are one of the oldest groups of insects, indicating how successful
they have been in adapting to changes in their environments. One
reason for this success may be related to diet--they are scavengers
and will eat anything organic. They prefer food sources such as
starches, sweets, grease and meat products, but other items may
include cheese, beer, leather, glue, hair, starch in book bindings,
flakes of dried skin or decaying organic matter (plant or animal).
are attracted to warm, moist environments. They spend the daylight
hours in dark, secluded sites under refrigerators, stoves, false
bottoms in kitchen cabinets, in the backs of cabinets and in crevices
between baseboards and floors or cabinets and walls. They may also
be found behind pictures or within electronic equipment. A number
of these openings will ultimately lead to voids in the stud walls.
The insects leave these sites at night to forage for food and water.
The presence of cockroaches during the day may indicate a large
There are about
3,000 species of cockroaches in the world and about 50 occur in
the United States. Of these 50 species, the three most common in
the Northeast are the German cockroach, the American cockroach and
the brownbanded cockroach.
cockroach is 12 to 17 mm (1/2 to 5/8 inch) long, tan to light brown,
and has two dark brown stripes on the body region (pronotal shield)
just behind the head. Females will produce four to eight egg capsules
during their lifetime, with each capsule containing approximately
40 eggs. The egg capsule is retained by the female until the eggs
are ready to hatch, usually in 28 to 30 days.
are widespread and can be found in homes, restaurants, hospitals,
nursing homes or apartments. Within these areas, the cockroaches
prefer sites close to moisture and food, making them common pests
in kitchens, bathrooms and food-storage areas. Of the cockroaches
which infest structures, the German cockroach is probably found
more frequently than other species.
Cockroach: Periplaneta americana
cockroach is one of the largest cockroaches in the Northeast. It
is about 40 mm (1.5 inches) long with a reddish-brown body. The
center portion of the pronotal shield is light brown, while the
outer edges are yellow. Even though both sexes are winged, their
flight is more of a gliding movement from point to point than active
American cockroach will not retain the egg capsule for more than
a day after its formation, instead dropping the capsule in some
suitable site. Under some conditions it may be glued to a surface.
The number of capsules produced by a female will range from 6 to
14, with each capsule containing 14 to 16 eggs. The eggs hatch in
50 to 55 days.
cockroach prefers dark, moist sites where it feeds on decaying organic
matter. Such sites include basements, kitchens, clothes hampers,
drains, bathroom plumbing or sewers. High populations have been
known to develop in sewers, from where they infest households or
Cockroach: Supella longipalpa
cockroach is 12 mm (1/2 inch) long, light brown, and has two lighter
colored bands running across the body. These bands are located at
the base of the wings and on the abdomen. The bands are much darker
during the immature stages. The brownbanded female carries the egg
capsule for 24 to 48 hours before gluing it to a surface. The capsule
contains approximately 18 eggs that hatch in 50-74 days. An adult
female produces about 18 egg capsules over a life-span of 10 months.
cockroach requires less moisture than other cockroaches. It is more
prevalent in homes, apartments, hotels and hospital rooms than in
restaurants or stores. Evidence of this cockroach may be found behind
pictures, in furniture, the underside of chairs and tables, upper
kitchen cabinets or the upper shelves of closets and pantries. The
brownbanded cockroach often infests electrical appliances such as
radios, televisions, telephones and computers.
of the infesting cockroach is crucial to successful management.
Knowledge of the preferences and habitats of each species will help
to provide more accurate and effective control.
can be done to eliminate the sources of food and water for the cockroaches
from the home environment will help in their control:
are containers (available in various shapes) open on both ends and
with adhesive surfaces on the inside. The traps may or may not include
a food attractant. As the cockroach enters the box, it becomes trapped
in the adhesive. Proper placement is essential! Cockroaches move
from point to point along lines where vertical and horizontal planes
meet. This may be where the floor and wall join, it may be where
the bottom of a drawer meets the side of the drawe, or where a shelf
joins the wall of a cabinet. Place traps flush to the wall, as even
a small gap between the trap and wall allows the cockroach to bypass
homes in the Northeast, sanitation should be adequate to eliminate
and prevent cockroach infestations. If the above control options
are not sufficient, several treatment methods are available, including
baits, insecticides and dusts.
baits contain an insecticide (or pathogen) plus an ingredient to
attract the cockroach. Baits are packaged as easy-to-use containers
which are placed in areas of known cockroach activity. Insecticides
available as baits are hydramethylnon (Combat), sulfluramid (Raid
Max) and avermectin (Roach Ender).
give the best control when applied under objects (refrigerators
and stoves), along lines where shelving meets walls (top and bottom),
in the backs of the cabinets, behind pictures (depending on species)
and as crack and crevice treatments. Remove dishes, cookware and
foods from cabinets before treatments; return after the spray has
dried. There are many products readily available for this purpose.
compounds are harder to use but give long-lasting control. Boric
acid is the only available material in this category. It should
be applied to cracks, crevices and wall voids as well as under stoves,
refrigerators and in the backs of cabinets. It should be applied
as a thin film--do not apply in piles or a thick coat.
from Dr. James H. Jarratt, Mississippi State University Extension
Photos from the Clemson University Extension.