S & W Pest Management Inc : Insect Guide

Pest Guide » Cockroaches » German Cockroach:

German Cockroaches
Blatella germanica
Color: Brown with two dark stripes under the head
Legs: Six
Shape: Oval
Size: 1/2"
Antennae: Yes
Flight: Yes

German cockroaches are the most common roaches found in homes, apartments, restaurants, supermarkets, hospitals, and other buildings where food is stored, prepared, or served. They eat food of all kinds and may hitchhike into the home on egg cartons, soft drink cartons, sacks of potatoes or onions, used furniture, beer cases, etc. These roaches will move from building to building during the warm summer months. They can develop into large populations and live throughout the home, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.

To date, only the German cockroach has developed a degree of resistance that presents control problems. The more insecticide applied, the greater the selection for resistance. This resistance can be passed from parent to offspring as an inherited trait and not acquired during the cockroach's life. Some German cockroaches roaches have shown high resistance to malathion, Ficam & Baygon and lower resistance to diazinon, Dursban & Orthene. Never increase dosages.

It is important to note that while they do not cause structural damage to a home, they are dangerous because they have been reported to spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria, six kinds of parasitic worms, and at least seven other kinds of human pathogens.

Recent medical studies have shown that cockroach allergens cause lots of allergic reactions in inner city children. They were even shown to cause asthma in children. These allergens build up in deposits of droppings, secretions, cast skins, and dead bodies of roaches.

Prevention Outside:

Store fire wood away from your home and remove piles of lumber or other decaying wood that could serve as a nesting site.
Use 20-mesh screen on all windows and doors, and especially at ventilation openings for attics and crawl spaces.
Seal exterior doors with weather stripping and fill gaps in walls and floors where pipes enter using steel wool or caulking compounds.
Eliminate sources of moisture such as leaky faucets, plumbing, and free-standing water. Also, make sure that your sprinkler system does not spray directly onto the foundation of your home or business.
Secure garbage in trash cans.

Prevention Indoors:

Inspect all incoming food goods, boxes, and used furniture and appliances for the presence of cockroaches or their egg capsules.
Avoid storing food items in cardboard boxes on shelves. Cardboard is a preferred hiding place for cockroaches.
Do not leave food sitting out, wash counters of food material and vacuum or sweep floors often.
Store paper bags in the garage or room other than the kitchen, utility room, or bathrooms.

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