Pest Library
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All it takes is one pest sighting to ruin the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.
American Cockroach
Periplaneta americana, Linnaeus
The american cockroach is common in basements, crawl spaces, cracks and crevices of porches, foundations, and walkways adjacent to buildings. These insects are not common inside the main areas of homes and buildings, but during colder months they may move inside to seek warmer temperatures.
RISK LEVEL:
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
Risk is defined as how much damage each pest can be to you, your family, or your home
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| Class: | Order: | Family: | |
| Insecta | Blattodea | Blattidae | |
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| Size: | American Cockroach adults are about 1 3/8 to 2 1/8 in ( 34-53 mm) long |
| Color: | Reddish brown, except for pale brown to yellowish band around edge of pronotal shield. |
| Characteristics: | A cockroach is oval in outline, with body flattened, antennae long and threadlike, head mostly hidden, chewing mouthparts, front wings leathery with veins. American cockroach: both sexes fully winged; wings of male (but not female) extend beyond tip of abdomen; poor to moderate flier. |
| Geographic Range: | The American cockroach, despite its name, is not native to North America. It may have come from Africa, but is now all over the world. It is also called "water bug", "Bombay canary" or "Palmetto bug". |
| Food: | Many different things, but especially fermenting food. |
| Biology: | The female cockroach drops her egg capsule or uses a substance from her mouth to glue it to the surface of a crevice that is near a source of food. She does this an average of about 9-10 times during her life. Each egg capsule contains about 14-16 eggs. Development from egg to adult at room temperature takes about 20 months, and 10-13 molts. Adult females live about 15 months, or half that time if the temperature rises to the mid 80s F. |
- Can be found in moist or damp areas, such as crawl spaces.
- Often congregate around spilled or unsealed food.
- Roaches can be found in cracks or crevices in buildings.