Cockroaches between your walls are a real risk. Cockroaches spread many serious diseases, such as tuberculosis, salmonellosis, dysentery, gastroenteritis, and typhoid. The risk increases in the presence of children, the elderly or the sick. In addition, cockroach droppings also cause eczema and asthma.

In addition to the health risks, cockroaches have too bad a reputation to roam around your business or home. They are not only mildly flavorful, but they produce an unpleasant odor that creeps in everywhere and lingers on food and any other material they come in contact with.

Cockroaches reproduce quickly. To prevent a cockroach infestation from settling or dispersing to other adjacent buildings, it is essential to act quickly.

Table of Contents

Kinds of cockroaches

If you ask people the insect they hate the most to encounter, it’s the cockroach nine times out of ten. Unfortunately, there are several different species of cockroaches: learn about the lifestyle of each below, or learn about the damage that an untreated cockroach infestation can do.

1. American cockroach

cockroaches

Appearance

  • 28 – 44 mm long.
  • Shiny reddish brown in color.
  • In the male the wings are longer than the body. They simply cover the body in the female.
  • She runs (can fly if temperatures are very high).

American cockroach life cycle and behavior

American cockroach life cycle and behavior

Life cycle
  • The ootheca (egg pouch) containing between 6 and 28 eggs is carried by the female for several days before being deposited. The oothecae are sometimes “cemented” to the ground and tend to be grouped together.
  • The eggs hatch after one to two months. 
  • The nymphs usually develop in 5 months, but it can take up to 15 months.
Behaviour
  • Mainly lives in buildings, pipes, basements and water columns.
  • Nocturnal.
  • Omnivorous.

2. brown-banded cockroaches

cockroaches

Appearance

  • Males: 6–8mm; females: 5–7mm.
  • Light to dark brown, legs dark brown or black. The tegmina (armored hind wings) are light yellow brown with dark spots.

Brown-banded cockroach life cycle and behavior

Life cycle
  • Egg bags, called ootheca, are produced and transported for one to two days between June and September.
  • They overwinter in the soil and the nymphs hatch in the spring.
  • They hibernate during the last stages of development and become adults from May to June.
  • The adults die from September to October.
Behaviour
  • Adults are not easy to find.
  • These cockroaches have a preference for coastal and sandy plains.
  • Males only fly in hot weather.

3. Dusky Cockroach

cockroaches

Appearance

  • Adult males 9–11mm.
  • Adult females 6–8mm.
  • Body dark gray-brown, except for male pronotum and female’s dark brown abdomen.

Dusky cockroach life cycle and behavior

Life cycle
  • Egg pouches, called ootheca, are produced and transported by the female for one or two days between June and September.
  • Eggs hibernate in the ground and nymphs hatch in the spring.
  • The nymphs hibernate during their final stages of development to become adults in July.
  • The adults die from September to October.
Behaviour
  • The wood cockroach lives mainly in the soil and prefers humid forests, meadows and woods.
  • Males only fly in hot climates.

4. Lesser Cockroach

cockroaches

Appearance

  • Males: 6–8mm; females: 5–7mm.
  • Light to dark brown, legs dark brown or black. The tegmina (armored hind wings) are light yellow brown with dark spots.

Life cycle and behavior of the Lesser Cockroach

Life cycle
  • Egg bags, called ootheca, are produced and transported for one to two days between June and September.
  • They overwinter in the soil and the nymphs hatch in the spring.
  • They hibernate during the last stages of development and become adults from May to June.
  • The adults die from September to October.
Behaviour
  • Adults are not easy to find.
  • These cockroaches have a preference for coastal and sandy plains.
  • Males only fly in hot weather.

5. Surinam cockroach

cockroaches

Appearance

  • 3 to 3.5 cm long.
  • Wings of dark brown color.
  • Shiny dark brown color.

Suriname cockroach life cycle and behavior

Life cycle
  • The eggs develop inside females without fertilization.
  • The ootheca contains an average of 24 eggs.
Behaviour
  • Surinam cockroaches mainly live outdoors in tree holes or under stones, but they can be brought indoors via houseplants.
  • They prefer dark, humid and warm areas.
  • Diet – cockroaches feed on indoor or outdoor plants at night.
  • They don’t steal.

6. German cockroach

cockroaches

Appearance

  • 12 to 15 mm long.
  • Brown with two dark bands on the thorax.
  • The wings are as long as the body or protrude slightly in both sexes. 
  • Runs and climbs (sticky surfaces under the legs).

German cockroach life cycle and behavior

Life cycle
  • Females carry 35 to 40 eggs in an ootheca (egg pouch) until they are ready to hatch.
  • The eggs hatch within a month.
  • The nymphs develop and become adults in 6 weeks to 6 months.
Behaviour
  • Hide in heated buildings, often in kitchens. Prefer high temperatures and humidity.
  • Nocturnal.
  • Omnivorous.

7. Oriental cockroach

cockroaches

Appearance

  • 25 – 30 mm long.
  • Dark brown to black in color.
  • The wings are atrophied in the female and cover 3/4 of the length of the abdomen of the male.
  • Rarely runs and flies.

Oriental cockroach life cycle and behavior

Life cycle
  • The females deposit 16 eggs in an ootheca (egg pouch).
  • They hatch within two months.
  • The nymphs become adults in 5 to 9 months.
Behaviour
  • Hide in buildings. Can withstand temperatures lower than the minimum for other cockroaches, and it is also found outdoors, in landfills etc.
  • Nocturnal.
  • Omnivorous.

Health Risk Associated with Cockroaches in house

Cockroaches are among the most dangerous pests for human health. It is above all in kitchens that cockroaches soil worktops, household appliances, spaces around ovens and dishwashers, dishes and especially food stuffs by direct contact and their droppings.

Disease transmission

Feces, molts and traces of saliva can cause severe allergies, eczema and asthma in humans.

We must not neglect the psychological effect that the stressful situation can have on a family and fear for the health, especially of children. And rightly so; children, the elderly or the sick are all the more vulnerable to the risks of diseases transmitted by the presence of cockroaches.

Diseases that cockroaches can transmit:

  • Salmonellosis
  • Dysentery
  • Typhoid fever
  • Tuberculosis
  • Hepatitis
  • Parasitic diseases
  • Fungal infections
  • Gastroenteritis

Damage caused by cockroaches

Besides the risks of the diseases mentioned, cockroaches can also cause significant financial damage. By contaminating food you are forced to throw away and replace your entire food supply. All work surfaces in contact with food should be cleaned thoroughly. For more advice on the right reflexes to have when dealing with a cockroach infestation in house .

Psychological damage

In addition, we should not underestimate the psychological effect that the presence of cockroaches in house can cause. Cockroaches can cause stress and fear especially concerning the health of children. And rightly so, young children and old people are more susceptible to possible diseases that cockroaches carry.

Along with fear, shame also plays a role in domestic situations. Cockroaches in house are often associated with poor hygiene. In apartment buildings, cockroaches in house can quickly spread to neighboring apartments. In this case the lack of hygiene is not even the cause in most cases of the cockroach problem.

Cockroach lifestyle and reproduction

Cockroaches have succeeded throughout the 200 million years of their evolution to adapt to even extreme living conditions. This is partly because they reproduce extremely quickly, but also because the cockroach always lives in hiding.

Not so easy to avoid cockroaches at home

No matter the environment, they always manage to sneak into hiding places to avoid predators and human pest control treatments. A third reason for their rock-solid survival ability is that almost anything serves as a source of food for them and they are able to digest anything, even spoiled food, paper, or leather.

Cockroach lifestyle

Cockroaches prefer a warm and humid microclimate. Their nests and eggs are preferably installed in dry places, false ceilings, partition walls and behind ovens and refrigerators in kitchens. During the day they hide in all the cracks, holes and other nooks and crannies and seek to completely envelop their body which is facilitated by their flat appearance.

For its personal hygiene the cockroach uses its mouth parts to clean its limbs. It also cleans its long antennae which are made up of a hundred sensory cells which above all allow communication between individuals. Much of their sex life and movement is directed by odorous substances. The cockroach has a very strong smell and taste, which makes it possible to find food even in the dark. The antennas allow a good sense of direction even if the cockroach does not see much.

According to their behavioral pattern, cockroaches live in dense aggregates comprising individuals of all ages. They fear the light and therefore move mainly at night. 2 to 3 hours after sunset their activity is most intense.

The cockroach is an omnivore and can even attack its own species in times of famine. He needs very little food, crumbs in cupboards and countertops as well as leftovers in the dishwasher can be more than enough.

If given a choice, cockroaches have a preference for sugary foods. Water is essential for the survival of cockroaches. They absorb it indirectly through food or directly in sinks and condensation water on pipes.

The cockroach is one of the fastest insects. Some kinds reach a maximum speed of 130cm / sec. On average, a cockroach can travel 1km / h. In addition cockroaches are excellent climbers. Thanks to kinds of suction cups on the legs, cockroaches can climb vertically and overcome all obstacles, even with their heads upside down. All kinds of cockroaches, with the exception of oriental cockroaches, are able to hover from a great height towards the ground.

Reproduction in cockroaches

Reproduction of cockroaches can happen in different ways depending on the species. Usually warm temperatures and water are needed. Mating is caused by odorous substances emitted by the female to attract the male.

cockroaches reproduction cycle
  • For the cockroach / German cockroach, development from egg to sexually mature adult cockroach lasts a minimum of 40 days, but may take 2 to 3 months. In difficult conditions it can even take up to 8 months. The egg pouch of the German cockroach can hold up to 40 eggs, it is carried and fed by the female for about 4 weeks. During incubation the female minimizes her activity. Before laying the eggs the female absorbs water to expel the pouch of eggs thanks to the pressure. The female abandons the larvae near the water point since their range of action at the start is very limited. In the larval state cockroaches molt up to 6 times. German cockroaches form around 7 egg pouches during their lifetime. Already directly after the last molt cockroaches can breed.
  • For the cockroach / oriental cockroach the maturation of the eggs to the adult insect lasts at least half a year and therefore 4 times longer than the German cockroach. On average, the development of the oriental cockroach takes place over 3/4 to a year. The incubation time of eggs at a temperature of 30 ° C takes approximately 2 months. Development time is prolonged if temperatures drop. At 20 ° C maturation can take up to 3 months. After hatching begins the development of the adult cockroach. In males at 30 ° C this phase can last up to 5 months, in females almost 15 months. During the larval stage, oriental cockroaches can moult up to 10 molts. The female carries pouches with an average of fifteen eggs. Unlike the German cockroach, this pouch is directly laid. The oriental cockroach lives on average about 10 months. Females produce 8 pockets of eggs during their lifetime.
  • The cockroach / American cockroach is the largest species of cockroach. Its development cycle is, compared to other kinds of cockroaches, even more temperature dependent. Development from egg to adult cockroach takes about 24 to 28 weeks in the American cockroach. Within this time the female produces about 15 bags with an average of 14 eggs, which are laid directly after training and placed in safety in various hiding places. American cockroaches live an average of one year to 15 months. The larvae hatch 1.5 months to 2 months later. It goes through 8 moults before reaching the adult stage.

How to get rid of cockroaches in the house

To get rid of cockroaches in the home following two steps;

1. Identify the pest

The first thing to do if you suspect a pest problem is to identify the pest. Depending on whether it is cockroaches or some other kind of crawling insect, treatment methods can vary widely to get rid of the pests in your home or business.

The situation can be even more complex since cockroaches are nocturnal insects, and therefore extremely difficult to spot alive.

It is on this point that the intervention of an expert in pest control can be terribly effective. He has the eye and the expertise to recognize the species of pest that has invaded your space. A good identification will allow you to immediately choose the appropriate treatment and thus save time, money and a lot of hassle.

Cockroaches infestations: Recognizing the signs in the house

Cockroaches are the champions of hide and seek. As cockroaches have a habit of staying well hidden throughout the day and it is only after dark that they start to activate themselves, they can go unnoticed for a long time even inside. your living spaces. If you suspect the presence of cockroaches in your walls, it is important to recognize the characteristic signs that often confirm a cockroach invasion.

1. Live or dead cockroaches

The first unpleasant encounter with cockroaches often happens completely unexpectedly and unexpectedly: during the night we turn on the light in the kitchen and we discover the cockroaches swarming on the floor or on the worktop trying to take refuge as quickly as possible in the first hiding place within their reach. If you notice an infestation of cockroaches it is recommended to act quickly, because a visible cockroach can easily hide 200. If you detect cockroaches during the day it is often a bad sign, a serious infestation with a very dense population in the hiding places. must be in your home.

2. Egg pouches and leftover cocoon

Cockroaches lay pockets in which the eggs are located. These pockets as well as the remains of the larvae cocoons are a sign of a cockroach infestation. Cockroaches during their development go through several molts. Their old skin falls off and looks like a transparent capsule often found near nests. Likewise, pockets with or without eggs are often found near hiding places.

3. Traces of excrement

Cockroach droppings are also a hallmark. It looks like leftover ground coffee and one mm long. On the walls and other vertical surfaces, the traces of the droppings having flowed have a somewhat elongated shape. These traces are also especially near the favorite hiding places of cockroaches.

4. Bad smell

Cockroaches emit a smelly substance. This foul odor increases proportionally with the importance of the infestation. Cockroaches give off pheromones, it is their means of communication and recognition. This substance also plays an important role in reproduction.

5. Food damage

Cockroaches prefer food stuffs, even packaging is rarely a drag for them. Strong mouthparts easily get rid of paper, cardboard, plastic, and other materials. If you notice streaks on food, it could probably be a sign of a cockroach infestation. Above all, they like soft consistencies in the rotting phase and with a sweet taste, like fruit for example. you can also read our guide on How Food Industry can Implement Pest Control?

6. Check Cockroach hiding places

The secret to the long survival of the cockroach species for over 200 million years is their ability to find adequate hiding places in any type of environment. All they need is very small cracks and spaces in household appliances, walls or ceilings in a hot and humid atmosphere, with the presence of water and organic matter, rich in proteins. If you have any real suspicions that you are a victim of a cockroach infestation, knowing the cockroach’s favorite hiding places is important.

  • An ideal environment for a cockroach is the humid and hot kitchen or bathroom, sauna or swimming pool. Here cockroaches readily hide near a heat source, such as the oven, refrigerator, freezer, hood, radiator, but also small household appliances such as coffee makers, microwaves, etc. In humid spaces cockroaches find the amount of water they need to survive. This is often seen near water drains and pipes, especially if there are cracks and crevices that represent ideal hiding places.
  • Furniture can also be invaded. Here all the different places in your home may be affected: drawers and storage spaces in the kitchen, table drawers and book shelves, guide rails for cabinet and drawer units, below the shelves. seated among others. It is necessary to also check decorative items like picture frames and mirrors.
  • Typical places like corners of ceilings and walls, at ground level, drains, cracks, baseboards require close inspection. Joints between the bathroom and the kitchen and adjoining rooms, such as cable ducts or pipes, should be inspected. The ventilation ducts in the bathroom but also the kitchen ventilation systems are to be suspected. It is necessary to check whether cockroaches have not installed their nests in cavity walls or false ceilings.
  • Cockroaches readily hide under unmade planking, wallpaper, fabric covers, peeled tiles as well as behind baseboards and jambs whether on doors, windows or other places in the house. Cracks and crevices that can be created in the walls or the floor tiles are the refuge of cockroaches.

2. Choose your best remedy for roaches

Call a best roach exterminator or do it on your own to avoid cockroaches at home?

When it comes to getting rid of cockroaches you have two options: do it yourself to avoid cockroaches at home or call a best roach exterminator near you. If you’re tackling the problem yourself, you’ll need to buy the best product to get rid of roaches to kill roaches, and use them correctly, and take some patching measures to avoid re-infestation later.

The other option is to find and use a qualified best roach exterminator in your area.

Do it yourself To avoid cockroaches at home

To get rid of roaches at home you must acquire suitable best product to get rid of roaches, adapted to best pest control for cockroaches. Targeted prevention measures must be taken to avoid any reinfestation in strategic and weakened places.

Even if doing it yourself can be less expensive as a best solution for cockroaches, than a professional roach treatment by best exterminator for roaches, this alternative can involve certain risks:

  • There is no guarantee of complete eradication of the roaches problem.
  • Products to kill roaches and traps must be used correctly to be truly effective.
  • Solutions for cockroaches often less strongly dosed and therefore take longer to act. Be careful that cockroaches reproduce very quickly once installed in your home or business. You may find yourself faced with an unmanageable solution.

Benefit from the services of a certified cockroach exterminator near me?

How to get rid of cockroaches in your home – best roach prevention

A cockroach infestation in your home causes real health risks, but it also causes fear and stress.If you’ve never had cockroaches before, you’re unlikely to know exactly what to do about them. Most people don’t worry about pests until they have encountered them themselves. In this case, it can be much more reassuring to bring in a professional pest control cockroach exterminator to take care of your problem.

This way you can be sure that the product to get rid of roaches, used in your home are as safe as possible for children and pets while being as effective as possible. The faster you get rid of your roaches, unwanted guests, the better.

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches in Your Business – best roach control

The level of risk cockroaches pose to a business varies depending on the industry, size, and legal pest control requirements. The financial impact of pests is very real and can affect brand reputation, customer reviews, employee well-being, operational efficiency as well as revenues and profits.

When it comes to roaches pest control, most companies can’t afford to waste the time controlling the pests themselves – the risks are too high. It is therefore better to rely on the professional services offered by a reputable pest control company or best cockroach exterminator near. A reliable partnership will protect your business in the long run from pest problems and only have positive effects on the business.

How to choose a best exterminator for roaches near me?

To find the right best exterminator for roaches near me, pest prevention and control company, you need to make sure that the organization and its field roach exterminator meet the essential criteria. You should demand the same level of skill and service as any other best exterminator for roaches.

Find the Right Pest Control Service!
How to choose a best exterminator for roaches near me?

A good best roach exterminator should be able to anticipate and address all of your health and safety concerns. Services and treatments should be tailored to your needs as much as possible. A professional best roach exterminator must respect your home, property or business and operate with the utmost care and attention. As a customer, you should always be able to voice your concerns and ask as many questions as you want.

Main selection criteria for best best roach exterminator near me:

  1. Certifications of best roach exterminator – licenses and certifications will demonstrate that your treatments are carried out to the highest standards in the industry.
  2. Affiliated associations of best roach exterminator – membership in recognized industry associations like BEPMA (Belgian Pest Management Association) will ensure that your services are provided by a trained, insured and trusted company, which must comply with strict membership criteria.
  3. Personal Recommendations – Even today, word of mouth and personal recommendations can be more powerful than promoting a business. Talk to neighbors, competitors, friends or family to find out about customer satisfaction.
  4. Transparency – being honest and transparent from the start about the cost, level and duration of the treatment required will help you see if the business is reliable.
  5. Expertise & Experience – a well established and recognized company will be able to offer peace of mind in the services provided and its relationship with clients.

Prevention: tips, best thing to get rid of roaches

Help the cockroaches have invaded my house! How to react? What are best product to get rid of roaches? After the first fright, you have to keep calm. Cockroaches will probably have taken over your home with food packaging or second-hand furniture or appliances. The cause of the invasion can also come from the neighborhood as cockroaches like to move through technical ducts. Or you brought them back in your vacation or travel luggage.

If you are the victim of an invasion, here are some rules of good behavior to follow: best thing to get rid of roaches

  • Most importantly, notify the manager or building owner of the cockroach infestation. Cockroaches spread extremely quickly. Often several homes are affected by an infestation.
  • Isolate all possible access to your home. Cockroaches enter your home primarily through the slits under the doors as well as through cracks in the technical ducts for the water, electricity and ventilation pipes.
  • Patch all cracks and cracks in walls, partitions and baseboards as well as electrical outlets in kitchens.
  • Cockroaches love heat and humidity. Ventilate the rooms concerned as much as possible and reduce the heating.
  • If you have recently returned from a trip or vacation, gather all your belongings, luggage and even clothes to shake them outside the house and inspect them for possible traces of cockroaches (insects, eggs, cocoons …)

Rule # 1: no water no food

The safest method to get rid of roaches problem in house naturaly, is to remove their food sources, i.e. water and food:

  • Keep all foods locked in airtight boxes.
  • Immediately rub off food scraps.
  • Remove leftover foods from under the fridge or oven.
  • Rinse dishes and pots after use.
  • Clear pet bowls after they have eaten and remove their water and litter overnight.
  • Empty your trash cans every day and throw them in closed dumpsters.
  • Dispose of your waste and your compost in closed bins.
  • Do not leave diapers or dirty laundry lying around.
  • Do not store water in sinks or fools overnight.

Everything you need to know about roaches: questions and answers

Can cockroaches fly?

The German cockroach and the American cockroach cannot fly. But they can be hovered from a great height onto the ground. This behavior manifests itself especially during extreme heat. Oriental cockroaches cannot fly or soar. The brown-banded cockroaches, on the other hand, can fly. This kind of cockroach is native to Africa. In Belgium, it regularly happens to find brown-banded cockroaches in nursing homes and other accommodation. The Australian cockroach can also fly. But this kind of cockroach is almost never found in homes. This cockroach prefers to live in very hot and humid environments like tropical greenhouses or swimming pools.

Can cockroach eggs stick to the soles of shoes when you crush one?

No, that’s not possible. The eggs of a cockroach are contained in an egg cell. Females carry them with them for a certain period. The eggs can develop autonomously up to the cockroach only in the ootheca. If you run over a cockroach that is carrying an egg cell, it will be destroyed as well, which will stop the development of eggs into an adult cockroach.

How do I know if I have a cockroach problem?

To detect a cockroach problem, you must know how to detect some signs, traces they leave behind them, such as excrement, molts, eggshells, damage to food stocks, a characteristic odor and the fact of seeing cockroaches living in kitchens, bathrooms or cellars for example.

How to avoid cockroaches?

The best way to prevent a cockroach infestation is to not allow any access to food, a water source and hiding places which are the three essential criteria for attracting cockroaches to a place.

How to get rid of cockroaches?

There are many products available commercially to tackle cockroach problems on their own. But these products are not always effective against heavy cockroach infestations. Calling in a cockroach control professional is often the only way to get rid of cockroaches in your home.

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