Oriental Cockroaches

Home Cockroach Control

 

Color: Dark brown to nearly black

Characteristics: Oriental roaches appear shiny.  Males have wings that cover 75% of their abdomen, while the female of the species don’t have any.

Size: Adult Oriental cockroaches tend to be about 1 inch long and the females are about 1 ¼ inch long.

Potentially dangerous: Yes

Food Contamination

Health Hazard

Illness Spreading

What Do Oriental Cockroaches Look Like?

Often referred to as a “shad roach” or a “black beetle”,  Oriental roaches are dark brown to nearly black in color and have a shiny appearance. The male of the species is smaller than the female.  According to PennState Entomology, Males also have wings that cover three-quarters of their abdomens but don’t fly.  Females do not have wings.

Why Do I Have An Oriental Cockroach Problem?

The Oriental cockroach is found all over the world and in the outdoors they can be found under stones, in leaf litter and other debris. Indoors, they can be found in within walls, crawl spaces, basements and in floor drains and wherever there is decaying matter.  They are also known to crawl up along water pipes to the second floor of a building. They feed on all different kinds of food, but prefer starch. You may have them in your structure because they have found a way inside and have found a food source.

Where Do Oriental Roaches Hide?

Oriental cockroaches are primarily found living outdoors; they will hide under mulch in flower gardens, under piles of leaves, under stones or rocks, under garbage cans, and under porches; they also commonly invade storm drains and sewers.

They will make their way inside of homes and other buildings if the weather becomes too hot or dry in order to find moisture; they will hide behind walls and inside of crawl spaces.

What Are The Signs Of An Oriental Cockroach Problem?

If cockroaches are invading your property it is common to see them scurrying through garden beds in the mulch, and gathering around moist areas like under outdoor faucets and at the bottom of gutters. If they are inside your home you may see their feces or egg capsules in your home. Like other types of cockroaches if there is a large infestation you will notice a “musty” odor in the air.

What Kind Of Threat Do Oriental Cockroaches Pose?

Cockroaches are known to spread many different types of pathogens, as well as different types of bacteria and parasitic worms that are dangerous to humans. These pests can pick up germs on the spines of their legs and bodies as they wander through rubbish piles, sewers and drains and then can transfer these germs onto foods and food preparation surfaces. Recent medical studies have shown that cockroach allergens can cause allergic reactions in humans as well as asthma in children. Besides spreading disease, these pests are just a nuisance to have on your property and they can ruin any food products they come into contact with. This particular species has a very strong odor as well.

How Do I Control Oriental Cockroaches?

Our recommendation is to contact a pest control company to get rid of cockroaches.  DIY roach control is not usually effective and may contain pesticides that can be more harmful to people and pets than the roach if applied incorrectly.  For more information about Oriental cockroaches or to find out how Holder’s Pest Solutions of Houston can help you resolve infestations, please contact us today.

How Do You Prevent Oriental Cockroaches?

Like with most pests, you must remove the conditions that attract roaches in the first place.  That means take away food, water and hiding places.  Here are a few ways you can modify your environment to make it less roach-friendly:

• Reduce areas of moisture found around your home; make sure that gutters are properly draining water away from your home, fix leaky hoses and fixtures.
• Use de-humidifiers in crawl spaces, basements or other high humidity areas of your home.
• Remove debris, leaves and other decaying matter from your lawn and property.
• Seal cracks and crevices found in your home’s foundation; caulk gaps found around windows and doors.
• Keep the kitchen and food storage areas free of crumbs, spills and grease build-up.

Contact Holder’s today for Cockroach inspection, prevention and treatment.