Common Questions About Cockroaches

What attracts cockroaches?

Roaches will come indoors for 4 things

Food
Water
Heat
Shelter

Cockroaches are attracted to dirty or cluttered houses, but they are not the only enticing homes for these creepy-crawlies. While cluttered homes can provide an ample supply of food and shelter, clean homes can provide many of these necessities for roaches, as well. Appliances offer a heat source so roaches are often found under and behind them. No matter how clean your house is, leaky faucets or pipes can provide a water source for roaches.

Are cockroaches dangerous?

Absolutely, cockroaches are known to carry bacteria that can cause illnesses, such as salmonella, when it is deposited on your food or food prep surfaces. Roach body parts, eggs, and even saliva have been proven to trigger allergic reactions and asthma in affected people.

What do cockroaches look like?

You may wonder why this question is important, a roach is a roach, right? Different species of cockroaches have different habits and require different treatments to eliminate an infestation from your home. While there are many species worldwide there are only a few that are common in Georgia.

Three of the most common Roaches in our area are American, German, and Asian Cockroaches.

American Cockroach

The American cockroach is the largest and most common cockroach found in homes in Georgia. These roaches are a chestnut to light brown color with light yellow bands around the shield behind their heads. They are large with adults approximately 2 inches in length. Male and female American cockroaches have wings and are capable of flying short distances. This species can live up to 2 years. They are active at night and are often found around water sources like pipes, sewers, and basements. They are also commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms. They often cohabitate with smokybrown and Oriental cockroaches.

German Cockroach

The German cockroach is another easily recognizable cockroach in Georgia. These roaches are tan with dark brown parallel stripes on the back of their upper thorax. They are smaller than their American counterparts with adults measuring about 1/2" to 5/8". German roaches can live up to 12 months. This species is also active at night and is often found in kitchens near food and heat sources from appliances. They also produce more eggs than any other species.

Asian Cockroach

The Asian cockroach is tan with double parallel strips on its backs. They are often mistaken for German cockroaches. They are a smaller species with adults measuring 1/2″ to 5/8″. These roaches are also found outdoors usually under mulch, leaf litter, or high grass. They usually only come indoors when their outdoor habitat is disturbed. These roaches can fly and are attracted to light.

The following species are less common, but can still be problematic in our area.

Oriental Cockroach

The Oriental cockroach is another common species in Georgia. They are glossy with cherry to black coloring. They are large with adults measuring 1 to 1.25 inches in length. Males have short wings but females are wingless. These roaches can live up to 6 months. Although they often cohabitate with American cockroaches, they are not usually found indoors. Instead they are found outdoors where they feed primarily on decaying matter. They are active at night and have habits similar to their smokybrown cousins.

Smokybrown Cockroach

The smokybrown cockroach is dark cherry or red in color. They are large with adults around 1.5 inches in length. They prefer habitats in Southern neighborhoods with mature hardwood trees because they require high humidity and protection from the wind in their shelter. They can often be found in tree holes, attics, crawlspaces, and sheds. They are active at night.

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