The German cockroach is considered to be the worst species of cockroach for many reasons. Their long, dark antenna and light brown to tan coloration make them difficult to spot scuttling around in dark, cluttered areas of a home.
German roaches are the worst of all the roaches when it comes to home invasions and getting rid of them is no walk in the park. From their rapid reproduction to their ability to scavenge from almost any food source, German roaches are incredible survivalists.
One of the more dangerous cockroaches in terms of bacteria and pathogens, the oriental cockroach's strong drive toward water often leads them to sewers and other sources of bacteria-ridden water. They also love eating garbage and decomposing food.
Unique Facts: Oriental cockroaches are sometimes called "water bugs" because they come out of drains, and "black beetle cockroaches" because of their smooth, dark bodies. This species creates a strong smell and is considered one of the dirtiest of all the cockroaches.
Roaches are resilient and extremely hard to get rid of once they have established themselves in your home. As long as the temperature indoors is above 50 degrees, roaches can remain active year-round, although they are more prevalent in the spring and summer months.
Borax is a readily-available laundry product that's excellent for killing roaches. For best results, combine equal parts borax and white table sugar. Dust the mixture any place you've seen roach activity. When the roaches consume the borax, it will dehydrate them and kill them rapidly.
They can live for a month or more without a single scrap of food and one to two weeks to die of dehydration, even in an empty house. You're going to need to take steps to get rid of the roaches, as waiting for them to die or leave will not work.
It's a fact that cockroaches are afraid of humans and other mammals or animals that are bigger than them. They see us as predators and that fear triggers their instinct to scatter away. However, they dislike strong and distinctive scents such as citrus, peppermint, lavender and vinegar.
Is There a Queen? Is there a queen roach? Cockroaches are not truly social insects (like honey bees or termites). As such, they do not have a queen.
Cockroaches are omnivores that eat plants and meat. They have been recorded to eat human flesh of both the living and the dead, although they are more likely to take a bite of fingernails, eyelashes, feet and hands. The bites may cause irritation, lesions and swelling. Some have suffered from minor wound infections.
Out of the over 4,500 cockroach species around the world, only one is black and known to live among humans. This is the oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis). Oriental roaches are often called water bugs because they favor damp conditions like improperly ventilated basements and sewers.
Cockroaches are considered to be dangerous as an allergen source and asthma trigger. They may also carry certain bacteria that can cause illnesses if left on food. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , cockroaches are “unhygienic scavengers in human settlements.”
First of all, Oriental cockroaches can bite. But that isn't what makes them dangerous. A bite from one of these insects is only going to produce a red welt. If the wound is cleaned and disinfected, there is no risk of it worsening into something more threatening.
The difference between cockroaches and roaches is: nothing. 'Cockroach' and 'roach' are two names for the same thing, and though either may refer to any one of the over 4,000 species of roach, they're not distinct. 'Roach' is the shortened version of the word 'cockroach'.
If your home has 5 or fewer cockroaches, it can be identified as a light infestation. If it is between 10 to 25 roaches, it can be a moderate one. But if it exceeds 25, it can now be classified as a heavy infestation. You should know that the few roaches you see at home are not the only ones you have to deal with.
Cockroach Droppings Appearance
Cockroach feces are easy to identify. Droppings from small cockroaches resemble ground coffee or black pepper. Larger roaches leave behind dark, cylindrical droppings with blunt ends and ridges down the side.
Cockroaches do sleep and just like other animals and insects, they also follow a specific circadian rhythm. They are nocturnal insects, which means that they rest or sleep during the day. Cockroaches are usually active for four hours after dark and then go into a period of immobility.
Since cockroaches don't have leaders, there are no followers, either—and that means that an individual insect's personality can shine through in a group setting.
Scientists have known insects experience something like pain, but new research provides compelling evidence suggesting that insects also experience chronic pain that lasts long after an initial injury has healed.
Why Do Flying Cockroaches Fly Toward You? If you think flying cockroaches are flying right toward you, they actually aren't. Most cockroach species aren't good "flyers," and what you take as them flying toward you is actually just them being startled and gliding uncontrollably in a certain direction.
Roaches have multiple evolutionary advancements involving their brains. These allow cockroaches to learn, communicate, and make decisions based on memory. In fact, researchers have found that cockroaches are capable of retaining lessons taught to adapt their behavior.
Do Cockroaches Like the Cold? Generally, cockroaches don't like the cold one bit. They are cold-blooded arthropods that don't survive very well in either extremely cold or hot circumstances. They're always at whatever temperature their environment is and generally slow down with cooler temperatures.
Roaches can die in water. Like any air-breathing creature, if they're fully submerged in water and unable to come up for air, they will eventually drown. They do not possess gills or organs that would allow them to filter oxygen into their bodies, despite being surrounded by water.
According to one former entomologist, Elizabeth Uster, not only can cockroaches continue to live within a vacuum, but the eggs of a female cockroach can also survive and develop into adults before escaping a vacuum cleaner bag.