German cockroach- Blattella germanica
Appearance
- Yellowish brown with two dark stripes on the pronotum.
- Well-developed wings in both sexes, with the wings overlapping the body of the female.
- Approx. 12-15mm in length
Habitat
- Omnivorous, meaning that they will feed on practically anything including their own
- Prefers a warm steamy environment and has become a common pest of kitchens, larders, and hospital restaurants
- Small and readily conceals itself
- Extremely good climbers it can congregate on pipework, around light fittings etc in upper levels.
Lifecycle
- Females can produce between 4-8 ootheca, each with 35-40 individual eggs
- Ootheca are carried by the female until ready to hatch
- Hatching time is generally 1 month
- Duration of nymphal development is 6 weeks - 6 months
Oriental cockroach
Appearance
- Dark brown, nearly black in colour
- Wings are undeveloped in females whilst only covering 3/4 length of abdomen in male
- Approx. 20-244mm long, much larger than the German cockroach
Habitat
- Omnivorous, meaning that they will feed on practically anything including their own
- Commonly associated with poor drainage
- Can be found in basements, ducting, in kitchens under floor coverings and swimming pools
- cannot climb smooth surfaces, however they are able to climb rough, porous surfaces such as bare brickwork.
Lifecycle
- Females can produce between 5-10 ootheca
- deposited after just a few hours carrying 16 individual eggs
- Hatching time is generally 6 to 12 weeks
- Duration of nymphal development is 5 - 10 months
Warning signs
Warning signs
Warning signs
Signs of a cockroach infestation can include droppings, egg casings, shed skin, an unusual odour and of course spotting them.
Fun fact
Warning signs
Warning signs
There are around 4,600 species of cockroach worldwide. The largest cockroach only found in south America is 6 inches long with a one-foot wing span!
Fun fact
Warning signs
Fun fact
A cockroach can live for one month without food! It can also live for a week without its head, Cockroach can breath through little holes in its body therefore it only dies because it cannot drink water and dies of thirst.