Description:

The adult German cockroaches can grow to be slightly over ½ inch long. The adults are light yellowish-brown in color with wings covering its abdomen with two dark brown stripes down their backs. Smaller nymph stages can appear to be dark reddish-brown and are about ⅛ to ¼ inch long. 

Lifecycle:

Female German roaches produce rounded rectangular-shaped egg capsules which contain between 30 to 45 eggs. During the female’s lifespan, it can produce up to 8 egg capsules, averaging about one each 6 weeks.  A capsule will take just under a month for the eggs to hatch. The average lifespan of a German roach is around 25 weeks, but in that time left untreated, they can be responsible for a population of up to 50,000. 

Habitat:

German cockroaches are primarily found indoors, though they may venture outdoors when moving from one structure to another. Infestations can start when items like cartons or other materials are brought in from places already infested with these roaches or their eggs

They prefer dark areas with easy access to water, warmth, and food. This makes kitchen and bathroom cabinets and sinks areas the main habitats for this type of roaches. Because electronics produce heat, oftentimes you can find German roaches near outlets, behind refrigerators, and near appliances that are plugged in. 

Risk and Prevention: 

German cockroaches produce a sweet musty smell and are known to carry disease-producing organisms such as bacteria and viruses that can lead to food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, and other illnesses. The organisms causing these diseases are carried on the legs and bodies of cockroaches and are deposited on food and utensils as the roaches walk around. Roach excrement and cast skins also contain a number of allergens to which many people exhibit allergic responses, such as skin rashes, watery eyes and sneezing, congestion of nasal passages, and asthma.

Inspect bags, appliances and 2nd hand furniture before bringing it into your home. If you’re moving into a new apartment or condo with shared walls, be sure to look under sinks and in cabinets for any signs of roach excrement or previous signs of treatment (dried roach gel). It is always smart to get have unit serviced before moving in, if there is any concern the previous tenant may have have issues with a roach infestation. 

A key factor in prevention is sanitation. Clean up all spilled foods, including crumbs on the floor, grease on the backsplash, and wipe all countertops and cabinets. Do not leave dirty dishes overnight. Store items such as cereal, crackers, cookies, flour, sugar, and bread in airtight sealed containers. Empty garbage each evening into a sturdy container with a tightly fitted lid. Basic DIY such as caulking holes under sinks where pipes pass through are necessary in the kitchen, bathroom, and other areas of the house. 

Treatment:

If you think (or know) that you have German roaches, it is important to do a thorough inspection. Sticky traps can be a useful tool to estimate the extent of an infestation, as even a thorough inspection may not reveal all cockroach harborages or foraging areas. 

There are also many types of traps available which include bait, encouraging roaches to enter. Gel baits are among the most effective materials available for treating and area available at most hardware or any pest control supply store. The benefit of using a gel is that it allows the roaches to consume the bait, take it back behind walls and cabinets and ultimately share it with other roaches in areas that sprays can’t reach.

Be patient as even professional treatment can take up to 4-6 weeks to get control of severe infestations.  

Need professional help? Give BBK Pest Control a call and let us get the issue under control.