Cockroach Facts

• There are are eight different species or cockroaches, american, brown-banded, brown, german, oriental, pennsylvania wood, smoky brown, and surinam.
• German cockroaches are the most commom household insect within the United States.
• Mature german cockroaches are 1/2 to 5/8- inches long, have a light brown tan, and have fully developed wings.
• The nymphs, 1/8-inch long when they emerge from the egg capsule, are almost uniformly dark except for a light tan area on the back of the second and third segments.
• The purse-shaped egg capsule of the german cockroach (i.e., ootheca) is light brown in color, 1/4- to 3/8-inch long, and typically has 15 to 20 eggs per side.
• During her lifetime, the female german cockroach produces four to eight egg capsules eachof which contains 30 to 40 eggs.
• Nymphs molt six to seven times before becoming adult, which requires about 103 days; thus allowing three to four generations per year.
• Adults live 100 to 200 days.
• German cockroaches typically infest kitchens and bathrooms but will live anywhere inside heated structures in which there is food, water, and harborage.
• German cockroaches feed on all types of human food, as well as on pet food, toothpaste, soap, glue, etc.
• German cockroaches remain hidden in dark, secluded harborage areas, e.g., under cupboards, behind cabinets, in wall voids, and around motor housings in appliances where they spend 75% of there time
• Sightings of foraging cockroaches during the day is a good indication that there is a tremendous population.