Insects do not adhere to manmade borders and divisions. Though they may be common in an area doesn’t mean they are not seen in other places. As Rentokil provide services to Northern Utah and Southern Idaho, some species of insects can be more common than others. For example, there are thousands of cockroach species found in the world. In northern Utah, the most common species include German, American and Oriental cockroaches. Today, we at Rentokil would like to briefly touch on these common species of cockroaches.

American Cockroach Facts

Though the average length is a little over an inch, American cockroaches can reach up to 3 inches in length and they are one of the largest species in the United States. Their colors vary from a reddish-brown to dark mahogany color and feature a yellow band that outlines their heads. Once the American cockroach reaches adulthood, both females and males have developed wings that make flight possible. These cockroaches are normally found outside, preferring warm, damp areas like under mulch or in flowerbeds to infest. Additionally, American roaches can frequently be found invading sewers. American cockroaches generally invade homes and businesses in search of food and water. Roaches will crawl under doors and through damaged weather stripping, through basement windows, garages, and common entryways. Once inside these roaches will dwell in basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. American cockroaches will eat American cockroaches eat leaves, tiny wood particles, fungi, and algae as well as small insects and any human scraps or crumbs they can find in addition to pet food.

German Cockroach Infestations

German cockroaches are usually light brown or tan colored and bear two black horizontal stripes located on the pronotum behind the head. These roaches are approximately 5/8” long. Though both adult female and male roaches have wings, they rarely fly. German cockroaches are most commonly found indoors, although they can adapt outdoors in tropical environments. They prefer warmer and more humid areas of a structure; lurking in kitchens and bathrooms most often but can be found in other areas of the home where food is available. German roaches are natural scavengers and will feed on nearly anything including book bindings, crumbs missed or the residue left on the dishes, soap, and toothpaste.

Are Oriental Cockroaches Harmful?

Males are significantly shorter than females, males are just under an inch long and females can just get over a 1 ¼ inch long. The male’s wings are only about ¾ length of their and females only have large wing pads; both are shiny black to a reddish-brown color. They will intrude into buildings through open doors, gaps beneath the siding, following utility lines, in pipes or open drains. Outside they keep warm and moist under mulch, landscape beds, in leaf litter, beneath stones or debris outdoors. They will thrive particularly thrive in the voids or openings beneath porches, in wall voids and crawlspaces. Oriental cockroaches crawl around service ducts, toilets, bathtubs, sinks, radiators, and pipes and will frequently live in cellars and basements. Unfortunately, the oriental cockroach’s strong attraction to water often leads them to sewers and other sources of bacteria-ridden water. They also love eating decomposing food which means they can transmit this bacteria and pathogens to humans making them extremely harmful.

Cockroach Extermination

No matter what type of roach you have infesting your Northern Utah or Southern Idaho home or business, Rentokil can help you eliminate them! Contact us for a consultation to formulate a custom pest control plan today.