Cockroaches

If you are seeing cockroaches in or around your property Mr Pesty can help..

Cockroaches are found all over the world. There are more than 3,500 species of cockroach. The most common varieties in Australia include the German, Australian, American and Oriental cockroaches.

American cockroaches are large and black. German cockroaches are smaller and brown. Oriental cockroaches are medium sized and dark brown to black in colour. Cockroaches prefer dark, warm, humid conditions with a ready food source.

Identification

Australian Cockroaches  (Periplaneta australasiae)

• Australian cockroaches are a large species of cockroaches.
• They are winged and can be about 3-4 cm in length.
• They are dark brown in colour.
• Australian cockroaches are very similar to American cockroaches but can be distinguished by a yellow margin on the thorax and yellow streaks as its sides near the wing base.
• They normally feed on plants unlike other cockroaches and can also feed on different organic substances including decaying substances

German Cockroaches  (Blattella germanica)

• Adult German cockroaches average about 1.5 cm in length.
• They have long antennae which they use to detect chemicals, moisture, air currents, and probably sound waves in their environment.
• They prefer warm, moist area, and are frequently found in kitchens and bathrooms.
• They are brown coloured with two dark parallel streaks running from the head to the base of the wings.
• Female cockroaches carry their ootheca with her during the germination rather than depositing it like other species.

American Cockroaches  (Periplaneta americana)

• They are large roaches, ranging in length up to 4 cm.
• They prefer dark, moist, warm areas. They are commonly found in basements, steam tunnels, boiler rooms, rubble foundations, and similar places.
• Often they aren’t even noticed until a light is turned on, and they scurry away rapidly.
• Adult of both sexes have working wings and at least some flight capability, but oddly enough, they seldom fly.

Brown Cockroaches  (Periplaneta brunnea)

• Brown cockroaches are large species of cockroaches.
• They are about 3-4 cm long and have wings. They are dark, reddish brown in colour.
• The brown cockroaches can be distinguished from American cockroaches by observing their cerci, which are two pointed barbs, or spines, near the posterior end of some cockroaches.
• Brown cockroaches have a pair of blunt, short and dark cerci while the American cockroaches have longer and sharp pointed cerci.

Brown-Banded Cockroaches  (Supella longipalpa)

• They are 1.5 cm length as adults. Adults of both sexes have wings, although only the males fly.
• Brown-banded cockroaches have two light-coloured bands running across the base of their wings, hence the name “brown-banded cockroach”.
• Compared to other common roaches (such as the German cockroach) brown-banded cockroaches tend to prefer drier conditions.
• They’re commonly found in bedrooms (especially in cabinets and night tables), in closets, behind peeling wallpaper, and inside electrical and electronic equipment.

Smooth Cockroaches (Symploce pallens)

• They are brownish yellow in colour, smaller in size (12-15 mm) compared to German or American cockroaches.
• Adult males have longer wings which may extend till the abdominal tip.
• Adult females have shorter wings which may cover only one-third of its abdomen.