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Cockroaches
Cockroaches are one of the most frequently-encountered household pests, especially in densely-populated places like New York City. Severe cockroach infestations may pose a significant health risk, as they can contaminate food, trigger asthma and allergies, and spread disease.
These insects are known for their ability to adapt to a wide range of environments, making them difficult to eliminate once they establish a foothold in a home or building.
The most effective way to get rid of cockroaches is maintain good sanitation practices and address conditions that attract them in the first place. Eliminating any sources of food and water, sealing up cracks and crevices, and regularly cleaning and decluttering can all help prevent and manage cockroach infestations.
Common pest species found in New York:
German Cockroach
Blatella germanica
German cockroaches are the most common species of cockroach in the United States.
They are prolific breeders, and their small size makes it easy for them to get into people’s homes—usually by sneaking into packages, boxes, and other shipping materials or entering through cracks as small as 1/16 inch (1.6 mm).
They are attracted to warmth and humidity, often seen darting underneath kitchen appliances and sinks. They also like to hide in toaster ovens and heat-producing electronic equipment.
Size: 1/2–5/8 inch long (13–16 mm); about the length of a Skittle
Color: Light brown or tan
Shape: Long, oval-shaped body with thread-like antennae, 6 legs, and 2 pairs of wings
Legs: 6 spiny legs that can move very quickly
Antennae: Thin, flexible antennae that are as long as its body
Body: Long, oval-shaped body with a pair of short, outward-pointing appendages (cerci) extending from the rear; look for 2 parallel dark bands on the plated structure behind its head (pronotum)
Wings: Light-colored wings consisting of a pair of leathery forewings and membranous hindwings; incapable of flight
American Cockroach
Periplaneta americana
American cockroaches are the largest species of household cockroaches in the United States. Outdoors, they can usually be found around gardens, garbage, and sewers.
Indoors, they congregate in areas with high levels of moisture and humidity, such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, boiler rooms, and other mechanical rooms.
Plumbing issues in particular are associated with American cockroach infestations.
Size: 1–2 inches long (29–53 mm); about the length of a safety pin
Color: Reddish-brown
Shape: Long, oval-shaped body with thread-like antennae, 6 legs, and 2 pairs of wings
Legs: 6 spiny legs that can move very quickly (up to 5 feet per second!)
Antennae: Thin, flexible antennae that are as long as its body
Body: Long, oval-shaped body with a pair of short, outward-pointing appendages (cerci) extending from the rear; look for a pale brown or yellow halo behind its head (around the edges of the pronotum)
Wings: Large wings consisting of a pair of leathery forewings and membranous hind wings; capable of short-distance flight when temperatures exceed 85 °F
Oriental Cockroach
Blatta orientalis
Oriental cockroaches are primarily an outdoor species that tends to live around sewers, storm drains, gutters, and landscaping beds. They occasionally seek shelter indoors in dark, damp, cool areas of the house like basements, crawlspaces, and around the foundations of buildings.
They’re notorious for their foul, musty odor that smells much worse than other cockroaches. And unlike other cockroach species, Oriental cockroaches have a seasonal cycle that typically peaks in the late spring and early summer.
Size: 4/5–1 inch long (22–27 mm); about the length of a paperclip
Color: Black or dark brown
Shape: Long, oval-shaped body with thread-like antennae and 6 legs; males have 2 pairs of wings
Legs: 6 spiny legs that move relatively slowly and are bad at climbing
Antennae: Thin, flexible antennae that are as long as its body
Body: Long, oval-shaped body that appears smooth, dark, and shiny with a pair of short, outward-pointing appendages (cerci) extending from the rear
Wings: Males have short wings that cover 3/4 of the abdomen, while females appear wingless (only wing pads); neither are capable of flight
Brown-Banded Cockroach
Supella longipalpa
Brown-banded cockroaches are a small species of cockroach with a preference for warm, dry, and high places. They like to hide and deposit eggs in elevated locations like furniture, shelves, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, ceiling light fixtures, picture frames, and wallpaper.
Like German cockroaches, brown-banded cockroaches tend to get into your home via hitchhiking — usually inside infested furniture, electronics, and appliances.
(Photo: PestWorld.org)
Size: 2/5–1/2 inch long (10–14 mm); about the length of an M&M
Color: Light-to-medium brown
Shape: Long, oval-shaped body with thread-like antennae, 6 legs, and 2 pairs of wings
Legs: 6 spiny legs that can move quickly
Antennae: Thin, flexible antennae that are as long as its body
Body: Long, oval-shaped body with a pair of short, outward-pointing appendages (cerci) extending from the rear; look for the distinctive brown bands running horizontally across its wings and abdomen
Wings: Males have long wings that cover the entire abdomen and can fly, while females have short wings and cannot fly