OC0419
Michigan State University Extension-Oakland County
Cockroaches
There are 3500 species of
cockroaches in the world, 55
in the United States. They
can
adapt
to
most
environments and travel
anywhere.
Empty beer, soft drinks or juice bottles and
cans can be very attractive to them. The
domestic cockroach will eat a diet of starches,
sweets, grease, meat products, beer, any kind
of baked goods, glue, hair, skin flakes, dead
animals and dry plant materials.
They cause no structural damage, but can
pose a health problem. They taint foodstuffs
and kitchen utensils with their excrement and
salivary
secretions
causing
bacterial
contamination that result in food poisoning,
dysentery or diarrhea. Roaches will also leave
behind a foul smell. Many people may have
allergic reactions to roach excrement and
molted skins.
They are nocturnal creatures. If large numbers
appear during the daytime it is an indication of
a large population.
Identification and Characteristics
All roaches have a flattened body, spiny legs
and a broad shield-like affair on their back that
hides most of the head (pronotum). Their
antennae sweep back along their sides, and
are about as long as their body. The immature
cockroach is called a nymph.
Nymphs
resemble adults.
The most noticeable
difference between adults and nymphs is their
size and the absence of wings.
They are all quick moving and most are solitary
creatures. Roaches prefer to have the upper
and lower surfaces of their body touching some
part of the microenvironment; so they are well
suited to live in the cracks and crevices of
households or between unpainted surfaces,
which provide a dark cover during the day.
Cockroaches are adept at moving anywhere,
being transported by plane, car, suitcase,
packaged goods, boxes, sacks of potatoes,
laundry baskets, used furniture, etc.
In
apartments and other large buildings, they can
migrate from one place to another along water
pipes.
The most common cockroaches that infest
homes are the German, Brown-banded,
American and Oriental.
Wood roaches
occasionally enter homes. The German roach
has been the most successful in the United
States because they lay more eggs. The eggs
develop faster (the female carries the egg sac)
and the nymphs are smaller so they can hide
easier. See attached chart on pages 3 and 4
for further detailed characteristics.
Management-Prevention
Successful
management
requires
both
chemical and non-chemical measures. Once a
home is infested, the object is to deprive
roaches of food, warmth, moisture, and
undisturbed dark cracks and crevices. Proper
sanitation is the most important management
control.
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Keep food sealed or stored in the
refrigerator.
Keep trash covered.
Do not let dirty dishes accumulate.
Eliminate piles of newspapers.
Boxes and recycled areas need to be
maintained.
Caulk cracks and crevices passing through
floors and walls leading to spaces behind
baseboards and doorframes, paying special
attention to water and steam pipes entering
rooms.
Do not leave pet food out overnight.
Store birdseed in sealed containers.
Don’t let empty pop bottles accumulate.
Rinse cans and bottles before putting them
in the trash.
Clean up spilled food and liquids.
Vacuuming and washing infested areas will
help to eliminate egg cases, fecal material
and bits of food waste that has
accumulated.
cypermethrin. Spray in precise , specific
sites in cracks and crevices, behind sinks,
cabinets, around drains and plumbing, and
other sites allowed by the label It is not
necessary to treat flat surfaces such as
countertops, floor surfaces etc.
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Management-Chemical Controls
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It is often very challenging to treat
cockroaches. In most cases, it is best to
hire an experienced pest control company.
If you attempt to treat a cockroach problem
yourself, it is first important to determine
where they are most common. This can be
done with sticky traps such as Roach Trap
or Roach Motel distributed in a variety of
locations especially in areas where
cockroaches
have
been
seen.
Cockroaches prefer warm, moist areas near
water sources. Apply insecticides near
traps with the highest number of roaches.
There are several options for insecticide
treatment of cockroaches; sprays (liquid or
aerosol), dusts (powders) and baits.
Insecticide sprays are available in ready-touse containers or liquid products. Some
common ingredients include permethrin and
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Boric acid has been used for years as roach
control and roaches have not yet developed
resistance to it. To be effective, it must
contain an anti-caking agent. Boric acid
sold in pharmacies does not contain an anticaking agent, however, the boric acid used
for roach control will be available at the
hardware stores and garden centers. It is
most effective as a dust applied to runways,
cracks, crevices and wall voids. Roaches
walk through the dust, then ingest the
material when they groom themselves,
killing them in one to two weeks.
Common baits contain active ingredients
such
as
abamectin
fipronil,
or
hydramethylnon.
Place them in areas
where you find cockroaches following label
directions. An advantage of baits is that
they can be placed in very precise locations
avoiding general broadcast applications.
However, baits act somewhat slowly and
results may not be easy to see when they
are first used.
Wood roaches seldom establish themselves
indoors, therefore, insecticides are not
recommended. Individuals found indoors
can be collected and discarded.
It is ineffective to use insecticides to control
the wood roach in firewood or other areas
away form the dwelling because males can
fly in from a distance and reinfest the
firewood after treating.
Do not treat firewood with insecticides
because of exposure to toxic chemical
fumes that will result when burning this
firewood.
Before using any insecticide, read and
follow all directions on the label.
cockroaches are trapped within several days,
move the traps.
Management: Non-Chemical Controls
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There are cockroach parasites.
The
chalcidoid wasps, Comperia merceti, will
parasitize egg capsules of the brown-banded
cockroach.
The imported ensign wasp
(Evania appendigaster) will parasitize the egg
cases of the larger household cockroaches
(Oriental and American). These parasites are
only found where there are large populations
of cockroaches.
Baited Traps – An upright, baited jar will trap
cockroaches.
A 2-inch wide band of
petroleum jelly on the inside lip of the jar will
prevent cockroaches from escaping. Bait the
jar with apples, potatoes or banana peels.
Change the bait frequently and if no
Species
GERMAN
BROWN-BANDED
ORIENTAL
Scientific Name
Battella germanica
Supella Longipalpa
Blatta Orientalis
Nickname
Croton Bug
Tropical Cockroach
Shad Roach
Color and
characteristic
markings
Light brown with two
dark vertical stripes on
the pronotum.
Tan-golden with faint
V-shaped light
horizontal bands on
wings and abdomen.
Shiny, dark red-brown
or black throughout.
Wings do not cover
abdomen.
Length (in inches)
1/2 to 5/8”
1/2 to 5/8”
1 to 11/2”
Average # of eggs/
egg case
30-40
16
18
# of egg cases/
female (lifetime)
4-8 (6 average)
5-18 (12 average)
5-10 (8 average)
Life cycle (days from
egg to adult)
55 - 251
95 - 379
215 - 997
Reproduction
characteristics
Female carries egg case
until 1-2 days before
hatching then drops it
anywhere.
Egg case glued to
ceilings, beneath
furniture, or in closets
or other dark places.
Egg case is deposited in
debris or food in a
sheltered place.
Species
GERMAN (continued)
BROWN-BANDED
(continued)
ORIENTAL
(continued)
Scientific Name
Battella germanica
Supella Longipalpa
Blatta Orientalis
Preferred habitat
Warm/moist areas in
food establishment and
other buildings where
food, warmth, and
moisture are readily
available. Prefers the
kitchen and bathroom.
In dry areas, it needs a
close water source.
Found throughout the
house. Prefers high
locations in heated
homes, apartments,
office buildings,
hospitals. Also under
furniture, in appliances
that generate heat,
behind wallpaper, in
desks, dressers, boxes,
piles of debris, closets,
telephones, and
computers. Likes to eat
glue.
Crawl spaces,
basements, under
refrigerators, washing
machines, sinks.
Usually found below
ground level in warm
moist areas like storm
sewers. Especially likes
leaf litter.
*Movement patterns
Winged but rarely flies.
Both male and female
are active. Males will
fly readily when
disturbed.
Wings are small,
considered a non-flier.
(Continued on next page)
*All cockroach species prefer to move along the edges of surfaces (e.g., along the baseboard) at the
edge of counter tops, etc..
Species
AMERICAN
ASIAN
WOOD
Scientific Name
Periplaneta americana
Blattella asahinai
Parcoblatta sp.
Nickname
Waterbug, Palmetto
Color and
characteristic
markings
Reddish brown to dark
brown with a pale band
on the pronotum.
Light to medium brown.
Looks much like the
German, also has
darker brown
longitudinal stripes on
pronotum.
Dark brown with sides
of thorax and the front
half of wings margined
with yellow.
1/2 - 5/8"
2/3 - 1"
Length (in inches)
1 - 2"
Average # of eggs/
egg case
12 - 15
30 - 40
32
# of egg cases/
female (lifetime)
6 - 58
4-8
30
Life cycle (days from
egg to adult)
285 - 1,071
42 - 49
2 years
Reproduction
characteristics
Egg case deposited in
sheltered area on or
near floor, concealed in
debris. High humidity
required for hatching.
Female carries egg case
until 1-2 days before
hatching then drops it
anywhere. Male can
breed with German
female cockroach.
Egg cases are
deposited loosely
behind the loose bark
of dead trees, fallen
logs and stumps.
Rarely breeds indoors.
Preferred habitat
Found in commercial
buildings, such as food
establishments, grocery
stores, warehouses,
office buildings,
prisons, or ships.
Prefers warm moist
areas around furnaces
or heating ducts.
Usually found in
basement or first floor.
If found in upstairs the
roach is either hungry
or dying.
Typically outdoors but
will establish
themselves in homes.
Prefer landscape,
grassy areas and
groundcovers.
Nursery stock, potted
trees, bark, mulch,
firewood, dead trees
and stumps. Males are
attracted to lights and
may enter a house if a
female has wandered
into the house.
*Movement patterns
Well-developed wing
capable of gliding
flights, but seldom fly.
Active after dusk and
will fly towards lights,
white walls and
illuminated buildings.
Strong fliers. Longer
wings than German.
Active at night. Males
fly swiftly. Females’
wings only cover half of
body, so will crawl.
Resources
Ellis, Tom, What’s Bugging You; La Cucaracha,
Landscape CAT ALERT M.S.U., July 1996
Berenbaum, May R., Ninety-nine More Maggots,
Mites, and Munchers; OC 114
U.S.D.A., Cockroaches; Leaflet # 430
Ohio State University; Bulletins HYG-2097, HYG2099, HYG-2096, HYG-2119, HYG-2098
Missouri-Columbia Extension, Cockroaches
Purdue University, Cockroaches; E-23
The IPM Practitioner, Characteristics of Four
Cockroach Species; Vol.2 - No.2, February 1980
Purdue University, Truman’s Scientific Guide to
Pest Control Operations
University of Maine, Cooperative Extension, Pest
Management Lab (baited trap)
Hahn, Jeffrey D. and Ascerno Mark E.,
Cockroaches; University of Minnesota Extension
WW-01003 Revised 2005
Would you like additional information?
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County’s publications as well s MSU Extension’s Bulletin Office on campus.
Contact our Plant & Pest Hotline (248/858-0902) for assistance with plant
identification, pests and diseases, weeds, trees and shrubs, lawn, flowers,
fruits, vegetables, grasses and groundcovers, native plants, plant propagation,
and many other gardening topics.
Distributed by MSU Extension-Oakland County, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Pontiac, MI 48341, 248/858-0880,
www.msue.msu.edu/oakland , Reviewed & edited by Charlene Molnar, MSU Extension – Oakland County Plant & Pest
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