German Cockroach

Actual Size: 1/2″ to 5/8″

Characteristics: Pale brown with two dark longitudinal stripes behind the head.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Habitat: Prefer humid, warm areas. Often found in residential and commercial kitchens as well as bathrooms. Usually in areas where people eat and drink.

Habits:

  • Both sexes are fully winged, but do not fly.
  • Prefer to live near human activity.
  • One of the quickest reproducing species of roach.

German Cockroaches in Vermont

German cockroaches are responsible for some of the worst roach infestations due to the speed at which they reproduce. A single female and her offspring can produce over 30,000 offspring in a year! This roach species is distributed around the world and is likely the most common type of cockroach that infests Vermont homes, apartments, grocery stores, businesses. They prefer a humid environment and are thus found in kitchens, bathrooms, basements, or crawl spaces. When infestations are large, they can spread to other parts of a building.

German Cockroach Habitat

German cockroaches can be found in areas of your property that provides them access to moisture. This means they are typically in kitchens or bathrooms. If sanitation is poor, the German cockroach can successfully expand its normal habitat to include all portions of a structure where adequate food, water, and shelter exist. German cockroaches prefer to hide in wooden and paper materials, as well as electrical equipment. These roaches can also be found hiding in cabinets, drawers, up under sinks, and inside heat-producing appliances like dishwashers, microwaves, and coffee makers.

German Cockroach Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

German roaches are not likely to bite or disturb people. In fact, they will typically run away when encountered. The main concern with a German roach problem is that this species is a vector of disease, depositing germs or bacteria in areas they inhabit. German cockroaches can also cause allergic reactions due to the insects leaving fecal matter and cast skins around the home, causing skin rashes, watery eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion, and asthma. In addition to spreading disease, German cockroach infestations may cause human psychological stress. With the social stigma attached to having cockroaches in your home, homeowners tend to alter their behavior by entertaining less often and avoiding kitchen and bathroom areas at night for fear of encountering the pest.

German cockroaches can multiply rapidly, which means that a cockroach infestation should be addressed immediately by a professional cockroach exterminator.