Cockroaches
- Cockroaches have been on earth for a very long time - somewhere around 350 million years! There are a variety of species, they're very adaptable and reproduce very fast.
- Most species prefer to live in moist, dark places.
- Cockroaches are omnivorous, which means that they tend to eat whatever they can find. This is one reason why they have become so successful.
- Cockroaches produce egg cases, or oothecae, for their young to mature in. Once the eggs inside the egg case hatch, the young cockroaches (nymphs) will break open the egg case and emerge.
Some of their species include:
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A. German Cockroaches
- Most commonly found in homes and commercial establishments. They are usually detected in kitchens, bathrooms or areas with daily access to water.
- Small in size, tan in color and have two longitudinal black stripes
on their pronotum - the shield-like plate that covers the head (if
you are looking down on the cockroach).
- They enjoy humid environments with a temperature around 70°F.
- They are able to produce offspring year round indoors. These females actually carry the egg case (ootheca) with them until a few hours before the nymphal cockroaches are ready to emerge. Each German cockroach ootheca holds between 25-40 cockroaches.
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B. Brown-banded Cockroaches
- Brown-banded cockroaches are usually found in homes and commercial establishment such as office buildings. They like high locations (shelves, behind pictures, etc.).
- Tan in color. They have a yellowish stripe on their pronotum - the shield-like plate that covers the head (if you are looking down on the cockroach
- Brown-bandeds will fly when they are disturbed.
- These cockroaches like environments with a temperature around 80°F.
- They are able to produce offspring year round indoors. The females attach their egg cases (ootheca) on walls or ceilings. Brown-banded cockroach ootheca hold between 12-20 cockroaches.
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C. American Cockroaches
- Often called "Palmetto Bugs", these are large cockroaches with a reddish-brown coloring. They have yellowish-tan markings on their pronotum - the shield-like plate that covers the head (if you are looking down on the cockroach).
- The nymphs, or baby cockroaches, are also a reddish-brown color. Oothecae (egg case) are often glued to a surface and hold 6-14 nymphs.
- Tend to move into the home when the conditions outside become unfavorable (extreme temperatures, excessive rain, etc.).
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D. Smoky Brown Cockroaches
- Smoky brown cockroaches are a dark reddish-brown or mahogany color. They do not have any yellowish or tan markings on the pronotum.
- The nymphs are black with white markings in early stages and then become reddish-brown as they mature.
- These cockroaches can be located in treeholes, building gutters, soffits in houses or mulch beds. Smoky browns are generally an outside inhabiting species, but indoors are frequently found in attics.
- Female Smoky browns drop their ootheca (egg case) and cover it with fecal material or debris to camouflage. The egg case holds around 18 nymphs.
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