Types of Roaches and Important Things You Should Know About Them
Roaches are nocturnal creatures, they usually find peace in places that are dim lit and moist. They will easily fit themselves into the crevices of your house and make themselves at home.
A cockroach infestation is extremely common in all parts of the world. The infestation and how it must be dealt with depends on the types of roaches that have entered your home.
Most of them are attracted by unsanitary conditions and water leaks. They could also be inhabiting your home as a source of food.
Continue reading for a few cockroach facts that will help you identify and deal with a roach infestation.
Are the Cockroaches You See at Home the Only Ones That Exist?
Cockroaches are common pests that can easily be found in almost all households. Overall about 4500 species of these insects can be found all over the world.
Only 30 of these 4500 species are categorized as pests. Four of them, the American, German, Oriental and Australian cockroaches are the most well-known to create a lot of trouble.
All four species are found in the United States but the most common household roach is the German Cockroach. The biggest in size is the American Cockroach which the Australian species are very similar to but smaller.
How Long Have Cockroaches Been Around?
Cockroaches have inhabited Earth for the past 300 million years. That’s quite a long period of time for species to survive. This also means that cockroaches were alive and thriving on Earth when it was inhabited by dinosaurs. It is also expected that they outlive human beings due to their heartiness.
They are one of the toughest creatures that have walked the planet and can survive for nearly one month without eating. They have some characteristics which allow them to survive in such adverse conditions as well. For instance, they can live for at least a week after getting decapitated. These make them extremely strong in comparison to other pests.
Four Types of Roaches and How to Identify Them
#1. American Cockroach
The scientific name of an American cockroach is “Periplaneta Americana”. These are the biggest cockroach species found on this planet and can measure up to 3 inches or 50 millimeters in length. They are mahogany in color or even reddish brown, with a yellow band that outlines the region behind their head.
Females of this species of cockroaches are known to create a protective case which is in the shape of a capsule for each egg of theirs. They deposit these in warm and humid regions. There are nearly 16 eggs at an average in every capsule. With an abundance of food, cockroaches can mature in only five and a half months.
When roaches grow wings, it marks their entry into adulthood and they can now fly. They stay outdoors and usually prefer damp and humid places for settlement.
Roaches will only enter your house if they are in search of food or water. It’s easy for them to pass through small gaps in doors, windows, garages, etc. They also inhabit the sewerages in America.
#2. Brown-Banded Cockroach
Supella longipalpa is the Latin name for this species of cockroaches. They are the most invasive yet small cockroaches found and measure only 11-14.5 millimeters in length. As their name suggests, they are brown in color and have bands present on their bodies.
These bands are visible on their pair of wings on adults and on the bodies of nymphs. They are best known to survive in places that are warm. The brown-banded roach enters a home in search of shelter and warmth. They look for places where they can hide or places where they can find abundant food.
These cockroaches are known to feed on nearly anything they find. This includes garbage, pantry food, wallpaper and a lot more. They carry as well as spread a lot of dangerous bacteria that can cause diarrhea.
They are nocturnal like other cockroaches and hunt for food at night. If you see them flying during late hours, there is a chance your house is infested with these species. They eat food based on the opportunity they get and have a lifespan of nearly 206 days.
#3. German Cockroach
German cockroaches are called Blattella Germanica in scientific terms. These cockroaches are popular indoors and are seen worldwide.
They are light brown in color and have two stripes that run horizontally on their pronotum right after their head. They can range from 13 millimeters to 16 millimeters in length. These prefer running to flying despite having a set of wings.
They are well capable of surviving outside in the tropical environment but prefer living indoors. They prefer humid, warm and cozy places to inhabit.
Depending on the availability of moisture and food they can change their spots inside their house but are usually spotted in bathrooms and kitchens.
They enter homes via boxes, cardboards or bags and can infest your house quickly. These roaches are scavengers and survive on items like toothpaste or soap.
German roaches can also reproduce at a very fast speed. It may take them 54-215 days to develop into fully matured adult cockroaches.
Asian cockroaches look similar to them and are often mistaken for each other. They differ quite a lot in their behavior. German roaches are known to be pests of structure and are the most common species of them all.
#4. Oriental Cockroach
They are also referred to as water bugs and their scientific name is Blatta Orientalis. There is a clear difference between the male and female cockroaches of this species. The male has a length of 25 millimeters at the most while the female can be as long as 32 millimeters. They are shiny and reddish black in color. Damp and dark sheltered places attract these type of cockroaches as it allows them to breed easily.
If you have a lawn that is filled with plants then you can expect these roaches to turn up at your home. Like most types of cockroaches, these too enter in search of food. They may enter your house through a pipe or a drain as they usually travel around using sewers as a means. Try to get all your plumbing leaks repaired unless you wish to see your house infested by them.
They enjoy eating everything but organic material and garbage happen to be their favorite meal. They thrive in unhygienic areas like sinks, trash cans, near plumbing leaks, etc. These cockroaches are often the carriers of few pathogens that are borne by food. They are carriers of pathogens that live in contaminated areas where these cockroaches survive.
A Few Final Words About Roaches
Once you have recognized an infestation at your house, your next step must be to try to identify which species of the four common pests have caused the infestation. Use the above pointers to tell them apart and take appropriate action.
Each cockroach has the same basic motive, that is, to look for food and shelter. Try to maintain as much hygiene as you can because this will drive them away. If they still persist, contact your local pest control.***
More on Cockroaches:
[catlist name=”cockroach”]