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Header image of an exterminator on the floor, exploring a kitchen cabinet with a flashlight
In Cockroach Facts

How to Hire A Roach Exterminator

So it’s come to this… bringing out the big guns. You’re fed up with cockroaches and you’re ready to get rid of them! For good.

Hiring a roach exterminator can seem disruptive and expensive but if your gut’s telling you it’s time, you’ll thank yourself for doing it sooner rather than later. And with the right information, it’s not as bad as you think.

Here are all the details and tips you need to hire a cockroach exterminator, including how to prepare yourself and your home and what to expect from a professional cockroach treatment. Let’s get started!

When to Call An Exterminator for Roaches

Illustration of a German cockroach on a kitchen counter. In the background, a horrified homeowner looks on.
When should you call an exterminator for roaches?

Seeing that first cockroach is a shock, especially if you’ve never dealt with these bugs before. If you’re lucky and you’ve only got a few stragglers to deal with, you can probably handle it on your own.

But in most cases, seeing one or two cockroaches tells you that there are more (maybe lots more) hiding nearby. You might even have a hidden roach infestation on your hands.

Watch out for these other signs that usually mean it’s time to call a roach exterminator:

You might be hesitant to make the call, but when it’s time to get serious about killing roaches, it’s the single best choice you can make to get rid of an infestation. And the sooner you call, the sooner you’ll get rid of the bugs—and the easier it will be on your wallet.

How Do Exterminators Get Rid of Roaches?

Photograph of an exterminator assessing kitchen drawers with a flashlight
What does an exterminator do for cockroaches?

The type of treatment will vary depending on your home and the type of roach problem you’re facing. Different roaches require different approaches but there are a few basic tools and techniques that all professional roach extermination services use to kill cockroaches.

Roach Extermination Basics: Step-by-Step

  1. Inspect the kitchen, bathroom, closets and basement/attic
  2. Use glue traps to estimate how many roaches there are and where they’re concentrated
  3. Use gel baits to kill roaches and gradually reduce the population
  4. (For outdoor roaches) Treat outdoor perimeter with spray or granular baits
  5. In some cases, apply a follow-up treatment

Exterminators often start in the kitchen—it’s the most common source of cockroach infestations because it’s where both food sources and water are within easy reach.

The pest controller will start by inspecting the stove and refrigerator, inside and out. If possible, they’ll pull these and other appliances, like the dishwasher, away from the wall to look behind and under them.

In the bathroom, they’ll look for signs of roaches around the lighting and electrical fixtures, in the cabinets and around the drains. Oriental cockroaches are a frequent problem in drains, so the exterminator might ask you to install drain covers.

An exterminator’s next stop will probably be the utility closet. Not only is it usually warm but it’ll also have piping and wiring running through the walls. Those gaps could let cockroaches enter your home.

Exterminators use wet-and-dry vacuums to suck up dirt, small debris and any cockroaches hiding in these areas. Then, they seal holes and openings with mesh or caulk to keep bugs out.

Finally, an exterminator will look at storage areas and bedrooms, exploring every crack and crevice. They might remove outlets or ask you to empty cupboards and cabinets. If you have an attic or basement, they’ll inspect for entry points or signs of colonies living there.

Double Trouble: The Outdoor-Indoor Cockroach Problem

Recent industry statistics show a rise in peridomestic cockroach infestations—that’s a fancy word for species that live both outdoors and indoors.

In these cases, cockroach pest control operators will apply treatments outside, too. That could make the process a bit longer and more expensive but it would be a lot more difficult to handle on your own.

The Tools of the Trade

Cockroach control specialist spraying beneath cabinets
What do exterminators use for cockroaches? A variety of tools.

Every exterminator’s arsenal includes a few basic tools:

  • Glue traps
  • Gel baits
  • Dusts
  • Sprays

Traps are important for gauging the size of an infestation. By placing several glue traps in different areas, a pest controller can pinpoint where the roaches are hiding.

Baits come in gel form and as bait stations. They don’t kill them instantly but that’s the point—the roach dies back in its nest. Then, as the other roaches feed on its body, they eat the insecticide, too.

Some exterminators use dusts in hard-to-reach areas. The most common dusts are diatomaceous earth and boric acid (which are both all-natural!).

Baits are generally the best option; nearly half of the cockroach exterminators in the U.S. report using them as their primary tool. They just work.

Many of these tools are available at hardware and home improvement stores for you to use yourself. But if you’ve seen enough signs to make you think about calling a roach company, it’s probably best left to them.

What to Expect From an Exterminator

Photograph of a cockroach exterminator smiling at the camera
How effective is pest control for roaches?

Hiring a roach exterminator means starting a relationship.

An exterminator will do their best to eliminate the problem on the first visit but, sometimes, it’s just not enough. About 5% of cockroach jobs receive requests for do-overs. If the infestation was large, a second treatment should be enough to eradicate the remaining roaches. The great thing about baits is that they keep working in between visits!

Not the Worst-Case Scenario

Believe it or not, cockroaches actually aren’t the most difficult pest to eradicate, according to most pest control professionals. That title goes to bed bugs. (Even ants ranked higher on the difficulty scale.)

Hopefully, that news helps you feel a little better!

How Long Does Treatment Take?

One of the most stressful parts of hiring a cockroach exterminator is worrying about the disruption it could cause. How long is all of this going to take?

The average service call takes only about 45 minutes. That’s not bad! However, jobs can take longer with certain cockroach species, and if the infestation is large or its location is difficult to access. An outdoor/indoor problem will take more time, too.

Plan a few hours of availability to answer questions and give the exterminator access to different parts of your home.

Is It Going to Make a Mess?

Exterminators don’t use “roach bombs”; these are the super-messy—and ineffective—products you’re probably fearing. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to stay home during most professional pest control treatments.

What to Expect After an Exterminator Sprays for Roaches

You’ll have to be especially careful if you have young children or pets in the house, as there could be dangerous pesticides on floors or other areas they could reach. Your exterminator will tell you what chemicals were used and when it’s safe for kids to play freely again.

You should also prepare yourself to see dead roaches around the house. Some of the roaches might not die in their nest (sometimes, they seem drawn to the open as they die). Wherever they die, it’s a sign that the roach control service is working!

How Long Does It Take to Get Rid of Roaches After Extermination?

When can you expect the roaches to be gone? That’s a different story.

A cockroach pest control technician could get rid of a small infestation in a week or two. In more severe cases—like a resistant German roach infestation, it might take months for the bait and insecticides to work through the whole colony and completely eliminate the problem.

How Much Does an Exterminator Cost for Roaches?

Illustrations over a photo of a dead roach on a sink of a roach control professional and a pile of dollar bills and coins
How much does pest control cost for roaches?

Oh boy, the moment we all dread: what is this going to cost me?

The obligatory non-answer is: “It depends.” But you want to know if you’re getting a good deal (or a good exterminator—someone who knows what they’re doing will charge for the work they know they’re going to cover).

The cost of cockroach control could be as little as $100 or more than $300, depending on what’s involved. Sometimes, the first visit is only the inspection, which could cost $50–100.

What you pay for professional roach extermination in the end depends on the size of your home, the size of the infestation and the type of cockroach. Peridomestic species (indoor and outdoor) cost more to treat than strictly-domestic roaches.

Some companies bundle their roach services into general pest control plans. That could increase the price (maybe unnecessarily). They might also offer ongoing plans, with monthly or quarterly treatments that could cost $100 each.

What Can Change the Cost

Repeat visits: If the roach exterminator has to come back for a second treatment, your expenses could double. Poor sanitation is the main reason they’d have to return. If you don’t keep up on regular cleaning and organization, the roaches will have no problem re-establishing their colonies.

Trying your own DIY techniques: It might sound like a good idea to add some of your own pest control methods on top of what the service provider did. However, over-applying things like bait can make them ineffective.

Worse, using the wrong advice you found on the internet could end up repelling roaches from the baits or simply spreading them out further—and making it more difficult for the pest controller when you have to call them to come back.

Your Part of the Bargain: How You’re Involved in Pest Control

To make the most of professional cockroach control services, you’ll need to chip in. No, they’re not going to ask you to take a shift with the vacuum or bait stations. But a good cockroach exterminator will make a list of “chores” that will make their treatment as effective as possible in the long run.

That might include repairs that you can do yourself or that require help from a contractor. Major damage to a wall or leaking pipes could be making things easy for the roaches.

Your most crucial job before and after you call a cockroach specialist is sanitation. Keeping things clean, neat and tidy truly is the best way to keep cockroaches out of your house for good. The exterminator should give you a specific list of areas that need attention.

For example, one pest controller recommends to his clients that, for German cockroaches, they should carefully seal all food after cooking and cover the stove’s burners with foil in between uses so the roaches can’t eat the grease.

Next Steps: Start Your Search

Illustration of a geo pointer on top of a map superimposed over a photo of a dead cockroach on the floor.
How do I find a good roach exterminator near me?

Hiring an exterminator is the best way to get rid of roaches. As you research companies in your area, don’t be afraid to call for information, verify certifications and compare each service before making any appointments.

The best value isn’t necessarily the cheapest option; it’s the best quality for your budget.

How to Recognize a Good Exterminator

First of all, you should verify that the cockroach control company is licensed and certified. Then, you can explore their website for testimonials and information about their expertise. You can also search quite a few customer review sites (Yelp, Angie’s List, etc.) for ratings and feedback.

Ask Questions

If you’re worried about pesticides, just ask the company about their products and if they offer any eco-friendly treatments. You can request labels to see the specific ingredients they use.

Get Their Guarantees Guaranteed

You should also inquire about a roach removal service’s guarantees. Some companies offer warranties or promises to return at no extra charge if the first treatment isn’t entirely successful. Just make sure these things are clearly defined before you hire a roach exterminator.

Signs You’ve Found a Good Exterminator

A good exterminator has their ears open to their client’s needs. They’re as invested in the relationship as the client is and they’re ready to make adjustments to their methods if necessary.

A good exterminator is eager to educate their clients about what might have caused the infestation and how to keep pests out of their home in the future.

You should expect transparency from a high-quality exterminator service. They’ll be willing to give you a reasonable price quote and time estimate before starting the work.

What Good Exterminators Don’t Do

First, they won’t bundle roach removal into a broader home-improvement package. Landscaping and tree trimming are not cockroach control techniques and you shouldn’t pay extra for things you don’t need.

Second, quality pest control companies don’t make false claims about their results, any unique or secret pesticides or their speed. Good exterminators are honest and experienced; they know what to expect and communicate realistic expectations to customers. And there are no “secret” formulas for pesticides; they’re all regulated by the EPA.

Finally, good exterminators don’t leave a mess. You’ll know all you need to know about a company’s cleanliness by their reviews because that’s one thing customers never stay quiet about.

Tips for Talking to an Exterminator

Professional exterminators want to solve your cockroach problem—it’s their job! But without your help, they’re walking in blindly. The more information you can give them about your problem, the better.

1. It’s All in the Details

You probably have lots of questions about their service and they’ll have lots of questions about your home, the signs you’ve noticed and the places you think the roaches are coming from. Exterminators know that all of these factors can affect their treatments, the cost and the length of time needed. More information leads to more accurate estimates and better service.

2. Be Observant

If you’ve seen a cockroach and can describe it with a few details, they’ll have a better idea of what species it is before they even arrive.

3. Patience Goes a Long Way

We all want to get rid of cockroaches as quickly as possible but it’s not always as simple as a once-and-done visit. Part of that pest control relationship is trusting that the professional knows best. If they recommend quarterly treatments, it’s up to you to trust that they’re doing it out of precaution, not to nickel-and-dime you.

Find Out More About Cockroach Prevention

Once you’ve had to hire a roach exterminator, you’ll want to avoid dealing with cockroaches forever. We have all of the information you need to keep cockroaches away for good, including guides on where they come from, what attracts them and more!

Good luck!

Sources

  1. 2019 State of the Cockroach Control Market. Syngenta.
  2. State of the Cockroach Market (2019) Zoecon/Central Life Sciences.
  3. 2019 Cockroach Management Supplement. Pest Management Professional.
  4. 2017 Cockroach Management Supplement. Pest Management Professional.
  5. Tips for Selecting a Pest Control Service. EPA. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/tips-selecting-pest-control-service
Header illustration of a pleasant suburban home with pointers to areas roaches come from nearby.
In Cockroach Facts

Where Do Roaches Come From? And How You Let Them In.

Small, flat, and wily, cockroaches are expert opportunists that – without certain simple precautions – can invade our spaces quickly. But where do roaches come from and how are they getting in?

Let’s shrink down to their size for a minute, see how they’re sneaking in, and learn how to stop them at the door.

A Simple 5-Step Guide For Getting Rid of Roaches

“Print or Follow on Your Phone. It’s FREE!”

CLICK HERE

The Two Types of Invaders: Roaches that Come from Outside, and Roaches that Come from Other People’s Stuff.

Illustration of two roaches- an American cockroach in a sewer, and a German cockroach in a Free Stuff pile

To get a handle on this vexing little origin story (that dates back more than 320 million years), it helps to understand that roaches come in two distinct varieties: Outdoor roaches, and indoor roaches.

The two types of roaches not only have different habitats, lifestyles, and adaptations, but use different modes of entry to invade and inhabit your home or business.

Where Outdoor Roaches Come From

Illustration of an American cockroach emerging from a rusty sewer pipe.

The Main Invaders: American cockroach, Oriental cockroach, Wood cockroach, and increasingly the Turkestan cockroach.

Outdoor roaches live everywhere outdoors that have the conditions to support them: food, shelter, warmth, and generally, darkness and lots and lots of water. That means otherwise healthy habitats like mulch, hollow tree trunks, log piles, and decaying ground cover… but also unhealthy ones like garbage heaps and sewers.

When they decide to leave those outdoor spaces, there are a number of ways they get inside:

The ground around your house

These bugs are made for walkin’. The life of a cockroach is a life spent crawling through dirt, grass and mulch.

Even if your house is surrounded by urban concrete, roaches have no problems living in alleyways and around dumpsters. These species of roaches hide and hang out on the ground right around your home. It’s almost inevitable that they’ll find a way in.

How they get in: A roach’s shape and size are perfect for squeezing through tiny holes and slim crevices in the foundation or walls of a house.

You might forget that, besides the cracks from normal wear and tear, there are holes in the walls of your home that were put there on purpose. Important piping and wiring has to pass through somehow! Dryer vents and bathroom vents could let cockroaches and other critters inside if they’re not covered.

Pest control tip: You can fill cracks and crevices with steel wool. Then, apply caulk or spackle over the steel wool to seal the hole against water, dirt and roaches. Cover any vents with screens.

Nearby trees and shrubbery

We humans lament the fact that food doesn’t just fall from the sky. Well, for outdoor cockroaches, it does! Fallen leaves are their bread and butter outdoors, so it’s no surprise they love to live around trees and shrubs. Anything that brings them closer to the outside of your house also brings them closer to the inside.

How they get in: While every type of cockroach is capable of crawling in, several types can fly! That means they not only sneak in at ground level, but at eye level, and from areas as high up as your roof.

Loose weatherstripping or warped concrete can create gaps under a door that cockroaches can sneak through at night.

Window air conditioning units can create a similar problem—those side panels often leave tiny spaces around the window frame (foam, steel wool or even a rag can help with this). And even thin gaps beneath shingles can give them access to your attic.

Pest control tip: Always cover doors and windows with screens if you plan to keep them open, especially at night. Most cockroaches are nocturnal and some are attracted to lights, so the nighttime is when they’ll be most active and most likely to fly in toward your lights. Use a door sweep, draft stopper or weatherstripping to stop bugs from crawling underneath.

Sewers

Truly the most revolting roach haunt: like horror movie monsters these bugs emerge from the dark sewers to crawl into homes and homeowners’ nightmares. They pick up dangerous bacteria from the sewage they’ve fed on and walked through and track it across every surface they touch.

How they get in: Once a roach has crawled out of the sewer, it’s already looking for a better place to hide. Cockroaches prefer dark, humid conditions with lots to eat, so if it thinks your house looks appealing, you bet it’s going to look for cracks or holes to climb through.

Pest control tip: Store your garbage can away from your house, if possible. (That goes for your compost heap, too!) Also make sure you’ve closed up any holes and cleaned the dead leaves from your gutters.

Where Indoor Roaches Come From

Illustration of a German cockroach in front of a box of FREE items after a yard sale.

The Main Invaders: German cockroach, and brown-banded cockroach.

It’s easy to think about cockroaches invading from outside sources, but they often come from other people’s spaces and things.

Indoor, or “domestic roaches,” like the German cockroach prefer to live indoors. And they infest lots of human structures, not just houses. Unfortunately, these includes places you regularly bring things back from. And when you do, there’s a chance you could be bringing back roaches, too.

Where did roaches come from the last time you brought them in? Here are some of the places and things that might have given them their start:

2nd hand shops, hand-me-downs, and yard sales

“Another man’s treasure” isn’t the only thing hidden at yard sales and 2nd hand shops. All of those cardboard boxes that have been stored away for years are perfect habitats (and breeding grounds) for cockroaches.

How they get in: All it takes is to bring home one box of old magazines that’s also hiding some baby cockroaches for an infestation to spring up out of nowhere.

Pest control tip: Be very careful when buying things used, especially if those things come in old boxes or bags. You’re better off emptying them outside before you bring anything in.

Groceries and deliveries

Up next in the saga “Where Roaches Come From, Things You’d Rather Not Think About”—roaches living in grocery stores. At one store in Oregon, an inspector found “about 40 dead cockroaches” along the walls in the bakery section.

How they get in: It’s gross but they’re there, all right– and sometimes they hide out in the grocery bags and boxes you bring home or the containers you store food in. That could lead to an infestation in your car, too!

Pest control tip: Inspect your grocery bags before you move them from the cart to your car. Always make sure you open packages carefully, too. A warehouse full of cardboard boxes is prime roach country.

Indoor roaches can hitch a ride in your clothes

While I’m wearing them?! It’s rare but… yes. A cockroach could slip into the pocket of a coat as you sit or even climb into trouser cuffs. Roaches can also hide in purses, backpacks and shoes once you’ve set them down.

These bugs like worn, dirty clothes because of the smell of oils and skin particles that get stuck on them (not to mention the crumbs). Not only do dirty clothes attract indoor roaches (some roaches actually lay their eggs in them) but they can also be the reason they get into your house in the first place.

How they get in: If you’re not careful, a roach or two could hop into your basket at the laundromat and ride all the way home with you. If you visit another person’s house and they have an infestation, a cockroach can hide and become a stowaway in your coat or bag.

Pest control tip: Don’t leave your laundry bag or basket at a laundromat for longer than it needs to be there. Shake it out before you put your clothes back in, too. Shake out coats, bags and shoes if you think you might’ve been in a place with cockroaches.

How Both Types of Roaches Make Their Way In

Pipes

Here’s another one you probably don’t want to think about: cockroaches can enter buildings and move from room to room through the pipes.

That’s how they infest apartment buildings so quickly. Seeing one cockroach in the bathroom might seem like nothing but it could be a sign of many more hiding elsewhere.

Pest control tip: The simplest solution to this potential problem is to use covers on your bathtub and sink drains that have holes that roaches can’t fit through.

Why Are Cockroaches Trying to Get In, Anyway?

A roach infestation almost always comes down to two things: cockroach’s need for food and water, and oftentimes a third—warm areas like those inside your home. Roaches don’t need much to survive but they’re always on the hunt for their next meal.

To prevent cockroaches from even noticing your house, you have to know what attracts roaches and eliminate those things (like crumbs or dirty dishes). Then, you can use your new knowledge of how they get in to keep them out.

Conclusion

Where do cockroaches come from? From anywhere and everywhere that sufficiently meets their needs—and if you let them, they’ll make your home one of those places, too.

With the information in this article, our other guides to cockroach behavior, and a little determination, you can seal off your home from cockroaches, get rid of them if you need to. And never have to worry about them invading your life again.

Written by Andrew Martin. Reviewed by Rae Osborn, PhD.

Andrew Martin

Andrew Martin

Writer/Publisher

Andrew writes for, and along with his daughter, publishes Cockroach Facts. You can read more about him here.

    Rae Osborn, PhD.

    Rae Osborn, PhD.

    Science Editor

    Dr. Rae Osborn holds Honors Bachelor of Science degrees in Zoology and Entomology, and a Master of Science in Entomology from the University of Natal in South Africa. She holds a PhD in Quantitative Biology from the University of Texas at Arlington, where her research was in Entomology. You can learn more about our contributors here.

      Sources

      1. Ogg, Barb et al. (2006) Cockroach Control Manual. University of Nebraska Extension. Retrieved from https://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/roach/cockroach%20manual.pdf
      2. Why do I have cockroaches in my home? (2016) National Pesticide Information Center. Retrieved from http://npic.orst.edu/faq/roach.html
      3. Kivi, Rose. How to Seal Cracks for Home Pest Control. eHow. Retrieved from https://www.ehow.com/how_8044271_seal-cracks-home-pest-control.html
      4. Rodriguez, Amy. What Kind of Mulch Has a Problem with Roaches? SFGate Home Guides. Retrieved from https://homeguides.sfgate.com/kind-mulch-problem-roaches–79886.html
      5. Conger, Cristen. Ways to Get Rid of Roaches. HowStuffWorks. Retrieved from https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/repair/roaches-in-house1.htm
      Header illustration of an American cockroach infestation in closeup
      In Cockroach Facts

      How Do You Know If You Have a Roach Infestation?

      Found a cockroach in your home or business and now your mind is racing? Is your stomach sinking, wondering if there are more?

      Don’t panic—you’re in the right place! We’ll help you recognize a roach infestation (if there is one), show you what might be causing it, and help you solve your cockroach problems either way.

      A Simple 5-Step Guide For Getting Rid of Roaches

      “Print or Follow on Your Phone. It’s FREE!”

      CLICK HERE

      The Signs of Cockroach Infestation

      Illustration of an iceberg with a cockroach at the tip and an infestation below the water line, with a house and a restaurant floating on either side.

      Few things are more horrifying than finding your cupboards full of cockroach droppings, or a cockroach inside your food.

      The unfortunate fact is that finding even one cockroach should have you concerned about an infestation.

      Imagine an iceberg, the tip of which is the one roach you’ve seen. The others, the ones you haven’t stumbled onto, are being much more careful. They don’t always reveal themselves directly, but they do leave certain signs.

      So what are the signs of cockroach infestation?

      1. Seeing a Cockroach! (Dead or Alive.)

      Illustration of one German cockroach in closeup on a kitchen floor

      Seeing a cockroach is never a good thing, but does it mean you have a roach-infested house? Not necessarily. But the presence of roaches—even a single one—is among the surest signs of roach infestation.

      Roaches are wily creatures that are good at hiding, and make it a way of life. Also, cockroaches are nocturnal, doing most of their business when you and your family are asleep.

      So just because you haven’t seen a lot of them, it doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of them around.

      If it was a dead roach you saw, it doesn’t mean your nightmare is over, either. The real problem could be the living cockroaches that are silently multiplying behind your walls and fixtures.

      2. Finding Roach Droppings

      Illustration of cockroach droppings on a wall, under a magnifying glass, beside a light switch

      Roach droppings might be hiding right under your nose at first (at least until it starts to stink—that’s up next) because it tends to look like certain other things—spilled coffee grounds, ground black pepper, or just everyday smears and smudges.

      You’ll find cockroach droppings in clusters where roaches frequently travel, on both horizontal and vertical surfaces, especially those that are hidden.

      Here’s the thing: seeing roach feces—as in, there’s enough that you noticed it—is a strong indicator that you’re dealing with an infestation.

      3. Cockroach Odors

      Illustration of a roach infestation with stylized green bad smell clouds rising above

      Roaches produce scents using chemicals in their bodies, called cuticular hydrocarbons, to communicate with each other.

      They leave behind these strong, musty odors as they crawl on surfaces and food. Food touched by a roach will smell spoiled or just not-quite-right. That off smell is a warning you should heed!

      Dead roaches also release fatty acids that can also stink up a room as more and more roaches… expire.

      Will you smell a single cockroach? It’s not likely. But you will smell a roach infested house (and probably never forget it).

      4. Finding Egg Cases and Shed Skins

      Less common, but a strong sign of cockroach infestation is finding roach egg cases and shed skins from molting.

      Called oothecae, the egg cases are purse-shaped and look like tiny beans or grains of rice. When it comes to cockroaches, bad things come in small packages. Because finding egg cases means just one thing—that the roaches in your space are multiplying.

      Discovering shed skins is a bad sign too, because roaches gobble up each other’s molted skins, and you’re only finding a fraction of the skins they originally left behind.

      What does it mean to be infested?

      A roach infestation doesn’t necessarily mean your hygiene is bad. Cockroaches are frustratingly resourceful and need very little to survive. A few crumbs or a leaky faucet in an otherwise clean house is often enough.

      However, it does mean that you and your family are at risk for picking up bacteria that cockroaches leave behind. Roaches can also trigger allergic reactions, especially if you have asthma.

      How many roaches make up an infestation?

      Basically, an infestation begins with anything more than one cockroach. A couple is all it takes to multiply into dozens of roaches in just a few months.

      When is one roach really one roach?

      If all you’ve seen is one cockroach, there’s a chance that one is all you’re dealing with. And if the roach is big—say, 1 1/2 inches or bigger—it could be an outdoor species that’s less likely to thrive indoors.

      The problem is that even if it is all alone, it could be a pregnant female, or the first of a colony that’s living right outside your home. When that happens, even if it is alone, more are likely to follow.

      How bad of an infestation is it?

      Cockroach infestations can keep growing and growing as long as there’s food and water for them. If you’re seeing cockroaches regularly (especially during the daytime), it could mean that they’re being forced into the open by too many others in their hiding place.

      Hint: Using traps or sticky baits can help you track roach’s movement and get a better idea of how many you’re dealing with.

      How Do You Get Cockroaches in Your House?

      Illustration of an Oriental cockroach in a basement beside an egg case

      Unfortunately, cockroach infestations happen easily, and usually out of sight. Some types of roaches—like American and Oriental cockroaches—hang out around homes, feeding on mulch and leaf litter. Then they look for ways inside as they search for more food. They can enter your home through anything from a tiny hole in the wall or window screen to a laundry vent or water pipe.

      If you live in a city apartment, a cockroach infestation could be completely out of your control. Apartment buildings are like heaven to roaches because they can run from unit to unit through the walls or pipes.

      It’s easier than you probably think to bring a brown-banded or German roach problem home in grocery bags or your child’s school backpack. They might also hide in the firewood you carry into your house and scurry away at the first sign of a flame.

      How did my space get infested with roaches in the first place?

      The first step in stopping an infestation is figuring out how roaches are getting in, and why they’re staying. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

      1. Do I tend to leave leftovers, desserts, dirty pots and pans or pet food out overnight?
      2. Are there any cracks or crevices in the walls that could let cockroaches in?
      3. Is my garden or landscaping overgrown or full of fallen leaves and branches?
      4. Have I sealed all my open pantry items in plastic, glass or metal containers, bug-proofing them?

      Cockroaches can sneak in through the smallest of holes. Sometimes, they take advantage of the gaps where pipes or wiring passes through a wall. Other times, flying cockroaches land on the roof and manage to squeeze beneath shingles.

      If they come inside and find easy access to food, that’s when an infestation begins.

      It’s up to you to remove their food sources so they can’t make themselves comfortable. Let’s break down how to prevent a roach infestation from growing—

      How to Get Rid of a Cockroach Infestation

      Stylized illustration of a bomb about to explode in a cockroach infestation

      If you think you have a cockroach infested house, it’s time to act. Don’t be afraid! These bugs won’t bite you. Start now to prevent them from spoiling your food, spreading bacteria and spreading themselves in an even worse infestation.

      Next Steps:

      1. Identify how roaches are getting in and what’s attracting them.
      2. Find out where they’re hiding.
      3. Decide whether you want to use a natural pest control method such as boric acid, or other methods like sprays and roach baits.
      4. Create a plan for keeping them away, with simple supplies like steel wool and caulk.

      Conclusion

      Realizing that you may have an infestation can be stressful, and even a little scary. But you’re not alone. Thousands of households and businesses face the same situation every year. In fact, in some cities, more than 40% of households have cockroach problems.

      With our tips and your determination, you can eliminate your roach infestation and stop them from ever coming back.

      Good luck!

      Frequently Asked Questions

      Will roaches leave a clean house?

      Roaches won’t automatically leave a clean house, but cleaning up is a super-effective way to start getting rid of them.

      How long does it take to get rid of a roach infestation?

      That really depends on the size of the infestation. If you’re only dealing with a few roaches, you can get rid of them in a matter of weeks. A large infestation, on the other hand, can take months to fully eliminate, even with the help of an exterminator.

      Do roaches come back after extermination?

      There are always more cockroaches out there. But a professional exterminator can reapply treatments throughout the year to keep roaches away permanently.

      Sources

      1. Why do I have cockroaches in my home? (2016) National Pesticide Information Center. Retrieved from http://npic.orst.edu/faq/roach.html
      2. Bonnefoy, Xavier et al. (2008) Public Health Significance of Urban Pests. World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/98426/E91435.pdf
      Header illustration of a cockroach superimposed over a home, seeking a way to get in
      In Cockroach Facts

      What Attracts Roaches and Why

      You already know that roaches are a nuisance, and you may be aware of the serious health risks they pose. But what attracts roaches to your home or business? And more importantly, how can knowing that help you stay free of them – or even get rid of them once they’ve settled in?

      Let’s dig in and find the answers…

      A Simple 5-Step Guide For Getting Rid of Roaches

      “Print or Follow on Your Phone. It’s FREE!”

      CLICK HERE

      What Attracts Cockroaches the Most?

      Let’s make one thing clear. There’s probably no one thing you’re doing wrong that’s inviting roaches in. There’s also no single food, liquid, sight, or smell that’s making them target your home.

      Cockroaches are easy-to-please, equal opportunity invaders attracted to any space that serves their needs. Once they find it, they’ll set up shop for good if you let them.

      And no, you never, ever want to let them.

      So what specifically are they looking for? For the conditions that assure their survival –

      1. Food
      2. Water and Humidity
      3. Warmth
      4. Safety
      5. And sometimes… Light

      You’ll notice that these just happen to be the same as our basic survival needs, too. When cockroaches are satisfied – hydrated, well fed, and comfortable – they spend most of their time hiding, reproducing, or (in a cockroach way) simply hanging out.

      But when those needs aren’t met, they’ll begin a life or death hunt that may very well lead them to your home. Learning what they’re looking for will help you keep them out or kill them if they’ve already made their way inside.

      Food

      Illustration of 2 German cockroaches crawling into a pink box of cupcakes

      Like termites, mice, and other household pests, cockroaches have a relentless, never-ending drive for food. Attracted to strong smells, they seek it out and easily track it to its source.

      Though it’s possible they have a preference for the same starchy, sticky, sweet foods that junk food-loving humans also enjoy – and might even have a soft spot for the yeasty taste of beer, roaches are anything but picky.

      If there’s organic material in something, roaches will feed on it. Period. Meaning that glue, paper, animal waste and dead insects are on the menu along with every single food you eat – or the food you feed your pets.

      Not only that, but thanks to millions of years of evolution, cockroaches have developed an extremely high tolerance for “toxic” foods and materials. Ever had food poisoning? Cockroaches don’t get it. Bacteria like that found in feces, rotting flesh, and garbage cans has no effect on them – and yes, they’re attracted to it.

      Floors and counter tops offer roaches more food sources, along with more opportunities to attract them. Carpets collect crumbs that are usually too small for you or I to notice, and furniture can hide lots of specks of food that are perfectly accessible for cockroaches.

      Storing paper in your attic or closet? It can attract and feed hungry roaches. They’ll nibble on starches, including wallpaper and book bindings, without any complaints.

      With these decidedly undiscriminating bugs, “cockroaches ate my homework” is almost a valid excuse, though since they need very little food to survive, it would take an awful lot of them to do it.

      Water and Humidity

      Illustration of a cockroach surrounded by beads of water, drinking

      While cockroaches can go for long periods of time without food, they can’t live very long without water, and some need water more than others. When cockroaches are able to find a source of water in your home, it’s a signal that conditions there may support them.

      Perhaps the best-known of the water-loving roaches is the American cockroach which is fond of infesting sewers and storm drains, sometimes by the tens of thousands, or sometimes even more. In the structures we live and work in, they’ll be drawn to areas that are similarly moist.

      The Oriental cockroach will be drawn to those areas too, and like the American roach, will seek out your basement or bathroom. Leave them a leaky pipe, a faucet or a water bowl and they’ll thrive. Throw in more leaking plumbing and they’ll follow your pipes through the walls, moving easily from room to room, or apartment to apartment.

      Warmth

      Illustration of a cockroach crawling beside a heater thermostat

      Warmth can attract roaches too. Many species are sensitive to cold and seek out warmth when outdoor temperatures begin to dip. When winter comes or a cold snap hits, they’ll be glad to find the warmth in your home and won’t be in any hurry to leave.

      Warmth and humidity? Bingo!

      Most roaches are especially attracted to warm and humid areas. Attics and closets are typically the worst-ventilated rooms in a house, making them prime cockroach habitats. Kitchens and bathrooms are also common cockroach habitats because of the presence of moisture and food.

      Your home doesn’t have to be dirty to provide all the things cockroaches need. It just has to be warm and offer a few crumbs, a little standing water and some cracks and crevices for cockroach hiding places.

      Safety

      Ever been munched on by a rodent or a gecko? Or been drowned to death in a seasonal flood? It’s sometimes not a good thing to be a cockroach out of doors and your home can be the perfect refuge.

      Even in a home with rodents or other critters (like your cat) that might kill them, houses offer unparalleled protection for cockroaches, with lots of tiny hiding spaces and comfortable areas to wait out dangers.

      In fact, if you’re a German cockroach, which feels safest in snug spaces, human homes—along with their warmth and ample food supplies— provide a better habitat than any they could possibly find in nature.

      Light

      Illustration of two wood roaches trying to enter a porch screen

      Like moths and certain other insects, a few cockroaches (but not most of them) are attracted to nighttime artificial lights. The male Pennsylvania wood cockroach is easily the best-known of them and bothers rural homeowners throughout mating season in the early summer. The Cuban cockroach, an even better flyer, annoys residents of southern states year-round.

      How They Get In

      Cockroaches are determined survivalists. And sometimes your home presents the ideal opportunity. Even roaches that prefer to live outdoors will seek out homes and businesses when necessary. And when they decide to, they’ll look everywhere for a way in.

      Cockroaches can squeeze through tiny cracks and crevices in exterior walls to crawl into a building and take up residence inside the walls. Flying cockroaches have the additional advantage of flying or gliding onto your roof from tree branches. There, they’ll look for an attic vent or gaps between old shingles to come inside.

      If you live in an apartment building, roaches can climb along pipes from unit to unit, spreading quickly through a building and bothering even the most careful tenants.

      You might even bring a cockroach into your home accidentally. That pile of firewood under a tarp outside is the perfect hiding place for wood cockroaches. And it’s easy to carry a few surprise guests in with the wood.

      Once they’re in, they’ll quickly find another hiding place (one that’s not on fire). The same goes for cardboard boxes you’d stored in the garage or shed: cockroaches love hiding in boxes and might take a short ride into your house.

      Grocery stores and supermarkets are always at risk of cockroach infestations that could in turn affect your home. A roach could easily hide in the bag you’ve brought home then quickly scurry away to hide its egg case.

      How to Avoid Attracting Cockroaches

      What’s the most effective way to prevent cockroaches from entering your home?

      Do the opposite of all of the things that attract them!

      Clean on a regular basis, remembering to vacuum around furniture and sweep the kitchen floor. Seal or cover open food containers, including snack and pet food bowls, and check food items for infestation. Regularly clean and don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. Repair any leaky pipes and make sure rooms are ventilated to reduce humidity and dry up standing water.

      If you already have a cockroach problem, learn all about how to get rid of them and start taking action today. For large numbers of roaches, you should call a professional pest control service that can use specialized equipment and pesticides to eliminate the roach infestation.

      Frequently Asked Questions

      Where do roaches lay their eggs?

      Cockroaches hide their egg cases well. Sometimes, they’ll attach them to walls or furniture. However, they’ll usually leave their egg cases in tiny crevices, in cabinets or inside boxes. They’ll probably hide their eggs close to food and water so the nymphs can survive once they hatch.

      Does killing a cockroach attract more roaches?

      There is a chance that killing a cockroach can attract more roaches. When food is scarce, cockroaches will eat other insects—including other dead roaches. It’s highly unlikely that that’s the only cockroach in your home, so others might come to investigate a potential meal.

      What attracts cockroaches in the bedroom?

      The same things that attract roaches in your kitchen can also attract them in your bedroom. If you like to snack in bed or keep your laundry pile in a basket on the floor, cockroaches might come looking for the warmth and crumbs, or smell of food. Cockroach prevention includes washing those glasses and dishes that tend to pile up next to your bed.

      Are roaches attracted to water?

      All cockroaches need water to some degree, but some need water more than others. Those roaches that need water most will be attracted to water sources in your home, including leaky pipes, water spills, drips, and open containers of liquid.

      What attracts big roaches?

      Big roaches are typically the large species (American, Oriental, and Smoky brown cockroach) that actually prefer to live outside. They’ll be attracted to your home when conditions change in their natural environment – when it gets too dry or cold outside, or when heavy rains bring flooding and the possibility of drowning.

      What attracts roaches to humans?

      Some cockroaches, such as the German or Brown-banded cockroach thrive in human businesses and homes. Humans provide ample access to food, water, and warmth, and their homes provide both safety, and sometimes – optimal conditions to breed.

      Are roaches attracted to cardboard?

      Cardboard is a food source to roaches and they’ll eat it wherever they find it.

      Do cardboard boxes attract roaches?

      While cockroaches will happily seek out and eat cardboard by itself, cardboard boxes are even more attractive to them. They’ll eat the cardboard and the glue that binds them, and live and breed inside.

      What attracts roaches the most?

      The most powerful roach attractant would be cockroach sex pheromones, released by females to attract a mate. If you really want to attract a cockroach, you can buy a cockroach bait that uses pheromones to draw the insects in.

      Written by Andrew Martin, Reviewed by Helene Steenkamp, PhD.

      Andrew Martin

      Andrew Martin

      Writer/Publisher

      Andrew writes for, and along with his daughter, publishes Cockroach Facts. You can read more about him here.

        Helene Steenkamp, PhD.

        Science Editor

        Helene is a Namibian born South African citizen with a great love for nature and its intricacies. She completed a PhD in molecular phylogenetics at the University of Pretoria, South Africa in 2011, and has since worked as a postdoctoral researcher in this field at the University as well as the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa.

        She has published several peer reviewed scientific articles with the use of genetic, taxonomic and phylogenetic tools, specializing in Entomology, taxonomy, zoonoses, epidemiology and bacterial & viral genetics.

        These days, she is a stay-at-home-mother of two lovely boys, with whom she loves to explore nature from a different point of view. She also works as a freelance writer, editor and researcher for all things science.

        You can learn more about our contributors here.

          Sources

          1. Omg, Barb, et al. (2006) Cockroach Control Manual. University of Nebraska Extension.
          2. Pappas, Stephanie (2018) Here’s Why Cockroaches Can Survive Just About Anything. Live Science. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/62093-why-cockroaches-can-survive-anything.html
          3. Spector, Dina (2014) The Worst Way to Eliminate a Cockroach. Business Insider. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-rid-of-cockroachs–2014–3
          4. Wolfe, Ireland (2017) How Can I Repel Roaches from My Bedroom? Hunker. Retrieved from https://www.hunker.com/13420962/how-can-i-repel-roaches-from-my-bedroom
          Header illustration of three bugs that look like cockroaches (but aren't).
          In Cockroach Facts

          Bugs That Look Like Roaches (But Aren’t)

          Cockroach Facts is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

          No one wants to find cockroaches in their home. But when you see a bug on the floor, it’s hard not to panic—was that a cockroach? You desperately hope it’s something else. And since there are a few bugs that look like roaches (but aren’t), you might actually be in luck.

          Need Product Recommendations?

          A handful of easy-to-use products can solve most cockroach problems.

          See Below

          So, what bugs look like cockroaches? Turns out, there are quite a few, from beetles and water bugs to crickets and termites. We’ll help you find out if your creepy crawler is a cockroach or just an impostor. With the right information, you can come up with the best plan to get rid of it.

          Cockroach vs. Beetle

          Comparison illustration of an American cockroach, Oriental cockroach, and Smoky Brown cockroach vs a Bor beetle
          Smoky brown cockroach (left), Oriental cockroach (center), and American cockroach (right) vs a Bor beetle

          Our first cockroach lookalike is the beetle. Although there is a huge diversity of beetles (over 400,000 species), some of them are similar to roaches in shape, size and coloring. A few species of ground beetle and a type of scarab beetle called the June bug tend to look an awful lot like roaches. So, how do you know if it’s a beetle or a cockroach?

          First, cockroaches tend to have longer legs and antennae than beetles. Further, their wings, which come in two pairs like those of beetles (a top and bottom pair), are leathery on top, unlike the beetle’s which are hard.

          Ground beetles (of which there are over 2,000 species) have small heads, hard wings, and eat garden pests. The black ground beetle is often confused with the Oriental cockroach, which has a downward-pointing head and shorter wings.

          June bugs (also called June beetles or May beetles) are reddish-brown to black, rounder than cockroaches, and eat plants—mainly tree leaves. Some have fringed antennae that resemble eyelashes.

          They’re attracted to light, while most species of cockroach tend to avoid light. Further, June bugs are pretty clumsy in comparison to the swift and agile cockroach. You might catch June bugs bumbling around on the ground or flying into walls.

          While some beetles bite, a bite from a cockroach is rare. Most cockroaches don’t even want to approach humans. You’re also unlikely to find a beetle in your home—they prefer to live outside.

          Cockroaches, as you probably know, love to find ways into homes. Unlike cockroaches, which emerge from their eggs as tiny versions of adults, beetles start life as larvae, some of which are called grubs.

          Cockroach vs. Water Bug

          Illustration of a Giant Waterbug beside an Oriental and American cockroach
          Giant water bug left, Oriental cockroach center, and American cockroach right

          This section might at first be confusing. Isn’t a water bug a type of cockroach? That’s a common belief that, it turns out, is actually a common mistake.

          You may have heard Oriental cockroaches or smoky brown cockroaches referred to as water bugs . In fact, there are quite a few insects that are called water bugs (e.g., water striders, water boatmen, water scorpions), but there’s only one type that rightfully carries the name.

          True water bugs (family Belostomatidae) live in water, unlike cockroaches. Roaches prefer moist areas but can’t survive in water . And the differences between a roach and a water bug don’t stop there.

          Illustration of a giant water bug partially submerged in a pond
          Giant water bug

          Some water bug species— most notably the giant water bug—grow to be as long as four inches. Meanwhile, the only cockroach species that even approaches the water bug’s size is the American cockroach, which can approach 3 inches in length. However, American cockroaches have a distinctive yellow pattern on their heads that resembles the number eight.

          Water bug’s two front legs have pincers adapted to catch prey, and they lack antennae entirely. They have strong beaks and have been known to bite humans. Unlike roaches, they are attracted to light. Water bugs are predators; their diet consists of small aquatic animals like fish and tadpoles.

          In contrast, cockroaches will eat pretty much anything. They’re best known for eating garbage and scavenging for crumbs. Like beetles, water bugs are mostly found outside and rarely venture into homes.

          The next time someone asks, “Is a water bug a cockroach?” you can tell them all about the various distinctions between water bugs and roaches.

          Cockroach vs. Palmetto Bug

          Illustration of 3 insects called "Palmetto Bugs." The American, Florida Woods, and Smokybrown cockroach
          Florida woods cockroach left, American cockroach center, and smokybrown cockroach right

          What’s the difference between a cockroach and a palmetto bug? That’s a trick question. Because there isn’t one.

          American cockroaches and smoky brown cockroaches are both called palmetto bugs. So is the Florida woods cockroach. And sometimes the wood roach, too. The Florida woods cockroach got this nickname because it likes to hide beneath palmetto leaves.

          The American cockroach got it because polite southern folks preferred not to admit to having a cockroach in their house.

          And the smokybrown cockroach got it because, well – to be polite you might as well not admit to having any cockroach in your house.

          Of the three, the American cockroach is the most common, the one most frequently referred to as a palmetto bug, and – as a result of their large size and disgusting nature – the one most generally despised. Other nicknames for the American cockroach include flying waterbug, Bombay canary, southern cockroach, and flying cockroach.

          Baby Cockroach vs. Bed Bug

          Illustration of a baby German cockroach beside a bed bug

          Bed bugs are sometimes mistaken for cockroach nymphs – especially baby German roaches. Both are typically reddish-brown in color (the German nymph only at a certain stage), lack wings, and have an oval shape.

          You’ll probably have to collect one to make a clear distinction between a baby cockroach and a bed bug because they’re both so small. Bed bugs adults are typically less than 0.2 inches long and cockroach nymphs- particularly the tiny German species- can be similar in size.

          However, bed bugs are usually shorter and rounder than cockroaches, which have more oval-shaped bodies. They’re also a reddish brown as opposed to the German cockroaches’ tan or golden brown color, and have shorter antennae.

          Cockroach vs. Termite

          Illustration of an American cockroach over a subterranean termite worker. A comparison of size, color, and shape.
          Image courtesy of Katja Schulz

          Cockroaches and termites are pretty different in appearance and habits. However, they’re very closely related. In fact, researchers recently discovered that a termite is actually a type of cockroach.

          Termites are small (between 0.16 to 0.59 inches long) with soft bodies and short antennae. In the U.S., there are about 40 species of termites, ranging in color from white to light brown. Cockroaches are typically larger, with harder bodies and long antennae. Cockroaches are only white when they have just molted (read more about the “albino cockroach“), but it’s rare to see them during this vulnerable time.

          Cockroaches are solitary creatures—they don’t form colonies. Termites, on the other hand, are social and live in large colonies with a queen and a king. These two insects also behave differently indoors.

          Termites prefer to live inside walls, where they have plenty of space to build their colonies and a ready food source. Termites eat mainly cellulose, which is obtained from wood, grass, and leaves. Cockroaches, on the other hand, will eat just about anything. They’re most often found in kitchens or near other reliable food and water sources.

          Cockroach vs. Cricket

          Illustration of an American cockroach, a German cockroach, and a cricket in the foreground

          Crickets (family Gryllidae) are sometimes mistaken for cockroaches but there are important differences between the two. Crickets range in color from brown to black, much like some cockroach species. They also have long antennae. However, cockroaches’ bodies are flattened and oval-shaped, while crickets have a more cylindrical body.

          Crickets also have very long rear legs, modified for jumping, which they do when disturbed. A cockroach’s six legs, which are basically the same length, are used to crawl, run, and sometimes climb. Like beetles, crickets are unlikely to enter your home in large numbers.

          Suggested Products If You Have a Roach Problem

          To Find Their Hiding Spots and Kill Them Quickly When You Have Just a Few

          Recommended for all cockroaches.

          Exterminator’s Choice Sticky Glue Traps

          Used to measure and monitor a cockroach infestation and provide some supplemental control.

          Check Price on Amazon

          BASF PT P.I. Contact Insecticide

          P.I. is a pyrethrin-based spray insecticide that kills roaches fast. Best when used as a supplement to other treatments, it’s not inexpensive, but far more effective than off-the-shelf sprays.

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          To Kill Them Inside Your Home When You Have a Serious Problem

          Recommended for German cockroaches and Brown banded cockroaches, as well as American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), and Oriental cockroaches when they enter in large numbers.

          Rockwell Labs CimeXa Dust Insecticide

          CimeXa is an effective indoor crack and crevice treatment. For best results, use alongside Advion Gel Bait and Gentrol IGR.

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          HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Powder Duster

          Insecticidal dusts like CimeXa work best when applied with a duster tool. This inexpensive diatomaceous earth duster works fine with CimeXa, Delta Dust, and other recommended dusts.

          Check Price on Amazon

          Syngenta Advion Cockroach Gel Bait

          Advion first poisons the roaches that eat it, then others in a secondary kill. For the most effective indoor treatment, combine with CimeXa insecticidal dust and Gentrol IGR.

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          Gentrol Point Source IGR

          Gentrol is an insect growth regulator (IGR) that interferes with roach reproduction. It’s most effective used alongside Advion Gel Bait and CimeXa insecticidal dust.

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          To Kill Them Outdoors Before They Have a Chance to Get Inside

          Recommended for American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), Oriental cockroaches, and Smokybrown cockroaches.

          Bayer Polyzone Suspend Insecticide

          When used on exterior foundations, entries, and walls, Suspend insecticidal liquid stops outdoor roaches before they get in. It requires a separate sprayer (see below), and works best alongside a granular outdoor bait like Intice and an outdoor crack and crevice treatment like Delta Dust.

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          Chapin 1 Gallon Multi-Purpose Sprayer

          Liquid pesticides require a separate sprayer. This inexpensive pump sprayer works fine for smaller jobs.

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          InTice Perimeter Insect Control Bait Granules

          InTice is a granular bait that kills roaches outdoors and in spaces like your garage or attic. Used alongside a spray treatment like Bayer Suspend and a crack and crevice treatment like Delta Dust, it can protect the entire perimeter of your home.

          Check Price on Amazon

          Delta Dust Insecticide Dust

          Waterproof and long-lasting, Delta Dust is a crack and crevice treatment effective in high-moisture areas such as attics, exterior walls, and plumbing lines. Delta Dust is regulated and unavailable in some areas.

          Check Price on Amazon

          Conclusion

          The first step toward tackling a pest control problem is to find out what kind of pest you’re dealing with. Cockroaches are very dangerous pests that can contaminate food and spread disease. Quite a few insects indeed resemble cockroaches but you can use the information in this article to differentiate between cockroaches and some of their less dangerous lookalikes.

          Proper identification is important because different pests require different management strategies. After reading about the six types of bugs that look like roaches (but aren’t), you can make a more informed decision about how to control the pests. Armed with this new knowledge, you’ll be better prepared to go out and do battle against whatever pesky insect has invaded your domain.

          Frequently Asked Questions

          What color are roaches?

          Most household roaches range in color from the dull yellowish brown of the German cockroach to the dark brown, almost black of the Oriental cockroach. Other roaches will be varying shades and tones of brown.

          Is a cockroach a beetle?

          Though some cockroaches may resemble some beetles, they’re a different type of insect. Cockroaches are actually much more closely related to termites than to beetles.

          What are big roaches called?

          When you see a very large cockroach, it’s typically an American cockroach (the largest common cockroach at up two inches long or longer), an Oriental cockroach, or a smoky brown cockroach.

          What do small cockroaches look like?

          All pest cockroaches have oblong bodies, short spiny legs, and long antennae. There are a few small cockroaches to be on the lookout for, though. The German cockroach, the brown-banded cockroach, and any baby cockroach whose presence can indicate an infestation.

          Written by Andrew Martin. Reviewed by Rae Osborn, PhD.

          Andrew Martin

          Andrew Martin

          Writer/Publisher

          Andrew writes for, and along with his daughter, publishes Cockroach Facts. You can read more about him here.

            Rae Osborn, PhD.

            Rae Osborn, PhD.

            Science Editor

            Dr. Rae Osborn holds Honors Bachelor of Science degrees in Zoology and Entomology, and a Master of Science in Entomology from the University of Natal in South Africa. She holds a PhD in Quantitative Biology from the University of Texas at Arlington, where her research was in Entomology. You can learn more about our contributors here.

              Sources

              Miller, Renee (n.d.) Bugs & Insects That Look Like Cockroaches. Hunker. Retrieved from https://www.hunker.com/13405790/bugs-insects-that-look-like-cockroaches.

              Waterbugs vs Cockroaches: How To Tell The Difference. (n.d.) Aerex Pest Control. Retrieved from https://aerex.com/blog/waterbugs-vs-cockroaches-how-to-tell-the-difference/.

              Is it a Bed Bug, Cockroach, or Carpet Beetle? (n.d.) NYC Health. Retrieved from https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/bedbugs/is-it-a-bedbug.pdf.

              A Look at Bed Bug Look-Alikes. (2013) PCT. Retrieved from https://www.pctonline.com/article/bed-bug-look-alikes/.

              Kulikowski, Mick. (2018) How Solitary Cockroaches Gave Rise to Social Termites: Tales from Two Genomes. NC State University News. Retrieved from https://news.ncsu.edu/2018/02/how-solitary-cockroaches-gave-rise-to-social-termites-tales-from-two-genomes/.

              Illustration of a palmetto bug superimposed over an outline of Florida over an orange background
              In Cockroach Facts

              Taking on the Florida Palmetto Bug

              Welcome to sunny Florida, where the beaches are open year-round and the palmetto bug is the house guest that nobody asked for, but everyone seems to have.

              Floridians are bound to encounter palmetto bugs in and around their homes. It’s a fact of life in Florida. Palmetto bugs are everywhere and won’t think twice about making themselves at home, in your home.

              We tackle the palmetto bug in several solutions elsewhere. But since Florida is a special case, let’s dive deep into the ever-present palmetto bug Florida is known for.

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              Three Species of Florida Palmetto Bug

              Illustration comparing 3 cockroaches referred to as the palmetto bug
              3 roaches known as palmetto bugs. The American cockroach (left), the Florida Woods cockroach (middle), and the Smokybrown cockroach (right).

              For all the stir it can create, the “palmetto bug” doesn’t really refer to just a single kind of insect. Rather, it’s a southern-coined, catch-all term applied to several different bugs, most of which are roaches.

              The most common palmetto bugs are the:

              Of the three types of roaches, the American cockroach is easily the most common – and most despised.

              Florida’s Palmetto Bug Problem: The American Cockroach

              Palmetto bug hot spots in Florida highlighting areas in Fort Myers, Panama City, and Tampa
              “Hot spots” of Florida palmetto bug sightings, via Google
              A clear, front angle close-up of an American cockroach on a table
              via Gary Alpert, Harvard University
              Closeup of an American cockroach, focusing on the cream-colored prothorax
              via Gary Alpert, Harvard University
              American cockroach crawling through debris in an outdoor, wooded environment
              via Daniel R. Suiter, Univ. of Georgia
              Close-up of an American cockroach from the side, feeding on the corner of a cracker
              via Clemson University, USDA Coop Ext.
              5 American cockroaches demonstrating male and female stages from nymph to adult
              via Daniel R. Suiter, Univ. of Georgia

              About the American cockroach in Florida

              For most Floridians, the American cockroach is the palmetto bug they really have to deal with. And it’s pretty much everywhere in Florida, with certain “hot spots” scattered across the state.

              Over 37% of homes in Tampa and St. Petersburg have been found to have cockroaches including the American variety, they exist all over the state, and they’re such a part of Florida life that it’s not unusual to hear them (half) jokingly referred to as Florida’s state bird.

              Growing up to 2 inches in length, they’re not only remarkably large, but most active at night – providing ample and ongoing opportunities to scare you out of your skin. Flick on a bathroom light and you won’t be able to miss the one skittering across your bathtub. Or unsee the one crawling upside down just above your head.

              To make matters worse, a startled palmetto bug has more up its sleeve than just running. Because it does something even more horrifying.

              Do Florida Palmetto Bugs Fly?

              Illustration of a palmetto bug flying toward camera on porch

              Oh yes.

              The American cockroach has long wings that make it a strong, if not stylish flier. It’s among the fastest runners among Florida pests, but if you catch one in your home or startle a few in your yard, they’re just as likely to take off and fly away.

              Florida Palmetto Bug Season

              Illustration of an American cockroach, nymph, and hatching egg sac
              Palmetto bug adult, baby, hatchlings, and eggs

              American roaches are active all year in Florida but they’re especially prevalent in the late summer.

              These are the hottest, most humid months in the southern U.S. They’re also right in the middle of Florida’s rainy season. That means palmetto bugs are thriving outdoors. At the same time, they’re getting flooded out of soil and mulch by the storms and searching for ways indoors to escape the rain.

              Prevention

              Preventing Florida palmetto bugs is an ongoing battle that requires diligence and patience. Though they mostly live outside, they’ll go anywhere there’s food and water. Follow these expert tips for preventing them.

              Always keep screens on doors and windows closed. Light attracts palmetto bugs and can draw them right through an open window. Like certain other species of cockroaches like the Oriental cockroach, they also crawl through pipes, so it’s a good idea to plug your drains.

              Outdoors, palmetto bugs prefer moist sheltered areas, so live in piles of leaves, under rocks, or in beds of mulch. If your landscaping is full of decorative stones or cluttered with fallen leaves, you’re essentially inviting palmetto bugs to come and stay.

              Florida palmetto bugs also feed on cardboard, so throw out those old, damp boxes in the garage or the back of kitchen cabinets. Also, make sure you’re sealing up any holes or cracks and crevices you find in the walls of your house. If you can see an opening, it’s definitely big enough to let in cockroaches.

              How to Get Rid of Palmetto Bugs in Florida

              It’s probably impossible to rid yourself completely of the palmetto bug. Florida natives consider regular sightings to be normal. However, you’ll still want to do your best to keep them out of your home and, especially, away from your food.

              That means eliminating easy food sources by sealing food in hard containers and cleaning every day. The last thing you want to do is leave crumbs out as a midnight snack for palmetto bugs.

              If you keep your house clean, organize your storage areas and use a dehumidifier to control the moisture in the air, you stand a good chance against them. All of these small steps add up to make your home less attractive to these pests and make it more difficult for them to survive.

              Your best option for permanently getting rid of cockroaches in roach-dense areas like Florida is to call a professional pest control service. They’ll use sprays and roach baits to kill indoor roaches and create a perimeter to keep them out.

              Sources

              1. Jacobs, Steve Sr. (2013) American Cockroaches. Penn State Extension. Retrieved from http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/american-cockroaches
              2. Sampson, Zachary T. (2015) No, that’s not a palmetto bug; Tampa and St. Petersburg ranked among nation’s roach-iest metro areas. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved from https://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/no-thats-not-a-palmetto-bug-tampa-and-st-petersburg-ranked-among-nations/2239669/
              3. Orwell, Mark (2019) Types of Flying Insects in Florida. Sciencing. Retrieved from https://sciencing.com/types-flying-insects-florida–6105691.html
              4. Wilkinson, Jeff (2018) Here’s the truth about palmetto bugs — most importantly, how to kill them. The State. Retrieved from https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article219058160.html
              Illustration of 8 types of cockroaches against a yellow background
              In Cockroach Facts

              8 Types of Roaches with Pictures: A Pest Identification Guide

              Cockroach Facts is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

              Finding even a single cockroach in your home can mean a serious situation. If you’ve discovered one, you’ll want to move fast, beginning with the crucial first step: Identification.

              In this short guide, you’ll learn about the 6 types of roaches (with pictures for easy identification) likely to have invaded your home – step #1 in your cockroach battle plan.

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              Ready? Let’s get to work.

              The Different Types of Cockroaches

              German Cockroaches

              German cockroach nymph, adult, and egg, compared to a penny for size
              German cockroach nymph, adult, and egg sac, beside a U.S. penny for scale

              German cockroach pictures

              • German cockroach nymph infestation (Blattella germanica)
                via Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia
              • German cockroach nymph and adult (Blattella germanica)
                via Michael Merchant, Texas Cooperative Ext.
              • Lots of cockroaches, adults and babies
              • German cockroach (Blattella germanica) closeup
                via Gary Alpert, Harvard University
              German cockroach pictures. Click to enlarge.

              About:

              The German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is the most common nuisance cockroach that people find in their homes. It prefers houses and buildings to any other habitat and reproduces faster than other cockroach species. It’s especially problematic in apartments and other types of shared living spaces.

              Though they have wings, they don’t fly; instead, they use their wings to glide. German cockroaches are dangerous in homes because they can spread disease by contaminating food and cooking surfaces. Furthermore, they shed periodically and leave behind egg casings that can cause asthma attacks and trigger allergies.

              Appearance:

              German roaches are relatively small—approximately 0.5 inches long. An adult German cockroach is light brown and has two dark stripes running down its thorax (the middle section of its body). A juvenile  (called a nymph), on the other hand, is smaller, darker colored, and has a tan stripe running down its back.

              Geographic Range

              German cockroaches live in many environments worldwide. They can live outdoors in the tropics but prefer to find shelter in people’s homes in cooler climates.

              Mode of Entry

              Often, German cockroaches are accidentally brought into homes on furniture or in grocery bags, shipping boxes, and drink cartons. In apartment buildings, they can crawl through shared pipes and ducts to infest additional units and quickly become a widespread problem.

              Preferred Locations

              You’ll most likely find German cockroaches hanging out in your kitchen, bathroom, or any place where food is stored or prepared. They are especially fond of humid areas with temperatures between 70 and 75oF.

              These roaches can squeeze into cracks and crevices to hide near food, water, and sources of heat. If their populations become too large, you might begin to find them in other parts of your home, including bedrooms and closets.

              Habits and Reproduction

              German cockroaches eat a variety of household items, including book bindings, crumbs, soap, toothpaste, and other scavenged items.

              Female German cockroaches lay egg cases, called oothecae, that can contain 30 to 40 eggs each. They produce these egg cases every few weeks (more often during warm weather). On average, a German cockroach lays between 4 and 8 oothecae in its lifetime.

              Don’t expect to find these egg cases easily, though: females carry them around until 1 to 2 days before they hatch. Sometimes, a female estimates incorrectly and the eggs hatch while she’s still carrying the ootheca.

              A single German cockroach can be responsible for the births of more than 30,000 babies in one year. Typically, nymphs mature in 40 and 125 days. Though not all will survive to adulthood, these cockroaches’ rapid cycles of growth and reproduction can cause infestations to grow and spread quickly. Making proper roach control extremely important.

              American Cockroaches

              American cockroach adult, nymph, and egg sac beside penny for scale

              American cockroach pictures

              • American cockroach: front angle
                via Gary Alpert, Harvard University
              • American cockroach, closeup on prothorax
                via Gary Alpert, Harvard University
              • American cockroach life stages
                via Daniel R. Suiter, Univ. of Georgia
              • American cockroach in outdoor environment
                via Daniel R. Suiter, Univ. of Georgia
              • American cockroach feeding on a cracker
                via Clemson University, USDA Coop Ext.

              About

              The American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, (also known as the palmetto bug or sewer roach) is also quite common in homes and apartments. However, this roach species prefers the outdoors and is less likely to infest living spaces than German cockroaches. Like German cockroaches, the American roach can spread disease and trigger allergies and asthma. They move rapidly but don’t often use their wings to fly.

              Appearance

              At up to 2 inches in length, American cockroaches are the largest of the common roaches. Their color is reddish-brown, with a light yellow band outlining their thorax. It’s easy to tell the difference between adults and nymphs because the adults are larger and have wings, while nymphs don’t have wings.

              Geographic Range

              Despite their name, American cockroaches are native to the African tropics. Today, however, they’re located throughout the United States.

              Mode of Entry

              American cockroaches typically enter homes through piping from sewers or similar locations. They can crawl through small gaps around windows, doors, or vents to find shelter. They can also enter homes as stowaways in piles of firewood.

              Preferred Locations

              American cockroaches often live in sewers, storm drains, steam tunnels, water meter boxes, gardens, trash bins, and facilities that raise animals. They like warmth and humidity, especially temperatures above 82 F. Indoors, they hide in laundry rooms, boiler rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. Though they sometimes infiltrate homes, it’s more common to find infestations in grocery stores and restaurants.

              Habits and Reproduction

              Female American cockroaches carry their oothecae for around 6 days before attaching them to the inner surface of a crack or crevice. Each ootheca contains about 12 to 16 eggs, which might not hatch for 2 months or longer. In a single year, a female can be responsible for more than 800 individuals.

              The nymphs mature more slowly than those of other roach species, taking between 65 and 400 days.

              American cockroaches prefer a diet of decaying organic matter, but will also eat just about anything, including crumbs and household scraps. Outdoors, they feed on leaves, wood, fungi, algae, and smaller insects.

              Oriental Cockroaches

              Oriental cockroach adult, nymph, and egg sac beside penny for scale

              Oriental cockroach pictures

              • Oriental cockroach adults, nymphs, and egg casings
                via Liz Kasameyer, Johns Hopkins
              • Oriental cockroach front view
                via Clemson Univ., USDA Co-op Ext.
              • Oriental cockroach life stages
                via Daniel R. Suiter, Univ. of Georgia
              • Oriental cockroach depositing egg sac
                via Daniel R. Suiter, Univ. of Georgia
              • Oriental cockroach and several nymphs
                via Daniel R. Suiter, Univ. of Georgia

              About

              The Oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis is a dangerous pest that mostly lives outdoors. They are most common in homes that have a lot of vegetation around them. They don’t move as fast as other kinds of roaches and don’t fly. Unable to climb smooth vertical surfaces, they often become trapped in sinks and bathtubs.

              Oriental cockroaches are even more unpleasant than other cockroach species because of their diet: garbage, feces, and decaying plant and animal matter.

              They stink, too. They spend a lot of time crawling over fecal matter, rotting things, and other bacteria-laden material as they search for food (making them potentially more dangerous than other types of cockroaches). They’ll contaminate food, food preparation areas, and utensils simply by walking over them. Luckily, their odor is strong enough to warn you that your food has been contaminated.

              Appearance

              Oriental cockroaches are larger than German cockroaches but smaller than American cockroaches, measuring about an inch in length. They’re shiny, and dark brown to black in color. While both males and females possess wings, the wings of female Oriental cockroaches are rudimentary. Males’ wings, meanwhile, are about 25% shorter than their bodies. Nymphs look like small, wingless females.

              Geographic Range

              The Oriental roach lives in coastal areas worldwide. In the United States, it’s predominantly found in southern, northwestern, and Midwestern states.

              Mode of Entry

              Oriental cockroaches typically enter homes through gaps around windows, doors, and vents. Some come in through sewer pipes or drains that run through walls to the outside. They might also ride along on firewood from a woodpile they’ve been living in.

              Preferred Locations

              Oriental cockroaches are often found in cool (below 84 F), damp, dark locations, including woodpiles, trash bins, garages, and basements. They also live among ivy and ground cover, inside meter boxes, and in sewers and drains. These roaches are resilient, and can survive quite well in cooler temperatures.

              Indoors, you might find Oriental cockroaches in sink cabinets (especially if pipes are leaking), beneath appliances, and within floors5.

              Habits and Reproduction

              During the day, they tend to remain outside, sometimes entering homes at night to forage.

              Oriental cockroaches mature slowly—sometimes, it takes over two years for a nymph to reach adulthood. However, they only live around 180 days. Females carry their ootheca for about a day before depositing it in debris or food. An Oriental cockroach ootheca contains about 16 eggs. Altogether, one female can produce up to eight egg cases, and up to 200 new roaches in a year.

              Wood cockroaches

              Pennsylvania wood roach male and female, plus egg sac beside a penny for scale
              Pennsylvania wood cockroach female, male, and egg sac, beside a U.S. penny for scale.

              Wood cockroach pictures

              • Wood cockroach specimen
                via NY State IPM Program
              • Wood roach (Parcoblatta bolliana)
                via Kansas Dept. of Agriculture
              • Florida woods cockroach
                via Johnny N. Dell
              • Pennsylvania wood cockroach, feeding on wood pile
                via Happy1892, Wikimedia
              • Pennsylvania wood cockroach, top view
                via Kansas Dept. of Agriculture

              About

              There are 12 species of wood cockroach (Parcoblatta), including the Pennsylvania wood cockroach, the Virginia wood cockroach, the Boll’s wood cockroach, and the Broad wood cockroach. All thrive in moist woodlands but can also be found in homes occasionally. Houses situated near forests are especially at risk during the spring and summer. Since they feed on dead wood and other materials, these cockroaches are sometimes brought inside with firewood. However, they can’t survive for long indoors.

              Wood cockroaches are different from other cockroach breeds in their attraction to light. Only the males can fly short distances. Like other types of roaches, wood cockroaches can contaminate food and trigger allergies and asthma.

              Appearance

              Wood cockroaches are about 1 inch long and brown. The edges of some wood cockroaches’ wings are white. Females’ wings are shorter than males’—only about 0.5 inch long. Nymphs, which are smaller than adults, completely lack wings.

              Geographic Range

              Native to North America, the wood cockroach is found across much of the United States, though it’s less likely to be found in the central part of the country. It also lives in Canada and Mexico.

              Mode of Entry

              Wood cockroaches infiltrate homes through gaps around windows, doors, and vents during the spring and summer. In the cooler months, they hitch rides on firewood. It’s important to always check your firewood for roach eggs before bringing it into your home.

              Preferred Locations

              Wood cockroaches are most often found in woodpiles and under the bark of fallen logs and dead trees. Sometimes they congregate near homes in gutters and crawl spaces.

              Habits and Reproduction

              The diet of wood cockroaches primarily consists of decaying organic matter.

              Females deposit their oothecae under the bark of dead trees and fallen logs. The eggs hatch about a month later. Wood cockroaches typically only live for a few months.

              Smokybrown Cockroaches

              Smokybrown cockroach adult, nymph and egg beside a U.S. penny for scale

              Smokybrown Cockroach Pictures

              • smokybrown cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa) adult
                via Michael Merchant, Texas Co-op Ext.
              • Smokybrown cockroach nymph (Smokybrown baby cockroach)
                via Lesley Ingram
              • Smokybrown cockroach side view
                via Pest and Diseases Img Library
              • Smokybrown cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa) top view
                via Pest and Diseases Img Library
              • Pair of SmokyBrown cockroaches, male on left. Female on right.
                via Daniel R. Suiter, Univ. of Georgia

              About

              The smoky brown cockroach, Periplaneta fulginosa, is very sensitive to dehydration and must live near a reliable source of water. It’s a nocturnal creature and will fly away if disturbed. Like the wood cockroach, smoky brown cockroaches are attracted to light.

              Appearance

              Smokybrown cockroaches are relatively large—approximately 1.5 inches long. They are dark brown to mahogany-colored with a thorax that looks almost black. You can distinguish them from some other types of roaches by looking at their wings, which are longer than their bodies.

              Geographic Range

              Smokybrown cockroaches are found in the southeastern United States.

              Mode of Entry

              Smokybrown cockroaches typically climb into homes through vents and plumbing, especially where vegetation touches the home.

              Preferred Locations

              An outdoor type of roach, they prefer to hang out in gutters, planter boxes, and woodpiles. They also live beneath shingles and siding, inside water meter boxes, in garages, and amongst trees, shrubs, and other vegetation. Sometimes, they even live in sewers. It’s rare but these cockroaches do occasionally enter homes. Then, they’re typically found in attics.

              Habits and Reproduction

              Females carry their oothecae for a day before depositing them. It takes about 45 days for the 20 or so nymphs to hatch.

              Brownbanded Cockroaches

              Brown Banded cockroach adult, nymph, and egg sac beside penny for scale

              Brownbanded cockroach pictures

              • Brownbanded cockroach male
                via Gary Alpert, Harvard Univ.
              • Brownbanded cockroach, multiple life stages
                via Daniel R. Suiter, Univ. of Georgia
              • Brownbanded cockroach (Supella longipalpa) adult
                via Kansas Dept of Agriculture
              • Brownbanded roach nymph (Supella longipalpa)
                via Gary Alpert, Harvard Univ.
              • Brownbanded cockroach egg cases
                via Pest & Disease Img. Lib.

              About

              The brown banded cockroach, Supella longipalpa, prefers indoor spaces, but is less common than the German cockroach. While females can’t fly, males sometimes flying away from disturbances (though they’re more likely to jump).

              Brownbanded cockroaches have a wide-ranging diet, consuming garbage as well as human food. They’re a dangerous pest inside homes because they’re likely to spread bacteria and other contaminants to food and food preparation areas. They also leave behind old skin and egg cases that can trigger allergies and asthma attacks.

              Appearance

              Brown banded cockroaches have narrow bodies. They’re about 0.5 inches in length (the adult males longer than the females) and have light brown or yellow bands on their abdomens, wings, and the sides of the thorax. Males and females are different colors: males appear to be golden-tan while females are a darker brown.

              Males’ wings are longer than their bodies, while females’ wings cover only part of the abdomen. The nymphs are smaller and have two light horizontal bands on their bodies5.

              Geographic Range

              Brown banded cockroaches live across most of the United States.

              Mode of Entry

              Like German cockroaches, brown banded cockroaches typically get into homes through furniture, grocery bags, food containers, and electronics. They can move between apartment units via shared duct work and piping and can quickly become a serious problem in apartment complexes.

              Preferred Locations

              You’re most likely to encounter brown banded cockroaches in locations that are warm (around 80oF), dry, sheltered and higher up, often out of reach. You should inspect around electrical appliances (often in kitchens), beneath clutter, behind wall decorations, and within hollow furniture legs.

              Brown banded cockroaches live most commonly in homes that lack air conditioning. They’re also frequently a nuisance in offices or places where lots of paper is stored.

              Habits and Reproduction

              Brown banded cockroaches and German cockroaches don’t get along; they typically don’t share habitats. Brown banded roaches are nocturnal and don’t seem to care about what they eat, consuming a wide variety of materials, from human food and garbage to fabric (including clothing and curtains), to glue, and even wallpaper.

              Brown banded cockroach oothecae contain between 13 and 18 eggs each. Females carry them for about a day to a day and a half, then attach them to ceilings (often in closets) or the undersides of furniture. The oothecae then remain for around 50 days until the eggs hatch.

              Brown banded cockroaches have an average lifespan of 13 to 45 weeks. A single female will produce about 14 oothecae in her lifetime, each containing about 13 eggs.

              Australian cockroach

              Australian cockroach, adult and egg case compared to a penny

              Australian cockroach pictures

              • Australian cockroach showing stripes on wings
                via Whitney Cranshaw, Col. State Univ.
              • Adult Australian cockroach, top view
                Pest & Diseases Img Library, Bugwood.org
              • Underside of Australian cockroach
                Pest & Diseases Img Library, Bugwood.org
              • Australian cockroach nymph (Periplaneta australasiae)
                via Whitney Cranshaw, Col. State Univ.
              Australian cockroach pictures

              About

              The Australian cockroach, Periplaneta australasiae, is a species of cockroaches that typically lives outdoors but does occasionally invade people’s homes. It’s large and has long wings that let it fly short distances. Due to its appetite for dead and decaying things, it can pick up bacteria and contaminate your counter tops and pantry foods if it gets inside.

              Appearance

              Australian cockroaches are similar in size to American cockroaches. You can tell them apart by looking for the distinctive tan ring-like pattern on an Australian roach’s back, just below its head.

              These cockroaches grow to about 1 ¼ inches long. They’re one of the biggest bugs you’re likely to find crawling around your house. Don’t be scared—they’re not out to hurt you! They spend almost all of their time hiding.

              Geographic Range

              The Australian cockroach is distributed globally. In the U.S., the largest populations are located in southern states. They’ll build colonies in tree trunks, piles of wood, water pipes and other damp areas.

              Mode of Entry

              Australian cockroaches come into homes and other buildings through tiny holes in exterior walls and spaces where a pipe or wiring enters. They hang out in garden mulch and piles of leaves, so they’re already close to your house. As soon as temperatures drop, they’ll look for ways inside.

              Preferred Locations

              Australian cockroaches mostly live outdoors in warm climates. Their favorite habitats have lots of humidity and high temperatures. Sometimes, they infest greenhouses but don’t pose much of a threat to crops.

              They’ll come indoors when temperatures drop too low outside. You might find them in sinks and bathtubs or hiding in cabinets and drains.

              Habits and Reproduction

              Females hide their egg cases in wet woodpiles and crevices near food and water. Nymphs grow over a period of 6 months to a year. As they grow larger, they molt their old exoskeleton and grow a new one.

              They go through several molting stages before reaching adulthood. Adult Australian cockroaches live up six months. A single roach can lay over 20 egg cases and produce hundreds of nymphs in its short lifespan.

              Asian cockroach

              Asian cockroach adult, nymph,and egg case relative in size to a penny

              Asian cockroach pictures

              • Asian cockroach nymph (Blattella asahinai) side view
                Johnny N. Dell, Bugwood.org
              • Asian cockroach nymph (Blattella asahinai) on leaf
                Johnny N. Dell, Bugwood.org
              • Asian cockroach (Blattella asahinai)
                Natasha Wright, Cook’s Pest Control
              • Asian cockroach adult (Blattella asahinai)- top view
                Natasha Wright, Cook’s Pest Control
              Asian cockroach pictures. Click to enlarge.

              About

              The Asian cockroach, Blattella asahinai, is kind of like the secret twin of the German cockroach. They’re so similar in appearance that even professionals mistook them for German roaches when they were first discovered. Sometimes, they still do!

              Appearance

              The Australian cockroach is a tiny bug (a little over 1/2 inch long) whose color is mostly light brown. It also has a noticeable pair of dark (almost black) stripes running down its back from its head to the tip of its abdomen. Around these dark strips, it’s body looks like it’s bordered in white.

              Geographic Range

              The Asian cockroach is a southern species in the U.S. Its biggest populations are in Florida and the surrounding states. Like many people who move to those states, it lives there because of the warmth and humidity.

              Mode of Entry

              Asian cockroaches are crazy about lights and use their powerful wings to fly toward any nearby light sources. This is the most common reason they enter homes. Otherwise, they’re generally pretty happy staying outside.

              You might also run into these cockroaches in your garage or shed since they can easily fit through the gap beneath a garage door or a hole in a shed wall.

              Preferred Locations

              Asian cockroaches mostly live outdoors in mulch and the shaded areas of people’s lawns. Like other roaches, they feed on decomposing material and garbage, among other things. This leads them to compost piles and landscaping cluttered with leaves or damp mulch.

              If they come indoors, they’ll fly toward lights and TV screens. They’ll usually hide close to food sources or in areas with the highest humidity.

              Habits and Reproduction

              The Asian cockroach feeds on just about anything, from food and garbage to decomposing leaves and other dead insects. Once Asian cockroaches infest an area, they quickly push out any other cockroach species.

              Female Asian cockroaches lay about 37 eggs in each egg case they produce. Despite an average lifespan of under 6 months, these roaches still manage to reproduce and spread quickly.

              Adult populations are largest during the late summer. In some parts of Florida, hundreds of thousands of Asian cockroaches have been found in a single acre.

              Suggested Products If You Have a Roach Problem

              To Find Cockroach Hiding Spots and Kill Them Quickly When You Have Just a Few

              Recommended for all cockroaches

              Exterminator’s Choice Sticky Glue Traps

              Used to measure and monitor a cockroach infestation and provide some supplemental control.

              Check Price on Amazon

              BASF PT P.I. Contact Insecticide

              P.I. is a pyrethrin-based spray insecticide that kills roaches fast. Best when used as a supplement to other treatments, it’s not inexpensive, but far more effective than off-the-shelf sprays.

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              To Kill Cockroaches Inside Your Home When You Have a Serious Problem

              Recommended for German cockroaches and Brown banded cockroaches, as well as American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), and Oriental cockroaches when they enter in large numbers.

              Rockwell Labs CimeXa Dust Insecticide

              CimeXa is an effective indoor crack and crevice treatment. For best results, use alongside Advion Gel Bait and Gentrol IGR.

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              HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Powder Duster

              Insecticidal dusts like CimeXa work best when applied with a duster tool. This inexpensive diatomaceous earth duster works fine with CimeXa, Delta Dust, and other recommended dusts.

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              Syngenta Advion Cockroach Gel Bait

              Advion first poisons the roaches that eat it, then others in a secondary kill. For the most effective indoor treatment, combine with CimeXa insecticidal dust and Gentrol IGR.

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              Gentrol Point Source IGR

              Gentrol is an insect growth regulator (IGR) that interferes with roach reproduction. It’s most effective used alongside Advion Gel Bait and CimeXa insecticidal dust.

              Check Price on Amazon

              To Kill Cockroaches Outdoors Before They Have a Chance to Get Inside

              Recommended for American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), Oriental cockroaches, and Smokybrown cockroaches.

              Bayer Polyzone Suspend Insecticide

              When used on exterior foundations, entries, and walls, Suspend insecticidal liquid stops outdoor roaches before they get in. It requires a separate sprayer (see below), and works best alongside a granular outdoor bait like Intice and an outdoor crack and crevice treatment like Delta Dust.

              Check Price on Amazon

              Chapin 1 Gallon Multi-Purpose Sprayer

              Liquid pesticides require a separate sprayer. This inexpensive pump sprayer works fine for smaller jobs.

              Check Price on Amazon

              InTice Perimeter Insect Control Bait Granules

              InTice is a granular bait that kills roaches outdoors and in spaces like your garage or attic. Used alongside a spray treatment like Bayer Suspend and a crack and crevice treatment like Delta Dust, it can protect the entire perimeter of your home.

              Check Price on Amazon

              Delta Dust Insecticide Dust

              Waterproof and long-lasting, Delta Dust is a crack and crevice treatment effective in high-moisture areas such as attics, exterior walls, and plumbing lines. Delta Dust is regulated and unavailable in some areas.

              Check Price on Amazon

              Conclusion

              The first step in any pest control strategy is to find out exactly what you’re up against. Here, we’ve covered important details about the six different types of cockroaches you’re most likely to run into in or around your home.

              With this information, you’ll be able to identify the types of roaches you see and find where they’re hiding. You’ll also know how dangerous they might be and how serious the problem is. Armed with this knowledge, you’re ready to tackle your cockroach problem head-on.

              Good luck!

              Frequently Asked Questions

              How many different types of roaches are there?

              There are more than 4500 different types of roaches. Of those, only 69 species are found in the United States (10 in Canada), and only 30 are considered pests.

              What type of roaches fly?

              Some roaches fly. Others don’t. Of those that do, there’s a big difference in flying ability. Asian, Smokybrown, Australian, and wood roaches are pretty good fliers, while American cockroaches really just use their wings to glide.

              What type of roaches go inside your house?

              Only a handful of cockroach species wind up inside our homes, and an even smaller number actively try. While wood roaches typically get in by accident, and American and Oriental roaches typically enter when there’s a change in environment outdoors, German and Brownbanded roaches will actively try to infest your home.

              What is the worst kind of roach?

              Of the scores of cockroaches that inhabit North America, just a few are considered dangerous due to the filth they live in and the threat of contamination they pose. The roaches which pose the highest risk to human health are the German, American, Oriental, and Brownbanded species.

              Written by Andrew Martin. Reviewed by Rae Osborn, PhD.

              Andrew Martin

              Andrew Martin

              Writer/Publisher

              Andrew writes for, and along with his daughter, publishes Cockroach Facts. You can read more about him here.

                Rae Osborn, PhD.

                Rae Osborn, PhD.

                Science Editor

                Dr. Rae Osborn holds Honors Bachelor of Science degrees in Zoology and Entomology, and a Master of Science in Entomology from the University of Natal in South Africa. She holds a PhD in Quantitative Biology from the University of Texas at Arlington, where her research was in Entomology. You can learn more about our contributors here.

                  Sources:

                  1. Rust, M.K. and Reierson, D.A. (2007) Cockroaches. Pests of Homes, Structures, People, and Pets. Retrieved from http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7467.html.
                  2. Potter, Michael F. (2018) Cockroach Elimination in Homes and Apartments. Entomology at the University of Kentucky. Retrieved from https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef614.
                  3. Hahn, Jeffrey and Ascerno, Mark. (2018) Cockroaches. University of Minnesota Extension. Retrieved from https://extension.umn.edu/insects-infest-homes/cockroaches.
                  4. McLeod, Robin. (2005) Genus Parcoblatta – Wood Cockroaches. BugGuide. Retrieved from https://bugguide.net/node/view/31624.
                  5. Wood Cockroach (n.d.) Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Retrieved from https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/wood-cockroach
                  6. University of Georgia’s Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health (Bugwood Images collection).
                  Illustration of a baby american roach under a magnifying glass
                  In Cockroach Facts

                  What Do Baby Roaches Look Like? Take a Look!

                  Cockroach Facts is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

                  Introduction

                  Lots of bugs find their way into our homes. And many look a lot alike. So it’s not unusual to mistake harmless bugs for harmful ones, or to find a harmful bug and be unsure.

                  Baby roaches are bugs that fall into the harmful category. And if you find them, they need to be dealt with quickly. But to do that, you’ll want to know what you’re dealing with. What do baby roaches look like? Let’s see.

                  Need Product Recommendations?

                  A handful of easy-to-use products can solve most cockroach problems.

                  See Below

                  Also see: “Found a Baby Cockroach? Here’s What To Do,” and “Baby Roach Pictures: An Easy Visual Guide,” and “What Does a Cockroach Look Like?“

                  How to Recognize a Baby Cockroach

                  Though most people are familiar with one or two cockroach species, there are about thirty that typically invade our homes. Of those, only a handful are considered harmful pests. All of them have common characteristics that can help you to identify them as cockroaches – and that goes for the babies as well the adults.

                  What do baby roaches look like? In a general way (or a very specific way if you’re dealing with the baby German roach below) roach babies will look like this:

                  Basic baby cockroach diagram showing body parts
                  A baby cockroach with 1. Long thin antennae, 2. Six spiny legs, 3. Cerci, 4. A flattened hard-shelled body with no wings.

                  All baby roaches will have:

                  1. Two long, thin antennae.
                  2. A head bent downward, along with mouth parts that point backwards.
                  3. Six spiny legs (with feet that allow them to climb walls and climb along the undersides of things).
                  4. Two small appendages at the base of their body called cerci (which on tiny baby cockroaches, may be all but impossible to see).
                  5. A flattened, hard-shelled body, without wings (Many cockroach species do have wings, but only develop them later, as they’re about to enter adulthood).

                  Identifying the Most Common Baby Roaches

                  The Baby German Cockroach

                  What do baby German roaches look like?

                  Baby German Cockroach for Cockroach Identification, top view
                  A baby German cockroach, top view.

                  Nearly oval in shape, the baby German cockroach will have a flat, hard-shelled body, six spiny legs, a distinctly separate head, and the appearance of horizontal bands or segments across its body (when you look very closely). Like adult German cockroaches, it has two long, thin antennae, but unlike the adult, doesn’t have wings.

                  Baby German Cockroach for Cockroach Identification, front view
                  A baby German cockroach, front view.

                  It’s usually dark brown in color, with a lighter brown color down the middle of its back. The brown you see is the darkest the German cockroach nymph will ever get. Over the next sixty days, it will molt several times, initially appearing white as it emerges from its old shell, and then darkening (to lighter shades of brown) as the new shell hardens.

                  Baby German Cockroach for Cockroach Identification, side view
                  A baby German cockroach, side view.

                  Baby German Roach Images:

                  • German cockroach nymph (Blattella germanica)
                    Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                  • German cockroach nymph (Blattella germanica)
                    Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                  • German cockroach nymph infestation (Blattella germanica)
                    Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                  Baby German Roaches. Click on any image above to expand

                  The Baby American Cockroach

                  What do baby American roaches look like?

                  Baby American Cockroach for Cockroach Identification, side view
                  A baby American cockroach, side view.

                  Oblong in shape, the baby American cockroach will have six spiny legs, long thin antennae, and a flattened, hard-shelled body divided into three sections. Like American cockroach adults, they have appendages called cerci at the base of their bodies (similar to but smaller than those of earwigs), but unlike adults, have no wings.

                  They’re reddish brown in color and when examined closely, can be seen to have darker shaded edging on the segments across their backs.

                  How big is a baby American Cockroach? Nymphs will be as small or smaller than the diameter of a penny (under 2cm) and grow on average to 4cm long.

                  Baby American Roach Images:

                  • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                    Mohammed El Damir, Bugwood.org
                  • American cockroach nymph and adult (Periplaneta americana)
                    Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                  • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                    Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                  Baby American Roaches. Click on any image above to expand

                  The Baby Oriental Cockroach

                  What do baby Oriental roaches look like?

                  Baby Oriental Cockroach for Cockroach Identification, side view
                  A baby Oriental cockroach, side view.

                  Oblong in shape, the baby Oriental cockroach will have six spiny legs, medium-length antennae, and a shiny, flattened, hard-shelled body. They have cerci like adult Oriental cockroaches, but don’t have wings.

                  They’re reddish-brown in color and their bodies have a distinct pattern of light and somewhat darker colored bands.

                  How big is a baby Oriental Cockroach? Nymphs will be about 6mm before their first molt – about the size of a grain of rice.

                  Baby Oriental Roach Images:

                  • Oriental cockroach nymphs and adult (Blatta orientalis)
                    Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                  • Oriental cockroach nymph and oothecae (Blatta orientalis)
                    Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                  • Oriental cockroach nymph & life cycle (Blatta orientalis)
                    Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                  Baby Oriental Roaches. Click on any image above to expand

                  The Baby Brown-Banded Cockroach

                  What do baby Brown-Banded roaches look like?

                  Baby Brown Banded Cockroach for Cockroach Identification, side view
                  A baby Brown Banded cockroach, side view.

                  Squatly oblong, the baby brown-banded cockroach will have six spiny legs, long slender antennae, and a shiny, hard-shelled body. They’re tan to dark brown in color and are distinctive in the cockroach world for two broad brownish bands that run across their abdomens.

                  How big is a baby brown-banded cockroach? Even the adult brown-banded cockroach is quite small. Nymphs will be about 3mm before their first molt – about the size of a small grain of rice.

                  Baby Brown-Banded Roach Images:

                  • Brownbanded roach nymph (Supella longipalpa)
                    Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                  • Brownbanded cockroach nymph closeup (Supella longipalpa)
                    Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                  • Brownbanded cockroach nymphs (Supella longipalpa)
                    Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                  Baby Brown-Banded Roaches. Click on any image above to expand

                  The Baby White Roach

                  What do baby white roaches look like?

                  Baby roach hatching

                  Though not a separate species, you may rarely come across a baby white cockroach. These are roaches that are either newly hatched, or are in the process of a molt, having just shed their old shell. Looking something like a worm, a larva, or even a strange, wingless albino cockroach, these temporarily pure white roaches are easy to identify when you understand what you’ve found.

                  Baby White Roach Images:

                  Baby White Roaches. Click on any image above to expand

                  Suggested Products If You Have a Baby Roach Problem

                  To Find Cockroach Hiding Spots and Kill Adults and Nymphs Quickly When You Have Just a Few

                  Recommended for all cockroaches

                  Exterminator’s Choice Sticky Glue Traps

                  Used to measure and monitor a cockroach infestation and provide some supplemental control.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  BASF PT P.I. Contact Insecticide

                  P.I. is a pyrethrin-based spray insecticide that kills roaches fast. Best when used as a supplement to other treatments, it’s not inexpensive, but far more effective than off-the-shelf sprays.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  To Kill Baby and Adult Cockroaches When You Have a Serious Problem

                  Recommended for German cockroaches and Brown banded cockroaches, as well as American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), and Oriental cockroaches when they enter in large numbers.

                  Rockwell Labs CimeXa Dust Insecticide

                  CimeXa is an effective indoor crack and crevice treatment. For best results, use alongside Advion Gel Bait and Gentrol IGR.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Powder Duster

                  Insecticidal dusts like CimeXa work best when applied with a duster tool. This inexpensive diatomaceous earth duster works fine with CimeXa, Delta Dust, and other recommended dusts.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  Syngenta Advion Cockroach Gel Bait

                  Advion first poisons the roaches that eat it, then others in a secondary kill. For the most effective indoor treatment, combine with CimeXa insecticidal dust and Gentrol IGR.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  Gentrol Point Source IGR

                  Gentrol is an insect growth regulator (IGR) that interferes with roach reproduction. It’s most effective used alongside Advion Gel Bait and CimeXa insecticidal dust.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  To Kill Cockroaches Outdoors Before They Have a Chance to Get Inside

                  Recommended for American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), Oriental cockroaches, and Smokybrown cockroaches.

                  Bayer Polyzone Suspend Insecticide

                  When used on exterior foundations, entries, and walls, Suspend insecticidal liquid stops outdoor roaches before they get in. It requires a separate sprayer (see below), and works best alongside a granular outdoor bait like Intice and an outdoor crack and crevice treatment like Delta Dust.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  Chapin 1 Gallon Multi-Purpose Sprayer

                  Liquid pesticides require a separate sprayer. This inexpensive pump sprayer works fine for smaller jobs.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  InTice Perimeter Insect Control Bait Granules

                  InTice is a granular bait that kills roaches outdoors and in spaces like your garage or attic. Used alongside a spray treatment like Bayer Suspend and a crack and crevice treatment like Delta Dust, it can protect the entire perimeter of your home.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  Delta Dust Insecticide Dust

                  Waterproof and long-lasting, Delta Dust is a crack and crevice treatment effective in high-moisture areas such as attics, exterior walls, and plumbing lines. Delta Dust is regulated and unavailable in some areas.

                  Check Price on Amazon

                  Baby Roaches vs. Other Bugs

                  Some bugs resemble baby roaches, and can easily be mistaken for them. Here, we’ll cover some bugs that look like baby roaches and point out the way they differ.

                  Crickets

                  What do baby roaches look like vs. Crickets?

                  Cricket
                  Francisco Corado via Pixabay

                  Crickets, because they are small, dark in color, and have spiny legs, can be confused for cockroaches. However, crickets have very large, strong back legs that extend above their bodies. They use these to jump to heights a cockroach never could. If the bug you’ve discovered has these large powerful back legs and jumps extraordinarily high, it’s a cricket, not a baby cockroach.

                  Crickets are also loud and are known for their high-pitched chirping. Cockroaches, by comparison, are very quiet.

                  Beetles

                  What do baby cockroaches look like vs. beetles?

                  Black beetle
                  Kurt Bouda via Pixabay

                  It’s also easy to mistake cockroaches for beetles. Both have a squat, oval frame. However, the over 350,000 species of beetles often have more colorful and varied markings than the few species of cockroaches you’re likely to encounter. Brown or black beetles pose an identification problem, though.

                  Fortunately, beetles share a few characteristics that distinguish them from cockroaches. With the exception of the longhorn beetle, their legs and antennae are shorter than those of the cockroach and their protective top wings are harder. They don’t have the filament-like rear appendages called cerci roaches do.

                  Beetles also move much more slowly than baby roaches, which can run at extraordinary speeds.

                  Bed Bugs

                  What do baby roaches look like vs. bed bugs?

                  Bed Bug
                  Dr. Gary Alpert via Wikimedia

                  Bed bugs also look a bit like a cockroach nymph. They are both often reddish brown, wingless, and rather oval-shaped. To distinguish a baby cockroach vs bed bug, take a closer look at the body shape and the antennae. Bed bugs tend to be shorter and rounder than cockroach babies. Bed bugs also have shorter antennae than cockroaches.

                  Tips for Identifying Baby Roaches

                  If you suspect there are baby roaches in your home, slip on a pair of gloves and try to catch or kill one if you can. Since German roaches and Brown-banded roaches are very small even as adults, size (as in being very tiny) is a good first clue that it may be one of those. Next look at color, along with some of the distinctive markings described above and elsewhere.

                  Finally, it’s important that you not only identify the bug you’ve found, but take steps to protect your home, if it does turn out to be a cockroach. Because when everything’s said and done, what do baby roaches look like?

                  Trouble.

                  Written by Andrew Martin. Reviewed by Rae Osborn, PhD.

                  Andrew Martin

                  Andrew Martin

                  Writer/Publisher

                  Andrew writes for, and along with his daughter, publishes Cockroach Facts. You can read more about him here.

                    Rae Osborn, PhD.

                    Rae Osborn, PhD.

                    Science Editor

                    Dr. Rae Osborn holds Honors Bachelor of Science degrees in Zoology and Entomology, and a Master of Science in Entomology from the University of Natal in South Africa. She holds a PhD in Quantitative Biology from the University of Texas at Arlington, where her research was in Entomology. You can learn more about our contributors here.

                      5 Polaroid photos depicting cockroach babies (nymphs)
                      In Cockroach Facts

                      Baby Roach Pictures: An Easy Visual Guide

                      Introduction

                      If you’ve discovered a bug you suspect to be a baby roach, you’ll want to identify it quickly, then make plans to deal with it – fast. To help you do that, we’ve assembled a collection of baby roach pictures to use as a handy DIY guide.

                      The images are arranged in sets to make identification easier, and include brief descriptions about the most common baby roaches (German, American, Oriental, Brown-Banded and Smoky Brown) that you’re likely to encounter.

                      A Simple 5-Step Guide For Getting Rid of Roaches

                      “Print or Follow on Your Phone. It’s FREE!”

                      CLICK HERE

                      Also see: “Found a Baby Cockroach? Here’s What To Do,” and ” What Do Baby Roaches Look Like?“

                      Baby German Roach Pictures

                      • German cockroach nymph and egg sac (Blattella germanica)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • German cockroach nymph infestation (Blattella germanica)
                        Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                      • German cockroach nymph and adult (Blattella germanica)
                        Michael Merchant, Texas Cooperative Extension, Bugwood.org
                      • German cockroach nymph (Blattella germanica)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • German cockroach nymph (Blattella germanica)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • German cockroach nymph (Blattella germanica)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • Lots of cockroaches, adults and babies
                      Baby German roaches, with newly hatched roaches (top left), closeups, and baby roach infestations.

                      Baby German roaches are among the smallest that invade our homes. Even when mature, German roaches are quite small. But at early stages of development the babies (known as nymphs) are absolutely tiny – as small as the head of a pin when they first hatch.

                      Like all cockroaches, baby German roaches are white at hatching, but quickly darken and turn brown, with a banded appearance and a light-colored splotch that runs partially up the center of their backs. Baby German roaches are mostly oval-shaped, and differ from adults in color (they’re darker), markings, and the fact that they don’t yet have wings.

                      Baby American Cockroach Pictures

                      • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • American Cockroach nymph
                        Len Worthington via https://flic.kr/p/J46jjk
                      • American Cockroach nymph
                        Gail Hampshire via https://flic.kr/p/aMaeag
                      • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                        Mohammed El Damir, Bugwood.org
                      • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • American cockroach nymph (Periplaneta americana)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • American cockroach nymph and adult (Periplaneta americana)
                        Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                      • American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org

                      Baby American roaches are much larger than their German cousins, measuring about 1/8″ long when hatched. The nymphs are white after hatching, then turn grayish-brown until their second growth phase (known as an instar), when their bodies become reddish-brown. Like the baby German cockroach, the bodies of American cockroach nymphs have a banded appearance, and they remain wingless until mature.

                      Baby Oriental Roach Pictures

                      • Oriental cockroach nymphs and adult (Blatta orientalis)
                        Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                      • Oriental cockroach adult and nymph (Blatta orientalis)
                        Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                      • Oriental cockroach nymph (Blatta orientalis)
                        Clemson University – USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, Bugwood.org
                      • Oriental cockroach nymph and oothecae (Blatta orientalis)
                        Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                      • Oriental cockroach nymph & life cycle (Blatta orientalis)
                        Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
                      • Oriental cockroach nymph (Blatta orientalis)
                        Clemson University – USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, Bugwood.org
                      Baby Oriental cockroach babies (nymphs) and adults.

                      Baby Oriental cockroaches are white when newly hatched, but soon turn a pale brown color, which eventually darkens as they mature. Their bodies have a banded appearance, which becomes less pronounced the darker they become. Newly hatched Oriental roaches can be up to 6mm long – about the size of a grain of rice. Click on the baby roach pictures above for an expanded view, and more detail.

                      Baby Brown-Banded Cockroach Pictures

                      • Brownbanded cockroach nymphs, eggs, adults in life cycle (Supella longipalpa)
                        Daniel R. Suiter, University of Georgia
                      • 4 Brownbanded cockroach nymphs (Supella longipalpa)
                        Pest and Diseases Image Library
                      • Brown banded cockroach nymphs, top and bottom views (Supella longipalpa)
                        Pest and Diseases Image Library
                      • Brownbanded roach nymph (Supella longipalpa)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • Brownbanded cockroach nymph closeup (Supella longipalpa)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      • Brownbanded cockroach nymphs (Supella longipalpa)
                        Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
                      Baby Brown-Banded cockroaches shown in various life stages. Notice wings on the adults top left, but that the nymphs are wingless.

                      Like baby German cockroaches, baby Brown-Banded roaches are quite small – just 1/8″ long at birth. They have dark-colored heads, light-colored bodies, and a banded appearance, with bodies that broaden at the base. Baby Brown-Banded roaches have two white bands between their head and midsection, that make them easy to identify.

                      Baby Smoky Brown Roach Pictures

                      • SmokyBrown cockroach nymph (Periplaneta fuliginosa)
                        Lesley Ingram, Bugwood.org
                      • SmokyBrown cockroach nymph (Periplaneta fuliginosa)
                        happy1892 via Wikimedia
                      An older Smoky Brown cockroach nymph on the left. Younger Smoky Brown cockroach nymphs on the right.

                      While Smoky Brown roach adults are uniformly brown, baby Smoky Brown roaches start off white (right after hatching), turn black, then become brown-colored with a prominent white segment just before their midsection. As they grow older, they lose their pattern. Though Smoky Brown roach adults grow large, nymphs (as in the baby roach pictures above) can be as small as a single millimeter in length.

                      Baby Australian Roach Pictures

                      • Australian cockroach nymph (Periplaneta australasiae)
                        darkday via Flickr
                      • Australian cockroach nymph (Periplaneta australasiae)
                        Rob Russell via Flickr
                      • Australian cockroach nymph (Periplaneta australasiae)
                        Jimmy Smith via Flickr
                      • Australian cockroach nymph (Periplaneta australasiae)
                        Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org
                      Baby Australian cockroaches, similar in appearance to baby American roaches, but with mottled yellow spots.

                      Similar in appearance to the baby American cockroach, the baby Australian roach is reddish-brown, and wingless until mature. Unlike the American baby roach however, the Australian baby roach has a pattern of distinctive light yellow spots. Australian cockroach nymphs can be as small as 1/8 inch in length.

                      Was this guide helpful? Not helpful enough? Want (or need) even more baby roach pictures? Write us!

                      For more help with insect identification when you need it, see:

                      BugGuide

                      Insect Images

                      Written by Andrew Martin. Reviewed by James Miksanek, PhD.

                      Andrew Martin

                      Andrew Martin

                      Writer/Publisher

                      Andrew writes for, and along with his daughter, publishes Cockroach Facts. You can read more about him here.

                        James Miksanek, PhD

                        James Miksanek, PhD.

                        Science Editor

                        James is an entomologist and adjunct professor of biology. His background is in biological control, and he has a passion for ecology and environmental science. His research has addressed a variety of topics including pest control and the management of invasive species. You can learn more about our contributors here.

                          Illustration of roach droppings (frass) left behind on counter- words: Facts & Solutions
                          In Cockroach Facts

                          What Do Roach Droppings Look Like?

                          Cockroach Facts is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

                          Introduction

                          When you find yourself face-to-face with a roach infestation, certain discoveries are unpleasant, while others are just plain… awful.

                          Roach droppings for most of us fit right into the awful category. And if you’ve been unlucky enough to find the stuff somewhere (like where your family eats and sleeps and lives), you’re probably not only thoroughly disgusted. But angry. And more than a little confused.

                          After all, roaches haven’t just been attacking your home. They’ve been using it for a toilet. And if there are enough droppings around that you’ve actually seen it (think for a moment about all the droppings in places you can’t see), the roaches have been winning. That is, until right now.

                          Need Product Recommendations?

                          A handful of easy-to-use products can solve most cockroach problems.

                          See Below

                          If you can manage to hold your nose to the end of this article, you’ll not only have a better idea of how and why roach droppings got into your home. But how to get rid of it, along with all the roaches too. Ready?

                          What’s Inside Cockroach Droppings

                          Cockroach droppings are made up of all sorts of things that roaches have digested: Food from your cupboards, counters, and drawers. Garbage. Rotting flesh. And dead insects, including the carcasses of other cockroaches.

                          Cockroaches don’t pee (a not-so fun fact), but instead secrete solid and semi-solid waste. All of which varies in appearance, depending on the size, age, and species of roach you’re dealing with.

                          What Cockroach Droppings Look Like

                          What does roach feces look like? What you find will probably look something like this:

                          Illustration of cockroach droppings on a wall, under a magnifying glass, beside a light switch
                          • German cockroach cockroach droppings left behind on paper after an infestation
                            Gary Alpert, Harvard University
                          • German cockroach droppings and egg cases encrusting a sink and faucet
                            Liz Kasameyer, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
                          • Smeared cockroach feces, cast-off shell casings and dead body parts
                            Liz Kasameyer, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
                          Roach droppings are often surrounded by other cockroach debris, including body parts, old egg cases and discarded cockroach skin.

                          Generally speaking, cockroach droppings are dark brown or black pellets. They’re either roundish chunks or oval-shaped, and much of what you find will simply appear as smears and stains on the surfaces that cockroaches have been crawling over.

                          Of course, before a full-blown infestation, roach droppings will be so minimal and scattered that you may not even see them. While on the other hand, during a large infestation they’ll be almost impossible to miss, along with other nasty cockroach stuff like egg cases, discarded shells, and cockroach body parts.

                          Since you’ve managed to make it this far, let’s take a closer look at some of the tell-take signs that the leading culprits leave behind.

                          Droppings From Large Cockroaches

                          Illustration of cockroach droppings from large species, as shown under a magnifying glass
                          • American roach droppings
                            Gary Alpert, Harvard University
                          • American cockroach droppings
                            Liz Kasameyer, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

                          If there were a single rule of thumb that helped identify roaches by their frass (the more proper name for insect droppings), it would be this: Larger roaches make bigger droppings. American, SmokyBrown, and Oriental cockroaches are all considered larger species. They are usually more than 1 inch long. They produce solid, cylindrical feces that can be as large as a grain of rice.

                          If you were to look closely, you’d see ridges running from one end of the dropping to the other – giving it an appearance sort of like a fennel seed.

                          Do you have mice, too? Other than cockroach frass being smaller, this is one of the main differences between mouse droppings and those of cockroaches. Because mouse droppings will be mostly smooth. It will also be pointed at each end (unlike roach feces which is blunt), and sometimes has small hairs from the animal’s body stuck to it (which roaches of course don’t have).

                          Droppings From Small Cockroaches

                          Magnifying glass showing droppings from small roach species such as brown banded and German roaches
                          • Smeared cockroach feces, cast-off shell casings and dead body parts
                            Liz Kasameyer, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
                          • German cockroach droppings and egg cases encrusting a sink and faucet
                            Liz Kasameyer, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
                          • German cockroach cockroach droppings left behind on paper after an infestation
                            Gary Alpert, Harvard University

                          The droppings from small cockroaches is different. Not just in size, but in shape. Small species like Brown-Banded and German cockroaches leave behind tiny brown or black specks or stains. The droppings can look like coarse ground coffee or grains of coarse black pepper, while the stains can be inky, smeared, or raised.

                          If you had to distinguish German cockroach frass from that of Brown-Banded cockroaches, you’d find that German roach frass was moister (more smeary), due to the German roach’s preference for wetter environments.

                          Frass From Baby Cockroaches

                          Baby cockroaches (called nymphs) produce feces similar to adult roaches, but smaller. The droppings of large cockroach nymphs are small, cylindrical, and ridged, while those of small cockroach nymphs are minuscule brown or black specks.

                          Does Roach Feces Have a Smell?

                          Does cockroach feces have a smell? Absolutely. It stinks. It also has an acrid, oily odor, but what your nose smells is only half the story. Because the odor roach droppings give off harbors a sinister secret.

                          It conveys signals to other cockroaches that they’re around, provides a trail for other roaches to follow, and ultimately helps them find each other.

                          Which means that the smell of roach excrement isn’t just bad. It’s actually attracting more roaches.

                          Can There Be Droppings But No Roaches?

                          In a word, yes. There can droppings from roaches that once lived inside your house, but have died or somehow left (like from a past extermination). Unless a roach or other insect eats it, or you knuckle down and clean it up, the droppings will just sit there, slowly decaying and sometimes molding for many, many years.

                          One way to tell if you have an active cockroach infestation is to clean up all the droppings you’ve found, then monitor your home to see if more appears. If it stays roach dropping-free, you probably don’t have a current infestation. If you find that more droppings appear however, it means it’s time to get those roaches out.

                          Can Cockroach Droppings Make You Sick?

                          Can cockroach poop make you sick

                          Even if you don’t have an active infestation, roach feces is a bad thing to have around. Can roach it make you sick? Yes, it can.

                          Cockroach droppings (and shed skin) contain proteins that trigger allergies and asthma attacks in some people. They may even cause children to develop asthma. These proteins can linger in the home even longer than the feces themselves, remaining dangerous for years after the roaches themselves have gone.

                          Not only that, but cockroaches’ eating and living habits bring them into contact with bacteria, mold, fungi, viruses, and worms that they leave behind in their feces.

                          Couple that with the fact that roaches go to the bathroom literally everywhere, including in the food that you and your family eat.

                          Let that sink in for a moment. It means that if cockroaches are living anywhere inside your home, there’s a good chance you’re ingesting cockroach excrement.

                          Now consider this: Food poisoning can be caused by roach feces. And if the harmful bacteria that’s sometimes carried by cockroaches spreads from your digestive system to your blood stream, it could – potentially – even kill you.

                          How to Clean Roach Droppings

                          Vacuum cleaner cleaning carpet
                          Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

                          Cleaning feces and cockroach smear marks is nobody’s idea of a good time. But with your family’s health and safety on the line, you’ll be more than glad you did.

                          Suit Up

                          Suit up before you get to work. Old clothes are fine, and put on a pair of gloves. Purchase a protective face mask or a respirator to reduce exposure to potential airborne allergens.

                          Vacuum

                          Plan to vacuum first, using the vacuum to remove loose, dry roach droppings that have accumulated over time. Since vacuuming can stir up allergens, you’ll want to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to keep the air around you safe. If a HEPA vacuum isn’t available, soak the feces in disinfectant spray instead, then wipe it up by hand.

                          Clean

                          Everywhere that you find roach feces will require different cleaning methods.

                          • For carpets, start with the vacuuming tips above (you can scrape off any dried, stuck-on cockroach pellets before vacuuming to get most of it off first). Next, either use a carpet detergent (read the label to determine how much to dilute it) or mix up white vinegar, dish soap, and water (one teaspoon each of vinegar and soap to a full spray bottle of water) and spray the area. Scrub to work the soap into the carpeting. Let it fully dry before vacuuming again.
                          • On walls and hardwood, tile, cabinets, or vinyl flooring, choose a disinfectant spray that is safe for the material. Spray the affected area and leave it on for the recommended amount of time, then scrub to get out the stains.
                          • If you find roach droppings on your clothes, first scrape off any dried there, then treat stains and wash in the warmest water that is safe for the fabric.
                          • Cockroaches can also infest mattresses. As with clothing, the first step is to scrape off the dry feces. Next, mix disinfectant soap and warm water in a spray bottle, spray the area, and scrub with a coarse sponge. Spray again with just water to rinse the soap out, then let the mattress air dry.

                          Dispose

                          Since cockroach feces is so unhealthy, you’ll want to wash or throw away anything that comes into contact with it. When you’ve finished the job, be sure to wash (or throw away) your gloves and work clothes, and dispose of rags and vacuum bags, preferably in sealed plastic trash bags that animals or other people can’t get to.

                          Suggested Products If You Have a Cockroach Problem

                          To Find Cockroach Hiding Spots and Kill Them Quickly When You Have Just a Few

                          Recommended for all cockroaches

                          Exterminator’s Choice Sticky Glue Traps

                          Used to measure and monitor a cockroach infestation and provide some supplemental control.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          BASF PT P.I. Contact Insecticide

                          P.I. is a pyrethrin-based spray insecticide that kills roaches fast. Best when used as a supplement to other treatments, it’s not inexpensive, but far more effective than off-the-shelf sprays.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          To Kill Cockroaches Inside Your Home When You Have a Serious Problem

                          Recommended for German cockroaches and Brown banded cockroaches, as well as American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), and Oriental cockroaches when they enter in large numbers.

                          Rockwell Labs CimeXa Dust Insecticide

                          CimeXa is an effective indoor crack and crevice treatment. For best results, use alongside Advion Gel Bait and Gentrol IGR.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Powder Duster

                          Insecticidal dusts like CimeXa work best when applied with a duster tool. This inexpensive diatomaceous earth duster works fine with CimeXa, Delta Dust, and other recommended dusts.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          Syngenta Advion Cockroach Gel Bait

                          Advion first poisons the roaches that eat it, then others in a secondary kill. For the most effective indoor treatment, combine with CimeXa insecticidal dust and Gentrol IGR.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          Gentrol Point Source IGR

                          Gentrol is an insect growth regulator (IGR) that interferes with roach reproduction. It’s most effective used alongside Advion Gel Bait and CimeXa insecticidal dust.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          To Kill Cockroaches Outdoors Before They Have a Chance to Get Inside

                          Recommended for American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), Oriental cockroaches, and Smokybrown cockroaches.

                          Bayer Polyzone Suspend Insecticide

                          When used on exterior foundations, entries, and walls, Suspend insecticidal liquid stops outdoor roaches before they get in. It requires a separate sprayer (see below), and works best alongside a granular outdoor bait like Intice and an outdoor crack and crevice treatment like Delta Dust.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          Chapin 1 Gallon Multi-Purpose Sprayer

                          Liquid pesticides require a separate sprayer. This inexpensive pump sprayer works fine for smaller jobs.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          InTice Perimeter Insect Control Bait Granules

                          InTice is a granular bait that kills roaches outdoors and in spaces like your garage or attic. Used alongside a spray treatment like Bayer Suspend and a crack and crevice treatment like Delta Dust, it can protect the entire perimeter of your home.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          Delta Dust Insecticide Dust

                          Waterproof and long-lasting, Delta Dust is a crack and crevice treatment effective in high-moisture areas such as attics, exterior walls, and plumbing lines. Delta Dust is regulated and unavailable in some areas.

                          Check Price on Amazon

                          Next Steps

                          Cleaning up roach debris is the first step to living cockroach-free and ultimately reclaiming your home. The next steps are to get the roaches that have set up residence, and to keep them from coming back. You can attempt to do that by yourself (and we’ll show you how here), or call in a professional pest control service to do it for you (we’ll show you how to do that here).

                          Either way, by knowing what to look for and knowing what to do, you don’t have to live with the stains, bad smells, and health risks of cockroach droppings even one more day, so long as you take action.

                          Frequently Asked Questions

                          How to clean roach droppings off circuit boards?

                          Circuit boards are delicate. They need to be protected from water and kept away from cleaning agents. They also need to be protected from static electricity when exposed.

                          Take the same precautions you normally would when removing or exposing the board (such as wearing an anti-static wrist band). Then gently vacuum up loose roach droppings. Dip a small, soft nylon brush in isopropyl alcohol, remove excess alcohol, then carefully rub the material that remains.

                          How to Clean Droppins Off Books?

                          Because books are handled regularly, you might first consider whether those contaminated with cockroach feces should be simply thrown away. Otherwise, this site offers a good place to start on cleaning them.

                          Are Roaches Attracted to Dog Feces? Do Cockroaches Eat Cat Feces?

                          Cockroaches aren’t especially attracted to dog or cat feces, but will eat it when they find it. If you’re trying to eliminate roaches and are removing potential food sources, you should plan to remove any dog and cat feces, too.