Identifying Types of Cockroaches

Cockroaches are such a common pest in Brisbane and most of us are familiar with all of them. There are many different types of cockroaches and most of them can spread disease so it’s worthwhile knowing a little bit about them. The three main types of cockroaches in Australia are the German cockroach, the Australian cockroach and the American cockroach. Identifying them can sometimes prove to be difficult however, the below information will help you.

 

German Cockroach

The German cockroach is one of the smallest of the cockroaches and is probably the most commonly found species in South East Queensland. Adults are 12 to 15mm long, have a light amber/brown colour with two dark stripes on the head and they do not fly. It reproduces faster than any other residential cockroach growing from egg to reproductive adult in approximately 50 – 60 days. It is also the most prolific breeder of all cockroaches laying egg cases 3 to 4  times a year with each egg carrying 30 – 40 eggs.

You will find them most commonly where food handling takes place that is, they love domestic and commercial kitchens. They seek warmth, moisture and food. You can also find them nesting in electrical equipment such as toasters and dishwashers. They also love computers and keyboards.

People often confuse the bush cockroach with the german but bush cockroaches fly. They fly into your home whereas german cockroaches are usually bought in as eggs.

 

Australian Cockroach

 The Australian cockroach is larger than the German cockroach (30 to 35 mm) and is able to fly.  We’ve all seen these in and around our homes. They are dark brown with clearly defined yellow markings on the head and the front wings. This cockroach prefers plant food and is usually found outdoors. They are extremely fast movers unless they have been affected by treatment , often darting out of sight when someone enters a room, and can fit into small cracks and under doors despite its fairly large size.

 

 

American Cockroach 

The American cockroach is one of the largest of the cockroaches (30 to  45mm). it’s similar to the Australia but it is a lighter red brown color with a pale yellow border around the head and like the Australian it can fly. The American cockroach prefers warm and moist conditions. It is a very widespread pest which lives in wall and roof cavities, sewers, drains, grease traps and rubbish dumps. It can be found around any food preparation area. The odorous secretions produced by American cockroaches can alter the flavor of food. Also, if populations of cockroaches are high, a strong concentration of this odorous secretion can be present. You can find these cockroaches in your home even when you are fully screened. They are known to come up through drains and plumbing so leaving plugs in sinks can help reduce their entry points.

AND…

You may be wondering why you need to know the difference between these cockroaches. Well the short answer is, you don’t as long as you have an expert treating your home for you.  However, if you plan on doing it yourself it is very important. Each of these cockroaches nest, reproduce and enter your home in different ways. In order to treat effectively you need to understand these differences.

Call us today if you would prefer to have an experienced technician do the job for you.

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