Brief Description

German Roaches are 1/2 - 5/8 inches long.  Color is light brown with two black stripes behind the head.  German roaches will eat just about anything and will stay near their food and water source.  Females produce one egg capsule every 4 weeks containing 30-45 eggs.  Female carries egg capsule until its ready to hatch.  The young will be able to breed in 40 days.  Roaches are most active at night.

American Roach is reddish brown in color and is about 1-2 inches in length.  They eat decaying organic matter and are also attracted to sweets.  Females produce 15-18 eggs, which hatch in about 50 days.  They like dark moist places in open areas as opposed to the German Roaches that like crack and crevice locations.  American Roaches are occasional invaders, which means they mainly live outside the home, but on occasion infest the interior.  They move interior for food or water.  

 Brown-banded roach

is about 5/8 inch in length and light brown in color.  They have 2 light traverse bands across their wings and abdomen.  They are active at night and tend to avoid light.  Brown-banded roaches hide in warm, dark locations.  Closets, Furniture, and electrical appliances are locations of infestations.  Females carry egg capsules for 24-36 hours.  The egg capsule contains 14 eggs, which develop in 90-250 days.  Adults will live up to 200 days.  Eggs are deposited in clusters mainly on furniture and curtains.  These infestations occur due to transport of furniture or luggage.  They Thrive in warm humid conditions. 

Treatment Methods:

When roach activity is spotted during the day, this acitvity is seen because the nesting areas are over-populated.  Kitchens, bathrooms, water heater closets, exterior doors and frames, fireplace, plumbing penetrations, around windows, stoves, cabinets, bath trap locations, and garages are locations to treat where roach infestations occur.  Liquid Insecticides, Dusts, Baits, Aerosols, IGR's, and Mop Up are different formulations to control Roach infestations.  First, you want to identify the locations where the activity is occuring.  Glueboards can be used to identify the problem as well as decrease population size.  IGR's, which disrupt the growth cycle of the roaches can be sprayed directly onto any bait applied without contaminating the bait.  Bait stations and dust formulation can be used into crack and crevices to provide long-term residual protection.  Liquid insecticides and aerosols can be used for quick knock down and residual to provide immediate decrease in population size.  As a professional pest control operator, I use a combination of formulations to get the quickest knock down and fasting results.  This is why we use a combination of chemicals.  We put kits together to provide customers with the products we use in combination for the quickest results.  Re-application will be necessary with heavy roach infestations.