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Slimy.
Disgusting. Ugly. Creepy. Cockroaches!
No one wants 'em.
Yet they've persisted for more than 350 million years despite
man's attempts to get rid of them. Without control, one pair of
German roaches can expand to more than 2 million in less than a
year.
Roaches are found in every part of the U.S. They like nearly any
area humans like - especially where food, moisture and warmth are
abundant. Cockroaches prefer darkness and crawl into amazingly
small crevices as small as the thickness of a dime! An adult
cockroach can live for a month without food as long as water or
moisture is present.
Roaches carry and spread diseases. It's not unusual for
bacteriologists to find salmonella bacteria (which causes food
poisoning in humans) on the bodies of cockroaches. Additionally,
cockroaches are believed to spread viruses and their presence can
cause allergic reactions for many people, especially asthmatic
children.
What can you do if you find cockroaches in your living
environment? The most important method of cockroach prevention and
control is sanitation. Even a few crumbs that slip down beside a
stove, for example, can serve as a gourmet dinner for several
cockroaches for some time. The next thing you can do is check out
the products we recommend through the links on this page
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COMMON
NAME:
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German
Cockroach Facts
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SCIENTIFIC
NAME:
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Blattella
germanica (Linnaeus)
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CLASS/ORDER/FAMILY:
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Insecta/Blattodea/Blattellidae
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METAMORPHOSIS:
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Simple
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Courtesy
of NPMA |
INTRODUCTION.
The German cockroach is by far the most important and usually
the most common of the cockroaches. In addition to being a
nuisance, it has been implicated in outbreaks of illness, the
transmission of a variety of pathogenic organisms including at
least one parasitic protozoan, and allergic reactions in many
people. This species has worldwide distribution.
RECOGNITION. Adults about 1/2-5/8"
(13-16 mm) long. Color light brown to tan except
for 2 dark, almost parallel longitudinal
stripes/bars/streaks on pronotal shield. Female darker
than male, her abdomen broader. Rarely glide or
"fly".
Nymphal instars 1-2 with thorax dark brown to black but having
pale lateral margins, meso- and metathorax pale/white centrally
but with a continuous dark stripe near each margin; thorax and
abdomen light brown ventrally. Later instars (3rd on) with 2
dark longitudinal stripes on pronotum continuous with dark
abdomen, and abdominal segments usually with central areas pale
on dorsum. Ootheca or egg capsule yellowish brown but usually
two-toned, paler end attached to female; about 1/4-3/8"
(6-9 mm) long, with length more than twice width; subdivisional
furrows extending entire width; slightly bowed or arched; and
with about 15-20 (range 925) eggs on each side.
SIMILAR GROUPS (Adults only). (1) Asian cockroach (Blattella
asahinai) with almost identical color pattern, attracted to
lights, flies readily, breeds outdoors in leaf litter, presently
known only from Florida, identification should be confirmed by
an expert. (2) Brownbanded cockroach (Supella longipalpa) and
Pennsylvania wood cockroach (Parcoblatta pensylvanica)
lack 2 dark longitudinal stripes on pronotal shield. (3) Field
cockroach (B. vaga) with a median dark line between eyes on
front of head. (4) Other cockroaches are either smaller or
larger, lack characteristic pronotal stripes, and/or are not
associated with structures.
BIOLOGY. The female carries her ootheca until it is
within 1-2 days of hatching, and then deposits it in a sheltered
area/site. On the average, the female will produce about 5
oothecae (range 4-8), averaging 30-40 eggs (range 18-50)
each.
Developmental time (egg to adult) usually varies from 54-215
days, averaging about 103 days; under lab conditions of 80
degrees F/27 degrees C and 40% relative humidity, usually only
50-60 days are required. This means usually 3 to 4 generations
per year, but up to 6. Adults live about 100-200 days (range
1-303). Established/mature German cockroach populations are
typically composed of at least 75% nymphs.
HABITS. German cockroaches are found throughout
structures but show a preference for warm (70 degrees F/21
degrees C) and humid places. They are usually found in kitchens
and secondarily in bathrooms, but infestations often occur in
rooms where people eat and drink while watching television such
as the den, bedroom, etc. Any crack or crevice located near a
source of food and/or water is prime harborage, and they spend
about 75% of their time in such harborages. First instar nymphs
require a crack of about 1/32" (1 mm) whereas, adults
require a crack of about 3/16" (5 mm) in width. These
cockroaches are most commonly introduced into buildings via
paper products or paper packaging such as grocery bags,
cardboard boxes, drink cartons, and via secondhand appliances
such as refrigerators, televisions, VCR's, microwaves, etc. They
have been observed to migrate from building to building on warm
evenings, but this rarely occurs. Although uncommon, they can
survive outdoors during the warm months.
They feed on almost anything with nutritive value including all
kinds of food, and such things as soap, glue, and
toothpaste.
Activity periods vary with life stage, age, and physiological
state. For instance, reproducing females are quite active
whereas, gravid (with ootheca) females are relatively inactive
starting about the 5th day after mating and go only to food and
water when necessary. Males spend most of their time in
harborage, even at night. All nymphs become immobile and stay in
harborage during the last 3 days of each instar while they
prepare to molt. Hence, about 1/3 of the time the cockroach
nymphs will not be found or found exposed during an
inspection.
CONTROL. Apply standard control procedures but more
frequent service may be required because of their rapid
reproductive rate. At least 95% of the population must be
eliminated on the initial or clean-out service, or the typical
maintenance program will usually fail. ECO PCO Products
will work on roach clean outs. However, baits are
particularly effective, but correct placement along
junctions and/or in cracks and crevices in or near harborages is
essential. Be sure to follow label directions.
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The American
cockroach is the largest--up to 2 inches--pest species found in
most states. It is mahogany-colored with a yellow margin around
the head and around the shield behind the head. Although
occasionally found in basements and attics of homes, the
American cockroach more commonly is found in warm, moist areas
of industrial or commercial buildings. Furnace or boiler rooms,
sewers and heat tunnels are favored environments.
Baits are best
for this Cockroach
Cockroach baits
contain a slow-acting insecticide incorporated into a food
attractant. Roaches locate and feed on the bait, typically
contained in small, plastic bait trays, gels, granules and then
they crawl away to die. Bait carried back to the nesting area
also kills other roaches after being expelled in the sputum and
feces.
In contrast to liquid sprays or aerosols, cockroach baits
require no mixing and it is not necessary to empty kitchen
cabinets or cover food preparation surfaces prior to treatment..
Another advantage of cockroach baits is that they have
essentially no volatility or odor.
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Adult, 30 -
35mm long; color, light brown with ivory-yellow circular band
enclosing large, distinct, bilobed black spot; yellow
submarginal stripe at base of forewings. Nymphs The nymphs of
all species are similar in appearance to the adult but smaller.
Immediately after hatching or molting the nymphs are white, but
the cuticle soon darkens to the normal color.
Distribution. Cockroaches are common in commercial
premises associated with the production or handling of food.
Gregarious and nocturnal, they spend the day hiding in cracks
and crevices around such areas as sinks, drains, cookers, the
backs of cupboards and in refrigerator motor compartments. They
especially favor buildings with service ducts and complex
plumbing installations. Infestations may be introduced as egg
cases or adults in incoming laundry, on raw materials, in crates
and packaging, or arise as the insects enter buildings via such
routes as drains or refuse chutes.
Baits are best
for this Cockroach
Cockroach baits
contain a slow-acting insecticide incorporated into a food
attractant. Roaches locate and feed on the bait, typically
contained in small, plastic bait trays, gels, granules and then
they crawl away to die. Bait carried back to the nesting area
also kills other roaches after being expelled in the sputum and
feces.
In contrast to liquid sprays or aerosols, cockroach baits
require no mixing and it is not necessary to empty kitchen
cabinets or cover food preparation surfaces prior to treatment..
Another advantage of cockroach baits is that they have
essentially no volatility or odor.
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The female
carries each egg capsule for only a day or two before attaching
it to a protected surface. The egg capsules are usually
deposited in clusters or rows, and most of the eggs hatch within
50 days. Approximately 5 to 18 egg capsules are produced per
female, each containing 19 eggs. About 3 to 9 months are
required to complete the reproductive cycle.
Brown-banded
cockroaches prefer a dry, warm environment. They are generally
found on ceilings, high on walls, and in light switches, closets
and furniture. In some places they are known as "TV
roaches"or furniture roaches because of their frequent
presence in living-room furniture and appliances.
CONTROL. Apply standard control procedures but more frequent
service may be required because of their rapid reproductive
rate. At least 95% of the population must be eliminated on the
initial or clean-out service, or the typical maintenance program
will usually fail. ECO PCO Products will work on roach
clean outs. However, baits are particularly effective,
but correct placement along junctions and/or in cracks and
crevices in or near harborages is essential. Be sure to
follow label directions.
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The female
carries an egg capsule for about 30 hours and then drops or
attaches it to a protected surface near food. On the average a
female produces eight egg capsules, each containing 16 eggs
which hatch within 60 days. The reproductive cycle of this roach
is completed in 6 to 9 months.
Oriental roaches
prefer damp, cool, dark areas. They are generally found in sewer
drains, crawl space areas, basements, cellars, or on the first
floor of buildings. They are also found in sewers and water
meters. Infestations by this roach are most frequently found
during spring (April and May) and fall (October). They may spend
considerable time outdoors during warm weather..
Baits are best
for this Cockroach
Cockroach baits
contain a slow-acting insecticide incorporated into a food
attractant. Roaches locate and feed on the bait, typically
contained in small, plastic bait trays, gels, granules and then
they crawl away to die. Bait carried back to the nesting area
also kills other roaches after being expelled in the sputum and
feces. In contrast to liquid sprays or aerosols, cockroach baits
require no mixing and it is not necessary to empty kitchen
cabinets or cover food preparation surfaces prior to treatment..
Another advantage of cockroach baits is that they have
essentially no volatility or odor.
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Cockroach
Trivia
The fastest
recorded speed measured for the American cockroach is nearly 2.0
miles per hour, or nearly 75 centimeters per second! In the
absolute sense, this is a much slower speed than many vertebrates
are able to attain. In relation to body size, however, it is
remarkably fast. If speed were increased proportionally, an
American cockroach the size of a lion could run about 50 miles per
hour.
Cockroach excrement
and body parts are major allergens in house dust.
The German
cockroach is not really German. In fact, the Germans call it the
Prussian cockroach. It is thought to have originated in Southern
Asia.
Most cock roaches
are unlike the majority of insects in that their exoskeleton is
coated not with a waxy layer but a greasy one. Among other things,
this characteristic enables cockroaches to slide into narrow
cracks and crevices where even the human foot cannot reach them.
The Madagascar
hissing cockroach has become a popular pest on some parts of the
U.S . Cockroaches are known assassins of their roommate, the
bedbug.
In some parts of
the world, roaches are profitably raised for chicken feed.
Among all the
attributes of the city of Dallas, Texas, is the Cockroach Hall of
Fame.
The world's largest
roach (which lives in South America) is four inches long with a
seven-inch wingspan.
A cockroach that
has just shed its skeleton is white with black eyes. After eight
hours, it has regained its regular coloring. Cockroaches spend 75%
of their time just resting.
There are 4,000
species of cockroaches worldwide
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