Five Kinds of Cockroaches Troublesome in Buildings 



Name 



Description 



Where found 



American cockroach 



Australian cockroach 2 ___ 



Brown-banded cock- 

 roach 3 (also called 

 tropical cockroach). 



German cockroach 4 

 (also called croton 

 bug and water bug) , 



Reddish brown to dark 

 brown. Adults 1% to 2 

 inches long. 



Reddish brown to dark 



brown. Yellow markings on 

 the thorax; yellow streaks 

 at base of wing covers. 

 Adults 1 inch long. 



Light brown. Mottled, red- 

 dish-brown wings on female: 

 lighter wings on male. 

 Adults }4 inch long. 



Light brown. Black stripes 

 running lengthwise on 

 back. Adults % inch long. 

 Most common of the five 

 kinds. 



Develop in damp base- 

 ments and sewers; 

 forage mostly on first 

 floors of buildings. 



Develop in warm, damp 

 places, in or out of 

 doors; forage mostly 

 on first floors of build- 

 ings. 



Develop and live all over 

 the building. 



Develop and live all over 

 the building, particu- 

 larly in kitchens and 

 bathrooms. 



Oriental cockroach 5 



Black or dark brown. Traces 



Develop in damp base- 



(also called black 



of wings on females; short 



ments and sewers; 



beetle and shad 



wings on males. Female 



forage mostlv on first 



roach). 



adults 1 to l}i inches long; 

 male adults a little shorter. 

 More sluggish than other 

 four kinds. 



floors of buildings. 



Periplaneta americana. 

 Blatta orientalig. 



2 Periplaneta australasiae. 3 Supella supelledilium. 



Blattella germanica. 



buildings and homes where good 

 sanitation is practiced. 



The female lays her eggs in a 

 leather*} 7 capsule, which she forms 

 at the end of her body. The German 

 cockroach carries the egg capsule 

 about a month, and drops it a day 

 or so before the eggs are ready to 

 hatch; about 30 cockroaches hatch 

 from the capsule. The other kinds 

 carry the egg capsules a day or two, 

 then glue them to some object in a 

 protected place: about 12 cock- 

 roaches hatch from each capsule 

 after an incubation period of 2 to 

 3 months. 



PREVENTING ENTRY 



Cockroaches may enter the house 

 from outdoors, in infested contain- 

 ers from other buildings, or from 

 adjoining homes or apartments. To 

 keep them out, fill all cracks passing 

 through floors or walls, and cracks 

 leading to spaces behind baseboards 

 and door frames, with putty or 

 plastic wood. Pay special attention 

 to water and steam pipes entering 

 rooms. 



Cockroaches develop in large 

 numbers in dirt and filth. Thorough 

 cleaning reduces the likelihood of 

 heavy infestation. 



