American cockroaches are reddish brown and shiny. Most of their shininess comes from the wings that stack on their backs and hang past their abdomens. Like all cockroaches, American cockroaches have spines on their legs and long antennae, but you may distinguish them from other cockroaches by their size. These roaches can grow to 2 ¼ inches in length. The nymphs (baby roaches) are as big as a third of that size, but they are wingless. Without their wings, you may notice that two small appendages stick out on both sides at an angle. These are called cerci. These appendages are still there when the roach reaches its adult stage. You can still see them, but the wing tips slightly cover them.
American cockroaches have working wings, but they don’t use them to fly often. You may see them take to the air on a hot day. Cockroaches are cold-blooded insects. Like all cold-blooded insects, they slow down when it gets cold and speed up when it gets hot. If an American cockroach takes to the air, it won’t stay in the air long. Flying takes a lot of energy. The short flights taken by cockroaches are often mistaken for jumping.
Roaches can appear and disappear in mysterious ways. Where do they come from, and where do they go? It is helpful to consider their mobility. Cockroaches can climb walls and run across ceilings using their pick-like feet. They’re able to run full speed across the top of a table, go over the edge, and run across the bottom without slowing down. When they get into tight spaces, they compact their bodies and squeeze through considerably thin gaps. They use these abilities to get into the following places for the following reasons:
Cockroaches prefer tight spaces, humid environments, warmth, darkness, seclusion, and any area of a home that has food. Their definition of food is far broader than ours.
American cockroaches are attracted to yards by a variety of sources, including but not limited to:
It is essential to keep things clean, dry, and free of clutter and to have a pest management plan in place to reduce the number of insects that cockroaches eat.
This question goes back to what we touched on earlier. Cockroaches are cold-blooded insects. They slow down when they get cold and speed up when they get warm. You can expect to see them more often during the warmer months. Increased activity outdoors increases the likelihood that they’ll find their way into interior environments.
Yes. While roaches rarely bite people (except by accident), they can cause harm in many ways.
Roaches scale walls and enter through the tiniest gaps and cracks. Here are a few common entry points to consider:
A cockroach only needs a sliver of a gap to get inside your home. Routine pest control applications to your exterior can keep them out.
It is best to take quick action when you see cockroaches in your home. They are harmful insects. Our recommendation is a professional pest treatment because cockroaches are notoriously difficult to control. They are highly adaptable and have developed immunities to certain control materials.
Take steps to address the attractants listed earlier. Keep things clean, dry, and free of clutter. Also, it is important to have a pest management plan in place to reduce the insects that cockroaches eat. We can help you with that last part. We offer pest control solutions for ongoing pest management.
At the first sign of a cockroach infestation, contact got bugs? for assistance. Better yet, sign up for our home pest control services, and we’ll provide regular treatments to keep American cockroaches and other pests out all year!
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