How to Tell a German Cockroach

Cockroaches

German Cockroaches

Blattella Germanica (Linnaeus)

The German cockroach is the most common of cockroaches found throughout the United States. The German cockroach is light brown with two parallel stripes located just behind their heads that reaches down their body. They are oval in shape, have six legs, a long antenna and are approximately 1⁄2″. They can fit through small openings. They are fast breeders and can produce up to six generations per year.

Behaviors

They like to hide in dark, warm, moist, humid places close to food and have been known to eat just about anything. (breads, sweets, meats, starches, gravies, soap, toothpaste, glue and almost any other human or pet food). They can’t go more than a couple of weeks without moisture but can go without eating for up to a month. They find their way into homes and restaurant kitchens by hitching a ride on packaged goods, grocery bags and cardboard boxes. They love a sink full of dirty dishes, food spills on counters, floors, an open bag of chips or dog food. One hundred cockroaches can survive on as little as a dimes worth of spilled oil for over a month.