Types of Roaches That May Infest Your Home

Roaches will run when you turn on the light. They are looking for a dark place to hide. A friend of mine felt something on his face so he turned on the light to see what it was. Unfortunately, it was a cockroach that went right up his nose. He held onto the cockroach until he made it to the doctor who helped him remove it.

The German Cockroach
Is the most troublesome of all cockroaches. One of the smaller species, one-half inch when full grown, it is light brown with a pair of parallel brown bars between the head and the front of the wings. This species usually is associated with buildings where food is prepared or stored. They commonly migrate from infested areas into nearby dwellings or may be carried in on food containers. Favorite home habitats are warm, moist areas, such as kitchen sinks and appliances, bathroom sinks and furnaces.

The American Cockroach
Is the largest--up to 2 inches--pest species. It is mahogany-colored with a yellow margin around the head and around the shield behind the head. Although occasionally found in homes, the American cockroach more commonly is found in warm, moist areas of industrial or commercial buildings. Furnace or boiler rooms, sewers and heat tunnels are favored environments.

The Brown-Banded Cockroach
Is similar in size and color to the German cockroach. It can be distinguished by the lack of the brown bars on the shield in front of the wings and by the presence of two light bands across the wings and abdomen. They prefer a much drier environment than the German cockroach and are found in ceilings, light fixtures, furniture and appliances, especially televisions.

The Oriental Cockroach
Is intermediate in size between the German cockroach and the American cockroach and much darker. The adults have wings that do not reach the end of the abdomen . Many consider it the most repulsive common cockroach, primarily due to its strong odor. This species prefers cool, damp, dark areas, and for this reason, it often is called a "water bug." Common habitats include sewer drains, damp crawl spaces, basements and cellars. Infestations are most common in the spring and fall.

The Wood Cockroach
Prefers the outdoors and usually is found in wood piles, in dead trees and under bark. Attracted to lights, they occasionally enter homes and cause great alarm because they are so easily confused with pest cockroaches. The wood cockroach can be distinguished from other species by a white band that runs around the head and the shield behind the head Usually they do not survive or multiply indoors.