Oriental Cockroach

• Usually, infestations are discovered by seeing a roach scurrying back into hiding.
• Although mostly active at night, oriental cockroaches can sometimes be seen during the day in moist, dark areas where they are mostly left undisturbed.
• Oriental cockroaches can also be detected by a strong, musty odor.

• Primarily an outdoors species, oriental cockroaches can be found in warm, damp, shady areas near the ground; in mulch in landscape beds, in leaf litter, beneath stones, sidewalks, or debris outdoors; and near or under garbage cans.
• They will hide in the voids or openings beneath porches, in wall voids, and crawl spaces.
• Oriental cockroaches can be found living in storm drains and sewers.
• Indoors, they are found in basements and crawl spaces, in floor drains, and under sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and in any damp, cool area in the house.
• Oriental cockroaches tend to gather near sources of water.

• An adult oriental cockroach is approximately 1” in length.
• They are very dark brown, nearly black; and have a somewhat greasy sheen.
• Females have broader, heavier bodies.
• Males have wings that cover 3/4 of their body, but they are unable to fly.
• Egg cases, or oothecae, appear dark brown or reddish in color and are approximately 5/16” in length.

• Yes, because oriental cockroaches live in damp and unsanitary places such as sewers, drains, and decomposing garbage, they are one of the more dangerous roaches in terms of bacteria and pathogens.
• Oriental cockroaches typically transfer bacteria and viruses from their legs and bodies to food, food preparation surfaces, dishes, utensils, and other surfaces as they forage.
• They are known to spread dysentery, e. coli, salmonella, and food poisoning.
• Cockroach excrement, secretions, cast skins and dead bodies of roaches contain a number of allergens, to which many people exhibit allergic responses such as skin rashes, watery eyes, congestion of nasal passages, asthma, and sneezing.

Oriental cockroaches are an invading pest that can enter beneath doors without weatherstripping, through open doors, and by following utility lines, pipes, open drains, and sewers into a structure.

• Oriental cockroaches thrive in damp, dark, and sheltered areas. Therefore, habitat modification can prevent or reduce a cockroach infestation.
• Caulk all cracks in the foundation of the structure
• Remove decaying leaves and organic matter around the perimeter of the structure
• Remove rotting leaves from window wells
• Repair any plumbing leaks inside and outside
• Keep all drain traps full of water and cap any open drains
• Ventilate all moist or damp spaces
• Caulking cracks in closets and cabinets, under the sink, around pipes, etc.
• Keep trashcans closed and secure with a tight-fitting lid
• Clean up spills and crumbs. Vacuum or sweep floors frequently.

• Oriental cockroaches will eat almost anything.
• They are often found feeding on garbage, sewage, and decaying organic matter.
• The oriental cockroach is very dependent upon water. Studies have shown that they can survive for up to a month without food, but cannot survive for more than two weeks without water.

• The Oriental cockroach has three developmental stages: egg, nymph, and adult.
• A female oriental cockroach produces an average of eight egg cases, or oothecae, during her lifetime.
• Each ootheca contains approximately 16 eggs that are lined up vertically, two by two.
• After approximately 30 hours, she will drop the ootheca in a warm, sheltered spot near a food source. The female does not glue the ootheca to a surface.
• The incubation period for the oriental cockroach is about 60 days under room temperature conditions.
• Nymphs molt from seven to ten times before becoming adults, which takes approximately one year.
• Unlike the other house-infesting cockroaches, the Oriental cockroach generally has a seasonal developmental cycle. The peak number of adults usually appears in late spring or early summer.
• An adult male oriental cockroach will live 110 to 160 days
• An adult female oriental cockroach will live 35 to 180 days