SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT COCKROACHES &THEIR PREVENTION METHODS...

Cockroaches

	Cockroaches have been around since the time of dinosaurs! A cockroach can live almost a month without food. A cockroach can live about two weeks without water. Some female cockroaches only mate once and stay pregnant for life!	A cockroach can live for up to one week without its head! Cockroaches can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes! Cockroaches can run up to 3 miles an hour.

American Cockroach

	The American cockroach is the largest cockroach found in houses. Females can hatch up to 150 offspring per year. Cockroaches don’t get their wings until the become adults.
		Size: 2" Shape: Oval Color: Reddish brown, with a yellowish figure eight pattern on the back of their head	Legs: 6 Wings: Yes Antenna: Yes
		Common Name: American Cockroach Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda	Class: Insecta Order: Dictyoptera Family: Blattidae Species: Periplaneta americana

DIET

American cockroaches will eat just about anything, including plants and other insects.

HABITAT

American cockroaches live in warm, dark, wet places, because they need to be near water. They are often found in sewers and basements, around pipes and drains.

IMPACT

Cockroaches crawl through dirty areas and then walk around our homes tracking in lots of bacteria and germs. They can contaminate food by shedding their skins. Their cast off skin and waste byproducts are allergens that can trigger allergic reactions, asthma and other illnesses, especially in children.

PREVENTION

• Keep cooking, eating and food storage areas clean and dry.
• If you see cockroaches, it is best to call a pest management professional due to the illnesses they can spread.

Brown-banded Cockroach

	Brown banded cockroaches get their name from the two light bands they have across their dark brownish bodies. The male’s wings are larger than the female’s wings. Brownbanded cockroaches often hide their eggs in or under furniture. They usually live 5-6 ½ months.
		Size: 1/2" Shape: Oval Color: Brown, with light bandds of color across wings	Legs: 6 Wings: Yes Antenna: Yes
		Common Name: Brown-banded cockroach Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda	Class: Insecta Order: Dictyoptera Family: Blattellidae Species: Supella longipalpa

DIET

Brownbanded cockroaches prefer to eat starchy foods, such as wallpaper paste and book bindings. Sometimes they’ll eat non-organic things, like nylon stockings!

HABITAT

Brownbanded cockroaches prefer warmer, drier, and higher locations than most cockroaches. While most cockroaches prefer to live in kitchens and pantries, Brownbanded cockroaches will live in any room in the house. They do not need much moisture and avoid light whenever the can.

IMPACT

Cockroaches crawl through dirty areas and then walk around our homes tracking in lots of bacteria and germs. They can contaminate food by shedding their skins. Their cast off skin and waste byproducts are allergens that can trigger allergic reactions, asthma and other illnesses, especially in children.

PREVENTION

• Keep cooking, eating and food storage areas clean and dry.
• If you see cockroaches, it is best to call a pest management professional due to the illnesses they can spread.

German Cockroach

	German cockroaches can be found all over the world. They are the most common cockroach in the United States. Each German cockroach can live about 100-200 days.
		Size: 1/2" to 5/8" Shape: Oval Color: Brown to Dark Brown	Legs: 6 Wings: Yes Antenna: Yes
		Common Name: German Cockroach Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda	Class: Insecta Order: Blattodea Family: Blattellidae Species: Blattella germanica

DIET

Cockroaches are attracted to sweet and floury foods. They also eat non-organic items such as toothpaste and books!

HABITAT

German cockroaches live in warm and damp places, like kitchens, bathrooms, and places where people eat and drink.

IMPACT

Cockroaches crawl through dirty areas and then walk around our homes tracking in lots of bacteria and germs. They can contaminate food by shedding their skins. Their cast off skin and waste byproducts are allergens that can trigger allergic reactions, asthma and other illnesses, especially in children.

PREVENTION

• Keep cooking, eating and food storage areas clean and dry.
• If you see cockroaches, it is best to call a pest management professional due to the illnesses they can spread.

Oriental Cockroach

	Oriental Cockroaches probably get their names from trade ships but they are actually from Africa. They are large and very dark compared to other cockroaches. They usually travel through sewer pipes and drains. They prefer dirty places and cooler temperatures than other cockroaches. An Oriental cockroach creates a strong smell and is considered one of the dirtiest of all the cockroaches.
		Size: 1" Shape: Oval Color: Dark brown, almost black	Legs: 6 Wings: No Antenna: Yes
		Common Name: Oriental Cockroach Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda	Class: Insecta Order: Dictyoptera Family: Blattadae Species: Blatta orientalis

DIET

Oriental cockroaches feed on all types of garbage and other organic material.

HABITAT

Oriental cockroaches also live in sewers and wet, decaying areas, such as basements and crawlspaces, firewood and piles of leaves.

IMPACT

Cockroaches crawl through dirty areas and then walk around our homes tracking in lots of bacteria and germs. They can contaminate food by shedding their skins. Their cast off skin and waste byproducts are allergens that can trigger allergic reactions, asthma and other illnesses, especially in children.

PREVENTION

• Keep your home clean and dry.
• Vacuum often and seal cracks in and around your house.
• If you see cockroaches, it is best to call a pest management professional due to the illnesses they can spread.