Picture:
University of Lincoln-Nebraska Dept. of Entomology
The German cockroach is one of the most common roaches found in apartment houses, restaurants, and hotels. German cockroaches (eggs included), are "brought in", usually on man's belongings, luggage, boxes or packages. All it takes, is bringing in one egg capsule, six months later you do have an infestation.
German Cockroach Appearance:
Adults are 1/2 inch- 5/8 inch long, light to medium brown with 2 dark distinctive stripes behind the head. The young (nymphs) are wingless, smaller and much darker in color, with a light stripe on their backs.
German Roach Diet:
Will eat anything, will stay close to food and water source.
Habits and Biology of German Cockroaches:
Females produce one egg capsule every 3-4 weeks. Each capsule contains 25-45 eggs. The female will carry the egg capsule with her until it is ready to hatch. The young(nymphs) will be able to breed in as little as 36 days. Adult German roaches can live up to one year These roaches are mostly active at night .
Click on image to enlarge
Picture: Van Waters and Rogers
If they are seen during the day, it is usually because their hiding places are overcrowded due to a large population or there is a shortage of food and water supply.
Any crack or crevice located near a source of food and/or water is prime
harborage, and they spend about 75% of their time in such harborages.
First instar nymphs require a crack of about 1/32" whereas, adults require
a crack of about 3/16" in width.
Picture: Van Waters and Rogers
Infestations are generally found in kitchens and bathrooms, but can inhabit other areas if there is a heavy population or you have run them into each other with the repellent effect of insecticides.
Recommendations for German Roach Control:
It is one of the most challenging to manage and eliminate.
To accurately and completely eliminate these roaches you need to attack
them from several tools using baits,
dusts, growth regulators and pheromone traps.
They have the most eggs produced, shortest development cycle, best survival rate of the young, and the most adaptive feeding habits of most of the roaches. Because of this "high reproductive potential" they have a greater ability to develop resistance against insecticides.
The technology of the pest control market has switched to an integrated pest management like baiting ,dusting, and the use of insect growth regulators and pheromone traps against the German roach, as opposed to just using a residual or contact insecticide either in an aerosol form or liquid form.
