ORIENTAL ROACH INFORMATION & FACTS

Oriental cockroaches, also known as water bugs, shade roaches or black beetles, are shiny, black-brownish in colour. The smaller adult male oriental cockroaches, grow to be only 25 mm in length, while the larger adult females can reach a length of 32 mm. Neither gender is capable of flying.

An outdoor species by nature, they are known to infest homes when extreme weather situations occur, such as excessive heat, cold or wind. Oriental cockroaches most frequently gain entry to homes under door or window jams, gaps beneath siding and through plumbing. Since they prefer cool, damp environments they tend to locate in basements.

While these roaches can survive for a month without food, they will die within two weeks without water. They are a dirty species, feeding on garbage, decaying plants and animals. Their dietary preference causes cockroaches to be a source of numerous food-borne pathogens, which they can carry on their legs and bodies and then transmit onto clean surfaces.

A single female roach can produce approximately eight egg cases, with about 16 eggs per case. The growth of a cockroach is directly influenced by the season. The warmer the weather, the faster the growth, but it can take upwards of six to twelve months for the eggs to become adults.

To protect against infestation, make your home as unattractive as possible to roaches by limiting moisture and dampness. Properly repair plumbing leaks and eliminate condensation in walls and around air ducts. Be sure to seal any cracks in walls and around doors.

If there has already been a roach sighting, your best cockroach killer is to call a roach exterminator like Environmental Pest Control. Their licensed exterminators will thoroughly inspect the area to determine the extent of the roach infestation before using proven techniques for killing cockroaches.