Insect Identities: German Cockroach

          Germany, the fifth largest country in all of Europe has provided the world with many good and bad things. On the one hand, Deutschland has provided us with great beers, even better cars (Mercedes Benz), and my personal favorite, German chocolate cake. On the other hand, tragedies that cannot even begin to be explained happened at the hands of German Soldiers throughout the reign of Hitler’s Third Reich. And yes, you might also think that because of its name, the German cockroach hailed from there as well. But believe it or not you would be wrong. The Blattella Germanica as is its scientific name actually came to America by way of Africa, which is its native country and has become America’s most common household insect.

            When fully mature, the German cockroach can be anywhere from ½ to 5/8 inches in length and will have a tan or light brown color. It is not uncommon to find multiple nymphs hanging around as well which is typically around 1/8 inch long. This particular species has an extremely high rate of reproduction throughout its lifetime. The typical lifespan for a female German cockroach can be anywhere from five to six months. During this time, an adult female can produce four to eight egg capsules which can house anywhere from 30-40 eggs. Similar to the adult German roach, the capsule, or ootheca, is also light brown. Once hatched, it takes approximately 120 days for each cockroach to reach full maturity.

            As is the case with many cockroach species, the German cockroach is considered a scavenger and particularly like starchy foods but also eats sugars, meats, grease and other foods. Simply put, there is not much that a German roach will not eat. This species is also nocturnal, so sightings really only become frequent once the population reaches a larger size. Because of the high rate of reproduction and flexibility of diet, this species can become very common in apartment settings where the infestation can begin in one unit and spread rapidly over a short period of time.

            Control of this particular species is a two step process. We recommend not only using some sort of cockroach bait, but also ensuring that your home is not a conducive environment for them as well. As it states in the name, cockroach bait is intended to be a food source for the roaches that upon ingestion, will begin to breakdown the nervous system of the roach causing death. So when using a bait product, we want to make sure that we keep all food crumbs cleaned up and any bags or containers of food sealed properly so the only food source available is the bait. This will allow for a much faster acceptance of the bait by the insect population. We also want to make sure that we keep the home as neat and tidy as possible while treating for the German cockroach. This species of roach is attracted to clutter because it provides safe places to reproduce as well as hide out during the daylight.