Overview The German Cockroach is the most common roach found in the Continental U.S. Anywhere food can be stored, or prepared. It is very easy to transport these pests into your home. They go unnoticed tucked in the crevis of a patato/onion sack, soft drink carton & funiture. Since they thrive in moisture, kitchen & bath areas are most problematic. With serious infestations comes a foul odor & can be a health hazard. Roaches carry bacterial diseases which create symptoms closely related to food poisoning & diarrhea. Idenification Young or immature roaches have small wings and look closely like adults. Adults are oval shaped with prickly legs and long antenna. They are Tan & Brown in color except the brown stripes that run lenthwise on the body. Adult German Roached can be up to 5/8 of an inch long. Both sexes have wings that cover the lengths of their bodies. However the males abdominal tip is not covered by these wings. The male is also slightly lighter in color than the female,& more narrow in shape than the female. Reproduction The female German Roach can produce up to 8 cases during her lifetime of approximately 6 & 1/2 months. These cases contain anyhwere from 28 to 40 eggs per case. The German Roach produce more than 3 to 4 times more than any other Roach. Only a few are need to create a huge population. Habits Roaches prefer darkness, so , if you see them during the day it is very likely the population is quite large. They can be found hiding behing hanging pictures on walls, inside stoves & dishwashers, & any food closet/cabinet. Since they are drawn to moisture, kitchen & bathrooms are ideal areas for these pests to thrive. Prevention Roaches are most likely to do most of their "traveling" during warm months. They easily enter buildings/houses through loosely fit windows. Water & gas pipes are another way to transport themselves without problem. Seal all openings, cracks in foundation walls, electrical outlets, air conditioners, ect. with any type of putty or caulking sealant. Then clean all areas where water or food may have been. Keep all food tightly sealed. Clean/rinse all bottles before storing them, also seal any pet food that may remain out throughout the night. Then take trash outside away from house. Prevention The only Cockroach to develop a resistance to insecticide treatment is the German Cockroach. There is an evolutionary process that is developing in these roaches to resist some insecticides. It is highly recommended that a certified technician with the Department of Agriculture is called to eliminate this problem. Only these technicians can work with the chemicals need to eliminate an infestation. |
