How to Identify German Cockroaches

What do German cockroaches look like and where do you see them? Usually found in the kitchen area, this pest is small, 1/2 inch to 5/8 inch in length, and medium yellowish-brown. German roaches can be distinguished from other roaches by two dark parallel stripes on the anterior, dorsal portion of the thorax.

If it is not the size of your thumb and it is reddish brown to black, it is a female wood roach. If it is dark mahogany and the size of your thumb, then it is a smoky brown roach. If it is larger (up to 1.5 inches), has wings, and is reddish-brown with a lighter border over the head, then it is an American roach.

It is very important to know which species of cockroach you have since their habits and food preferences vary greatly.

Roaches (cockroaches) are among the most common pests we treat in both our residential pest control and commercial pest control services.

Their mere presence is a nuisance and they can be carriers of many common diseases.

Where do German Cockroaches Come From?

The German roach is easily transported. It comes from the grocery store, suppliers (commercial) or your friends and neighbors.

When you buy groceries, they can catch a ride in one of the bags and can be inadvertently introduced into your pantry or your kitchen cabinets.

In a restaurant, they will come on supplies, especially soda syrups, and be placed in the commercial kitchen or storage areas. They can also come into commercial kitchen facilities by hitching a ride in the handbags of employees.

Where Will You See German Roaches?

• They are usually seen first in the kitchen at night when the lights are turned on.
• After a few weeks, they multiply and the customer will see more and more when they come down to the kitchen at night.
• If left untreated, the roaches will then spread to the bathrooms via the water pipes. After that, they go throughout the entire house.
• They can be seen in night stands, headboards, dressers coffee tables, etc.

How do German Cockroaches Multiply?

Inside the home, the female lays a light brown egg capsule every 16-24 days – up to 8 egg capsules in her lifetime.

Out of that capsule can come up to 36-48 eggs. That means just one roach can spawn 384 more roaches. As you can see, you can have quite a pest problem in just a short time with German roaches. That’s why it’s important to eliminate roach eggs when you treat for cockroaches. Simply eliminating the live roaches won’t fix the problem.

The German cockroach is economically the most important urban pest in America.

Ways to reduce the conditions that harbor and attract the German roach:

• Inspect all packages from the grocery store thoroughly
• Sanitation is very important to reduce food and harborage
• Clean all pet food dishes and remove spilled pet food
• Repair all leaks in structure
• Repair any damaged wood
• Seek professional assistance and an ongoing pest prevention plan

Economy Exterminators’ Pest Control Solutions program uses the 4-step approach to solve your German cockroach pest problem:

• Our 1st step is the inspection of the property by a Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Charlotte or Wilmington customer service specialist. It is very important to know the species involved and the severity of the pest problem; this is especially true with German cockroaches. Since this pest reproduces so quickly, the problem can go from a slight infestation to extreme very quickly.
• The 2nd step would be the initial treatment by a customer service specialist of all areas that the inspection revealed as critical areas. On the initial service 95% of the initial infestation needs to be eliminated to give you the results necessary for eventual total elimination, so a through treatment must be performed by a highly trained technician. Economy Exterminators uses the newest and most effective materials to solve this pest problem quickly. New baits have proven to be very effective in the past 10 years, but the German roach has started to adapt to these baits so using the newest and most effective materials is a must. Usual critical areas are the kitchen, bathrooms, pantry areas, laundry, night stands, coffee table, end tables, etc.
• The 3rd step is a 37-point inspection of your property to identify areas that would reduce harborage as well as food and water for the cockroaches. Sanitation is a vital part in eliminating and preventing the German roach; client cooperation is a must.
• The 4th step would be an ongoing maintenance program – our Pest Control Solutions program for the next generation. The next generation comes from the egg capsules which are placed in protected areas by the female.