American Cockroach or Palmetto Bug

The American cockroach and sometimes called the Palmetto bug, water bug  or the flying bug, they can live approximately a year to a year and a half. It is reddish-brown, with a pale brown or yellow border on the upper surface of the pronotum. They can get up to 1-2 inches in size. There are contest for the largest American cockroach.They can survive one month without access to water and go 2-3 months without eating.

American cock roach egg capsules 

An adult female will produce between six and 14 egg cases.  She will produce an average of 150 young in her lifetime. They will usually plant their egg capsules in cracks and corners. The American cockroach adults and young nymphs in all stages of growth have similar appearances.



They usually prefer the dark moist areas like basements, bathtubs, floor drains and sewers. They more commonly congregate in open spaces instead of small crack and crevices. I remember Picking up a towel on a washing machine in a customer’s house and about 10 roaches ran out.

American cock roach food


American cockroaches feed on a variety of foods, but decaying organic matter seems to be preferred. They also feed upon book bindings, manuscripts, clothing and glossy paper with starch sizing. Adults are attracted to light. Adults and nymphs can be found in a variety of places.  Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity can increase or decrease the developmental time of the American cockroach.

American cockroaches, thought to have originated in Africa, Have actively co-habit with humans and adapted their behavior accordingly. The control of The American cockroach depends on using certain baits and outside granular treatments. As it is with the German roach, follow up is always a key factor in the exterminating of American cock roach.

Most Exterminating company will give you a free inspection and a free estimate for pest control of any cockroach. There is always the do it your self stores who can recommend the baits, chemicals or traps to use when trying to eliminate the American cock roach. 

More information on how to kill German cockroaches

More information on how to kill German cockroaches. It is very important for you to know how to identify the German cockroach especially if you plan on a  DIY (Do it Yourself) treatment. Just remember there is a lot to getting rid of roaches and this particular roach is a very hard roach to control, so if you are not successful call a professional.

        German roach

The German cockroach is the cockroach of concern, the species that gives all other cockroaches a bad name. It occurs in structures throughout Florida, and is the species that typically plagues multifamily dwellings. In Florida, the German cockroach may be confused with the Asian cockroach, Blattella asahinai Mizukubo. While these cockroaches are very similar, there are some differences that a practiced eye can discern.

German cockroach is found throughout the world in association with humans. They are unable to survive in locations away from humans or human activity. The major factor limiting German cockroach survival appears to be cold temperatures. Studies have shown that German cockroaches were unable to colonize inactive ships during cool temperatures and could not survive in homes without central heating in northern climates. The availability of water, food, and harborage also govern the ability of German cockroaches to establish populations, and limit growth.

Description

        German roach egg

Egg. Eggs are carried in an egg case, or ootheca, by the female until just before hatch occurs. The ootheca can be seen protruding from the posterior end (genital chamber) of the female. Nymphs will often hatch from the ootheca while the female is still carrying it. A typical egg case contains 30 to 40 eggs. The egg case is a tiny, brown, purse-shaped capsule. It is about 8 mm long, 3 mm high, and 2 mm wide.


German roach larva
Larva or Nymph. The nymphal stage begins with egg hatch and ends with the emergence of the adult. Nymphs are dark brown to black in color, with distinct dark parallel bands running the length of the pronotum. Nymphs do not possess wings. The number of molts required to reach the adult stage varies, but the most frequently reported number of molts is six. The stage between molts is called an instar. At room temperature nymphs complete development in about 60 days. All developmental stages actively forage for food and water.3rd instar nymphnewly molted adult

        German roach adult

Adult. The adult is 10 to 15 mm long, brown to dark brown in color with two distinct parallel bands running the length of the pronotum. The sexes can be distinguished by the following characteristics: male - body thin and slender, posterior abdomen is tapered, terminal segments of abdomen visible, not covered by tegmina (leathery outer wings); female - body stout, posterior abdomen is rounded, entire abdomen just covered by tegmina.adult maleadult female
Life Cycle

German roach life stages
when you look for more information on how to kill german roaches you need to understand that the German cockroach has three life stages typical of insects with incomplete metamorphosis: the egg, nymph, and adult. The entire life cycle is completed in about 100 days. However, factors such as temperature, nutritional status, and strain differences may influence the time required to complete a life cycle. German cockroaches breed continuously with many overlapping generations present at any one time. Under ideal conditions, population growth has been shown to be exponential. Actively growing field populations are comprised of 80 percent nymphs and 20 percent adults. The German cockroach is omnivorous, eating table scraps, pet food, and even book bindings.

German cockroach - Blattella germanica (Linnaeus)

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The Australian Roach

Australian cockroaches are not as hard to get rid of as German roaches. They are subject to predation by other invertebrates, birds, lizards, frogs and mammals as well as parasitism by round worms and wasps. Some species produce defensive secretions to ward off attackers, while other species can roll themselves into a ball to protect themselves. 

Australian cockroaches are prevalent in leaf litter, in and around shrubs, flowers and trees, tree holes, wood piles, garages, crawl spaces, attics, and greenhouses.

It is a pest when it enters homes where it may eat holes in clothing and feed upon book covers. Australian cockroaches have long hairy legs and a distinguishing eye camouflage pattern on its thorax, which is often mistaken as being a part of its head, for warding prey. Their antennae are longer than their body length and their body is flat and smooth to get into limited spaces. Australian cockroach adults grow to 3/4-1 inches long. German cockroach adults grow to 5/7 inches long.

Australian cockroach eggs

Eggs hatch into young cockroaches called nymphs. In a normal cockroach population, nymphs are more numerous than adults.

Nymphs are brightly marked with distinct splotches of yellow on the dorsal side of the thorax and abdomen. Nymphs take between 4.5 and 15 months or longer to reach maturity depending on the temperature and the availability of food, females normally undergo 9 molts while males normally take 13. Life expectancy ranges from 2 to 4 years and a female can produce 30 oothecae resulting in 1000 young before dying of old age. Nymphs take about one year to develop.

Females are slightly stouter than males. Females carry an egg capsule containing 30-48 eggs at the end of their abdomen. When the eggs are close to hatching, the females attach the capsule in a dark corner where the young can emerge safely. Females deposit large oothecae (egg cases), about 10 - 15mm long, in debris, or harborages to protect them from damage and discovery. Once hatched the nymphs go through 8 to 10 molts before becoming a mature adult.

Australian cockroach control

Controlling the Australian cockroach is not all that hard, one way is to do a search and destroy method. Find them and destroy them. Another method is baiting with roach traps.
And the last and usually most effective is a chemical treatment. if you want more information on how to kill german roaches just follow links in here.

If you do a do it yourself method for getting rid of the Australian cockroach please make sure you read and follow the label, It is the law.

Cock Roach Control

First off there is no set way to do cockroach control with out knowing what kind of roach your dealing with. Roaches have different habitats and eating habits, knowing this would be the only way you can treat properly. Most people just say cockroach or palmetto bug in the southern regions of the US

Here is a list of some of the most common cockroaches

• American cockroach
• Australian cockroach
• Brown banded cockroach
• German cockroach

Cockroach control is best started by practicing good housekeeping and using insecticides when necessary, but using insecticides is not always necessary. If the infestation is very small then you could use glue traps or bait. Cockroach control is a simple exercise of common sense and consistency. Take the fight to them and make sure to take no prisoners.

Cockroach control is ordinarily accomplished by "spot treatment" of the dark and hidden places normally frequented by cockroaches during daylight hours

Sometimes the surviving insects in these areas may learn to avoid the treated areas and seek harborage elsewhere in the building.

If you notice an outbreak of cockroaches you should do one of two things right away.

Begin treatment right away if you have the knowledge and tools or call an exterminator and let him start exterminating for you.

Store food in roach tight containers and avoid spilling it, clean the countertops and other areas where food is often. Sweep around table and areas where kids eat and play. Pick up any old rags or cardboard that has been laying around.

Cockroach control requires you to know that adult females produce small, bean-shaped egg capsules. The female usually drops the egg capsules or glues them to some surface soon after they are formed. Adults generally are about 1 inch long, brown to dark chocolate brown, the Australian cockroach has narrow tan line running along the outside edges of the wings and the area behind the head

Adults live an average of 20 weeks. The German cockroach has the shortest life cycle of house-infesting roaches (from egg to egg in three to six weeks).

I am going to repeat this. Like any other pest, such as ants, fleas, bedbugs and termites cockroach control takes patience and most important is the follow up.

How to kill Roaches Naturally

How to kill Roaches Naturally and safely

When I talk about how to kill roaches naturally, I am not sure of too many ways to do that with out taking a fly swatter and just killing them when you see them. I think that the most effective way to control roaches is to be preventive. We can call this cockroach control. Roaches especially German roaches can enter the home in so many different ways.

1. Lunch boxes from your children’s school.
2. Groceries, potatoes, various boxes.
3. Boxes from stores.
4. They can actually ride in on your clothing.
5. They can also fly in, especially the American cockroach.

How to kill Roaches Naturally and How can we be preventive in our roach control?

I made a list of how to keep roaches out of your home or structure.

1. Weather-strip.
2. Repair holes around water pipes, baseboards, doors and windows.
3. Put screens over windows, vents, floor drains and ducts.
4. Store food in sealed containers.
5. Remove old boxes and papers.
6. Keep areas outside your home free of trash, wood piles and leaves.
7. Use sticky (glue) traps to find areas where roaches may be hiding.
8. Use a trash can with a tight lid.
9. Avoid placing your trash can under the sink.
10. Rinse beverage and food containers before you recycle or throw them away.
11. Fix leaky faucets and drains.

How to kill Roaches Naturally and Keep Them Out of Your House

All the above is just a few of the ways to keep roaches out of your house and how to kill roaches naturally Remember if this fails you can always call in a professional pest control company. There are many out there, the names of a few are Orkin, Terminex, Truly Nolen. And of course the local pest control companies. Good luck in your ventures on learning how to kill roaches naturally. John

How to Kill German Roaches

German Roaches

If you Have the German roach problem. then your next question should be; how to kill German roaches. The German roach is one of the most common roaches found in homes, apartments, hotels, and restaurants. Usually the German roach make their way into the structures by way of grocery's, luggage, boxes, different types of packages, and on the personal belongings of people. Animal foods are some times the vehicle that carry these critters into the home. the more information on how to kill German roaches naturally you find the better off you are.

The next step is to understand what your dealing with. The German roach is not an easy critter to get rid of. Part of the reason is their ability to reproduce in record time and numbers. For example the female German roach can produce one capsule every 3-4 weeks and can live up to one year.

The Egg Capsule

The female will carry the roach capsule until about 8 hours before they hatch, each capsule represents an average of about 30 baby roaches.

Can you imagine if you had an infestation of a couple of hundred roaches, how quick that could get out of hand. I have opened straw boxes in restaurants and 10-15 roaches would run out. Yikes

Identity

To Identify the German roach, (and you really need to know) is the key to knowing how to kill German roaches.

The German roach has a whitish yellow streak running down the center of the thorax behind the head. Actually they have 2 blackish lines running down both side of the thorax, they are ½ inch to 5/8 inch long, the nymphs are wingless smaller and darker. See image.

Elimination

Make no mistake, they are difficult to get rid of and the reason is that most people do not have the stomach or the patience to perform this task.

Follow up is the key to eliminating the roach, but then follow up is the key to eliminate most insects. The German roach is no different.

Yes you can use baits, yes you can eliminate them. Most people are not willing to wait that long. Chemical treatment can be the fastest way. Or you could use a combination of both.

But first lets see what can be done to eliminate the pest with as little chemicals as possible.

If the infestation is not too big then try this.

1. 
   
   First Clean the area in question. This would involve cleaning under all the cabinets with a vacuum, by doing this you will be able to tell just how much activity there is.
2. 
   
   Tools needed: A good flashlight is a must , A hand held tank type vacuum cleaner. If you can get to the local do it yourself pest control store, ask for a bait. Also ask for sticky traps
3. 
   
   Take the flash light and look under the cabinets in the cracks and crevices, you're looking for roaches of course, but also for antennas sticking out. The first clue of an infestation is the droppings (fecal) and empty or full egg capsules (oorthecae) laying around.
4. 
   
   When you find the pest, just start vacuuming up the roaches, even those trying to run. Remember you will have roaches in the vacuum cleaner, make sure you get a plastic bag and empty contents into plastic bag, tie up top and get rid of bag.
5. 
   
   Place baits in and around the area in question. You can also place sticky traps around to capture roaches and monitor the situation. Now you are on your way to being rid of this dirty problem.
6. 
   
   Follow up. Very important, Remember I said to vacuum all the droppings, dead roaches and egg capsules up. If you did this, In about 10 you will be able to look and see if there is activity going on. If you do not see any pest or signs of pest, just re bait and go on for another 10 days. If you do see signs of pest repeat the process.

Remember this if you have a lot of trouble, do not hesitate to call a pest control company.

This procedure is the safest chemical free type pest control on how to kill German roaches available.

Good luck

John

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updated February 2008