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How to Identify Cockroach Species?

Cockroaches Pest Blog

Managing pests is crucial for a safe and healthy living space. Pests can carry diseases and cause property damage. making it a primary importance to have a pest control program in place.

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Common Cockroaches in Singapore

How to Identify a Cockroach?

This is how to identify cockroach, even when they have changed little during the 400 millions years they have been around. Most species are from the tropical or subtropical origin. They are not categories as social insects, they are gregarious or usually occur in large groups. They tend to feed on literally anything of nutritive value.

Cockroaches are amongst the most common pests for residential home and commercial establishments. Their uninvited presence in our premises are a nuisance. Approximately, there are 4,000 species of cockroaches exist in the entire world. Only a few of these cockroach have adapt in urban living.

The most commonly found are the American cockroach, brown-banded cockroach and German cockroach. By far, the most common infestation that has surge is the German cockroach.

Crucial Step to Controlling Common Type of Cockroach

Identifying the Type of Cockroach Species

Cockroach life cycle have simple egg, nymph and adult. Female reproductive system produces eggs ootheca or eggs capsules. Each contains eggs arranged in parallel rows opposite each other. It can have anywhere from 4 to 60 eggs, depending on the species.

The German cockroach carries their eggs protruding on the back until 24 to 48 hours before hatching till the nymph emerges. Some other species retain the egg capsule, incubate it and give birth to their live baby oriental cockroaches. The first thing to do is figure out exactly what kind of cockroach it is. As cockroaches vary in their food preferences and living habits.

The American cockroaches prefers living in habitat like food warehouses storage, basements or steam tunnels, and sewers. The drains and sewers outside need to be inspect often to avoid American cockroaches and German cockroaches infestation problem.

German Cockroach

They have a light brown or grey-brown colour and typically distinguished for its two dark, parallel stripes on its back. They reproduce quickly and are most commonly found infesting food and beverage industries. The head, thorax and abdomen are smaller than other species. Inspection can be challenging without the proper skills.

A female cockroach can produce around 16 eggs per to 30 thousand nymphs a year. The female usually carry its eggs cases, oval in shape until they hatch making this species difficult to eliminate. German roaches are the main culprit to infestations found in restaurants, cafes, and food outlets in Singapore. NEA stop almost 90% of businesses from operating because of cockroaches relate issues.

Brown-banded Cockroach

Slightly bigger than the German cockroaches and commonly mistaken for its young or is even call a baby roach. You can usually find both of them living together under one roof. It can be identify with their light yellow bands dark stripes across their bodies and develop wings.

They usually leap or spring when bothered. But the male brown-banded cockroach can actually fly. Their main food diet is starch and normally seen in office buildings. A pest control treatment for them involves a lot of gel baits.

American Cockroach

The largest amongst the four can grow up to 3 inches in length. They are also call palmetto bug in some part of the world. Part of the cockroaches are brown to reddish-brown colour and has light yellow edges on their shield. In United States, it is often mistaken for wood cockroaches, water bug or even Australian cockroach.

Both the male and female American cockroaches can fly, which makes them more terrifying. The average lifespan of a cockroach can be up to two years. That is how long cockroaches lives. And are more common in places where there are stocks of food such as bakeries, restaurants and grocery stores.

Possible to spot them in sewer, near rubbish chute, damp moist area and homes. Homes with crawl spaces are more prone to roaches entering the house. They don’t hide their cockroach eggs well enough and this allows Pest Control to zero in on their harbouring area.

Oriental Cockroach

Dark smoky brown cockroach or black in colour, slightly 3 inches long in length. They have glossy or polish bodies and easily recognise by their expose abdominal segments. They are not capable of flying and often feed on decomposing or decaying organic matter.

The female oriental cockroach prefers to be in cesspits, drainage system, moist and damp areas. Sometimes under dampened sofas or humidified furniture as well as pipe and leaky faucets. They can live up to six months.

Baby Cockroach or Nymph

During the first stage of their life cycle, they are normally white in colour. The nymph will go through several stages of moulting before eventually looking like a cockroach. Changing colour during each stage. Different type of cockroach is different in size and shape.

Common mistake done by many is to identify German adult cockroach as American cockroach nymph because of its size.

FAQs About Identifying Cockroach Species

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Cockroach pose a health hazard?

Not only their uninvited presence in our premises are a nuisance. They carry various diseases that can cause allergic reactions. Children are more likely to get an asthmatic attack because of the allergen they give out. In general, a cockroach can spread up to 30 types of bacteria.

Where do Cockroaches prefer to inhabit?

Different types of cockroach have different preferences. However, near water and food source is a must. The kitchen and bathrooms fits the bill.

For example, the American roach prefers dark and wet areas. In Singapore, we can easily find them in the sewage, floor traps, rubbish chute and drains. They can find many entry points to get to your property.

Typical for a condominium apartment or HDB unit to get an American cockroach infestation. It has to come from a floor trap or a rubbish chute. Public sewage has pipes linked to a building. This is how an American cockroach can enter your home.

Another common way is through the rubbish chute. Common to find a pest control company fogging rubbish chutes to eradicate them. Though this will kill many of them, a handful will escape by entering your rubbish chute.

German cockroaches spread in the house from items that are transfer in the house containing them. Carton boxes and grocery bags are just some of the ways that could transfer them to your home. Restaurants, bars and cafe, are more prone to having a German cockroach infestation.

They prefer warm and dry spaces, will look for cracks and crevices to harbour. Can also find them harbouring in appliances such as coffee maker, meat grinder and cabinet hinge.

What are the Cockroach most preferred food to eat?

Anything and everything as they need food and water to survive. They can go without food for one month and without water for one week. They are easily attract to food that emits a strong smell. Pet food and even cheese are two such foods.

Innovative Pest Management consults and solves homes and business that faces cockroach problem. Our cockroach control methods are effective and safe.

What are Innovative Pest Management ultimate goal for residential homes and commercial businesses?

Ultimately, our goal is to solve the cockroach problem permanently for you. With Innovative mindset to rid of your cockroach infestation, you can rest assure that matters are in control. Using eco-friendly baits and insecticide, we will solve your issue in no time.

Call us at 6100 5266 or email us at admin@innovativepest.sg

Read through some of our cockroach control articles to understand how to overcome a cockroach infestation.

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