Did you know that cockroaches as a species are around 140 million years old? If this is not shocking enough news for you, there is another tidbit of information you should be aware of: there are many types of cockroaches you need to worry about instead of just one.
Cockroaches love domestic environments where they can scurry along corners and eat leftover crumbs and other garbage. There are other types of cockroaches that thrive both in the wild and in domestic environments. Of course, most people only catch sight of cockroaches while at home, often finding the creepy crawlies skittering over the kitchen walls or counters.
If you have a phobia of cockroaches like most people do, you may be wondering what you should know about them. One of the most basic and useful pieces of information is being able to discern one type of cockroach from another. By knowing the different variations, you will better understand where they come from, how they breed, and their behavior.
Of course, you may also learn how to keep cockroaches out of your house and how cockroach removal services can be beneficial to you. Let’s begin with the most common cockroach: the American cockroach.
Understanding the American Cockroach
If you hate bugs, you may shudder to know that the American cockroach can grow up to two inches in length and is one of the largest cockroaches in North America. Besides its enormous size, you may also identify this cockroach species by its unique reddish tone. This is in contrast to most other cockroaches which are brown, black, or yellowish.
American cockroaches favor low-lying areas such as first-floor apartments and other structures. They are found in the sewers but often flock to the surface for food, especially in the summer when temperatures start to rise.
These cockroaches are awful to have around for many reasons. For one, they are very fast. Even if you manage to catch one, you might have a hard time killing it due to its hard exoskeleton. These cockroaches can also live up to 2 years and reproduce fast, so it’s best to keep them out of your home as much as possible.
If you want to get rid of them as easily as possible, try leaving crumbs of food around as a lure. This will bring any cockroaches out into the open where you can capture or kill them. Another option is to hire roach pest control services to take care of the problem for you.
Understanding the German Cockroach
The German cockroach is one of the most common cockroaches worldwide. On the bright side, they are significantly smaller than the American cockroach, usually measuring less than an inch long when mature.
German cockroaches can be identified by the two black stripes on their head that other cockroaches lack. The rest of their body is usually a light or yellowish-brown, though some of them can be black.
As with American cockroaches, German cockroaches love warm, crowded cities where they can find plenty of leftover food. German cockroaches are particularly attracted to water. Because of this, you can often find them around sinks, bathtubs, toilets, and any other place near to water.
German cockroaches can reproduce fast and can be a pain to get rid of because of how resistant they are to most forms of pesticide. This, of course, does not mean they are impossible to get rid of. As with American cockroaches, setting up bait traps is always an efficient method.
Understanding the Oriental Cockroach
Contrary to their name, oriental cockroaches exist in more areas than just the Orient. They can be distinguished by a couple of particular characteristics.
First, they are usually pitch black and shiny. Secondly, unlike other species of cockroaches, the Oriental cockroaches do not have any wings that allow for flight. Males have very small wings that are non-functional while females have no wings at all.
However, just because these cockroaches can’t fly doesn’t mean that they can’t get around. Unlike the previously discussed cockroaches, the Oriental cockroach prefers colder environments instead of warmer ones. With this information, you can expect to find these cockroaches in places where your heating typically doesn’t reach.
For example, you may find them skittering around in your basement, garage, or shed. Much like German cockroaches, the Oriental cockroach is a fan of moist environments near water. Because of this, you may see an increase in Oriental cockroach activity after rainstorms.
The oriental cockroach can be hard to get rid of, but the old bait technique never fails in the long term, especially if insecticide doesn’t seem to be working.
Understanding the Brown-Banded Cockroach
The brown-banded cockroach is very small so it may not worry you as much as the other, larger cockroaches. However, this does not mean they’re not a problem if left to their own devices.
You may find the behavior of brown-banded cockroaches to be bolder than other types of cockroaches. Instead of slinking around near water or near cracks and crevices, the brown-banded cockroach may instead be found near ceilings or high up on the walls.
The bad news is that since they aren’t fascinated by water as other cockroach species are, the brown-banded cockroach may be found anywhere in your home, including your living room or office. There is some good news, however. Brown-banded cockroaches are not resistant to insecticides so you will be able to get rid of these pests pretty easily.
Understanding the Different Types of Cockroaches
You now know all about the different types of cockroaches you may encounter in your home. You also know how to identify them, where they might be found, and how to get rid of them.
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