American Cockroach:

PEST-SA Pest control Cockroaches. The American cockroach is 1.5 inches long, making them the largest of the house-infesting cockroaches. The American cockroach generally live in moist areas, but they can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. American cockroaches prefer warm temperatures. In residential areas, these cockroaches live in basements, around pipes and sewers, and may move outdoors into yards during warm weather. These cockroaches can be found in basements, crawl spaces and foundations. If you have any issue with cockroaches don’t hesitate to contact an expert now.

Cockroach Life Cycle:

Nymphs hatch from egg cases that the adult female cockroach deposits. As the nymph grows, it sheds its “skin” or exoskeleton so it can get larger. Each nymphal stage is larger than the previous one, and an adult cockroach emerges after the last nymphal stage. The figure shows a simplified image of the life cycle (egg stage, nymph stage and adult stage) of the German cockroach.

American Cockroach

Oriental Cockroach

Oriental Cockroach

Cockroach (Feeding) Habits

The cockroaches normally encountered by humans in his dwellings and food establishments are the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L.), and the Oriental cockroach, Balta orientalist (L.). Each of these cockroaches undergoes a life cycle involving an egg capsule, a series of nymphs, and an adult.

German Cockroach

With the exception of the female Oriental cockroach, the adults of these three cockroaches have well-developed wings. However, they almost never fly; movement by both the adults and the wingless nymphs is by walking or rapid running. These three cockroaches can be distinguished by color and size. Adult German cockroaches are tan to medium brown in color and fairly small in size (10-15 mm). Adult American cockroaches are reddish brown in color and large in size (35-40 mm). Adult Oriental cockroaches are fairly large in size (26-30 mm) and are shiny, dark brown or black in color. Cockroaches require food, water, and places to hide and are, therefore, found in situations where these requirements can be met. They are nocturnal, remaining hidden during the day and becoming active at night to obtain food and water, and to reproduce. The German cockroach commonly occurs in kitchens; the American cockroach appears more often in food establishments; and the Oriental cockroach is usually associated with dampness around sinks or in basements. Cockroaches are not normally encountered by man unless their populations become very large. Cockroaches will eat almost anything: left-over human food, wood, leather, cigarette butts, toothpaste, milk, sugary materials, coffee grinds, glue, soap, feces, fabric, shoes, paint, the glue on the back of wallpaper, human hair, fingernails, etc

Cockroach Facts

Fact: The German cockroach is the most common house-infesting cockroach and the number one pest in Adelaide.

Fact: The cockroach can live without its head for an entire week.

Fact: The word cockroach comes from the Spanish word “Cucaracha” which means “crazy bug”.

Fact: There are about 4,000 different species of cockroaches in the world. About 30-50 species live in Australia.

Fact: The world’s largest roach lives in South America and is 6 inches long with a one-foot wingspan.

Fact: Cockroaches will eat almost anything: left-over human food, paper, wood, leather, cigarette butts, toothpaste, coffee grinds, glue, soap, feces, fabric, shoes, paint, the glue on the back of wallpaper, human hair, fingernails, etc

Fact: German cockroaches are very small. They can squeeze through a crack that is about 1/16th of an inch wide.