American Cockroach

Appearance

• Between 25-40mm long.
• American Cockroaches are redish brown in appearance and like all Cockroaches the wings overlap.

Biology

• The Ootheca (egg case) will contain between 5-30 eggs and a female will deposit one every few days, up to  20-30 in total.
• Adults live for around one year and a female will produce an average of 150 young.
• The Ootheca hatch out in around 1-2 months, with nymphs taking as much as two years to mature although this is much less in warm, humid conditions.

Habitats

• Cockroaches prefer a warm, moist atmosphere and are commonly found in cracks and crevices of drains and sewers and ventilation systems. Due to the temperatures in Britain, infestations are rarely found outside in the UK.
• This species of Cockroach are omnivorous (feeding on plant and animal matter) and are noctournal.

Treatment

• Effective control of cockroaches is achieved from a program of monitoring and treatment using combination insecticides.
• As a hardy insect multiple visits are required utilising both short and long term strategies.