What Do Oriental Cockroaches Look Like?
Oriental cockroaches are a dark, shiny reddish-brown or black color. The male and females of the species have different appearances. Adult males are about 22 mm in length and have long wings that cover all but a couple abdominal segments. Female oriental roaches are larger, about 32 mm, and have much smaller wings that only cover the first couple of body segments. The eggs, called orothecas, are dark brown and range from 8 to 10 mm in length. Inside each egg case are about 16 eggs. The female carries the egg case for about 30 hours before she drops it into a protected area to hatch.
Where Do Oriental Cockroaches Infest?
Oriental cockroaches prefer the outdoors and can often be found hiding out under mulch beds, under stones or debris lying outdoors, or in piles of leaves. When they find do their way indoors through crawlspaces, wall voids, openings under the porch, or under doors that aren’t sealed properly – oriental cockroaches tend to hide out in the damper and more humid areas of homes such as basements, kitchens, and bathrooms. Oriental roaches have also been known to live in floor drains of homes and businesses that drain directly outside – and use it as an underground tunnel entrance right into your home.
What Do Oriental Cockroaches Eat?
Oriental cockroaches eat organic materials that have begun to decay, as well as garbage. These roaches need quite a bit of water compared to other roaches, and while they can survive for a month or so without food, they can’t survive more than two weeks without access to water.
Are Oriental Cockroaches Dangerous?
Because of the cockroach’s choice of diet, they are a source for a variety of food-borne pathogens, including Salmonella and E.coli. Oriental cockroaches have been reported to spread about 33 kinds of bacteria and six types of parasitic worms. The roaches carry the bacteria and pathogens on their bodies and legs and contaminate clean surfaces – such as your countertops and dining room table!
Cockroaches are not known for biting people, but they do pose an indirect threat to people as they shed their skins and their waste products are released into the air and for individuals will allergies or asthma symptoms, indoor cockroach infestations can make it worse.
How Does Innovative Pest Control Treat For Oriental Cockroaches?
Cockroaches are great at hiding and because the eggs are inside a casing, they are naturally protected from most over-the-counter sprays and chemicals you might try to get rid of an infestation on your own. Innovative Pest Control can identify your roach infestation, eliminate existing cockroaches and help you prevent them from getting into your house again in the future. To find out more about our cockroach control treatments, give us a call!
Oriental Cockroach Prevention Tips
To prevent cockroaches from getting into your home, try the following cockroach prevention tips:
- Fix all water leaks to reduce access to water.
- Caulk all possible entry points around your foundation.
- Clean the yard and window wells of rotting leaves and debris.
- Keep garbage containers out of moist areas.
- Ventilate your basement and bathrooms to reduce moisture.
- Invest in a professional cockroach control plan for your home.
