ground level in yards, beneath leaves, in dumps, in the mulch of flower beds and in high moisture situations such as sewers, drains and dark, damp basements. They favor crawl spaces, spaces between the soil and building foundations, the undersides of stoops and sidewalks, landscaping mulches, water meters, basements and their floor drains, and other such moist places. These cockroaches frequently live in floor drains that drain directly outside; these drains are also used as entrances to homes. They tolerate lower temperature ranges than other roaches and may winter in rock walls or such protected sites. During times of drought there may be movement towards the inside of the home, but generally speaking they are found outdoors during the warmer months. They may also move inside if it is unseasonably cold.

GERMAN COCKROACH

The German Cockroach is one of the most common roaches found in apartment houses, restaurants, and hotels. German Cockroaches (eggs included), are unknowingly "brought in", usually in capsule form, and six months later - you find you have an infestation.

It is one of the most challenging pest control problems to manage and eliminate - but it can be done. To accurately and completely eliminate these roaches, you need to attack them from several fronts...using baits, dusts, growth regulators, and pheromone traps. They have the most eggs produced, shortest development cycle, best survival rate of the young, and the most adaptive feeding habits of most of the roaches. Because of this "high reproductive potential", they have a greater ability to develop resistance against insecticides. The technology of the pest control market has switched to an integrated pest management like baiting, dusting, and the use of insect growth regulators and pheromone traps against the German Cockroach....as opposed to just using a residual or contact insecticide either in an aerosol form or liquid form.

APPEARANCE:
Adults are 1/2 inch - 5/8 inch long, light to medium brown with 2 dark, distinctive stripes behind the head. The young (nymphs) are wingless, smaller and much darker in color, with a light stripe on their backs.

DIET:
Will eat anything, will stay close to food and water source.

HABITS AND BIOLOGY:
Females produce one egg capsule every 3-4 weeks. Each capsule contains 25-45 eggs. The female will carry the egg capsule with her until it is ready to hatch. The young (nymphs) will be able to breed in as little as 36 days. Adult German Roaches can live up to one year. These roaches are mostly active at night. If they are seen during the day, it is usually because their hiding places are overcrowded due to a large population, or there is a shortage of food and water supply.
Infestations are generally found in kitchens and bathrooms, but can inhabit other areas. If there is a heavy population, they can relocate because of the “repellent” effect of insecticides.

BROWN BANDED COCKROACH

This roach is often confused with the German Cockroach, but its habits are different. They are often brought in dwellings in furniture. They are commonly found in the southern states, but may be found in warmer parts of buildings in the northern states.

APPEARANCE:
They are light brown and are about 1/2 inch long. They have two light, irregular bands along their wings. In contrast, the German Roach has two dark, distinctive bands behind their heads.

DIET:
They prefer starchy materials, but being scavengers will eat almost anything.

HABITS AND BIOLOGY:
The female will only carry the egg capsule for one or two days, then attach it to a protected surface. Each capsule contains 14-18 eggs, the young reach maturity in about 160 days. You can find these light brown egg capsules usually under or to the sides of a surface, being well protected. They don't require the same moisture resources as the German Roach, so they are commonly found in furniture, or on the walls and ceilings. They are not as commonly found in the kitchen and bathrooms, as the German Roach, but can be found near refrigerator motors and other major appliances. Also, look behind pictures and in closets. They are rarely seen during the day and may fly. They prefer dry and warm places and may be scattered throughout the building.

WATER OR PALMETTO BUG

APPEARANCE:
Reddish-brown, about 1.5 inches long or longer, winged, but seldom flies.

DIET:
They prefer decaying organic matter, but being scavengers, will eat anything. Sweets are attractive to them. They also will feed on starchy items like book bindings and the back of wallpaper..

HABITS AND BIOLOGY:
Females produce many egg capsules, having 14-16 eggs hatching in 50-55 days into grayish-brown "nymphs". As they mature, they become more reddish-brown in appearance. Adults and nymphs can be found in a variety of places. They are commonly found in steam heat tunnels or in large institutional buildings. They more commonly congregate in open spaces instead of small cracks and crevices. When they are indoors, they can be located in dark, moist areas like basements and crawl spaces. Other likely areas indoors would be around bathtubs, floor drains, and sewers. Outside, this roach can be found in moist, shady areas like: yards, hollow trees, woodpiles, and mulch. At times, they can be found under roof shingles or attics. Usually they will live outside, but will wander inside in search for food and water or during extremes in weather conditions.