We are starting a new series on our website in order to educate homeowners to the best of our ability. The pest library will eventually contain entries for nearly every type of household pest imaginable. The entries will include a description of the pest, how they become pests to humans, how concerned homeowners should be, and how to get rid of them. While we hope you find the pest library useful, it is important to call experts to help remove pest. A pest control expert can positively identify particular creatures and establish a safe and effective means of removal. This week we are exploring oriental cockroaches.

What Does An Oriental Cockroach Look Like?

There are pronounced differences between male and female oriental cockroaches, so their appearances will be examined separately.

The males are a maximum of an inch long. Typically, they are around three quarters of an inch to an inch in length. Their color appears as a shiny black color, or occasionally as a mahogany reddish-brown. An oriental cockroach’s body is supported by six legs and navigated with an antennae. The males do, unfortunately, have wings that are just short of being as long as their body.

While the females typically appear in the same color scheme as the males (albeit a little darker), they actually tend to be a bit larger. The average length is an inch long, with a maximum length of an inch and a quarter. Gratefully, the females do not have functional wings like the males. They do, however, have wing pads, which look like dark brown wings.

How Do They Become Pests?

Oriental cockroaches are the ultimate cockroach stereotype. Dirty, damp, and secluded places attract oriental cockroaches. Their ideal living space is the sewer system and industrial dumpsters. It is possible for them to crawl their way up through a rarely used drain or pipe.

Additionally, the cockroaches are drawn to rotting plant matter. A large amount of landscaping near a home or uncleared gutters are huge drawing points for the oriental cockroach. As are piles of leaves and compost piles. From those hiding places, it is easy enough to enter a home.

The main threat concerning oriental cockroaches is how they track disease throughout a house. E. coli, salmonella, and a myriad of other diseases and serious illnesses are found in the typical hangouts of the oriental cockroach. As the roach travels through a home, it tracks those very same illnesses all through the house.

Additionally, oriental cockroaches emit a gross smell. The smell is natural, despite the fact that they hang out in garbage. It is often described as unpleasantly musky, even a handful in a single room create a noticeable scent.

How To Treat A Home For Oriental Cockroaches

The best treatment for oriental cockroaches is to eliminate their hiding places. Check all drains and pipes in the house fairly regularly, especially if they’re not used often. Clear out the gutters of the house and ensure that foliage and compost piles are far enough away.

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