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German Roach Blatella Germanica/Easy to get/hard to get rid of.


R.O.A.C.H

R – Reproduction. These guys breed very quickly – like rabbits.

O – Other places. German roaches don’t generally crawl in from the yard but hitchhike in from other locations.

A – Actively inspect. Check any used or other suspect items that may be coming into your house.

C – Clean. Don’t make your house too comfortable for these guys.

H – Home. It’s your living space, not theirs – protect it!

Lets face it everybody hates roaches and every one has the occasional visitor be it the American Roach, Brown Banded, Oriental or the Smokey Brown Roach. All carry germs and in the pest control industry, they rank as one of the most common household bugs. While we don’t like any roach in our homes, there is one particular species that we really don’t want around as it it is the most difficult to eradicate – the German cockroach.

In the US, the German cockroach is the most common type of cockroach found in indoor structures like homes and restaurants. A key distinguishing characteristic of the German roach is the two dark, parallel stripes going down it’s back. This bug is about 1/2 – 1/3 the length of the larger roach species such as the American or Oriental cockroach and adults measure 1/2 – 5/8-inch long. Although the German roach is smaller, it is a far bigger problem than its larger cousins.

The German cockroach is the cockroach of concern, the species that gives all other cockroaches a bad name. It occurs in structures throughout Texas, and is the species that typically plagues multifamily dwellings. In Texas, the German cockroach may be confused with the Asian cockroach, Blattella asahinai. While these cockroaches are very similar, there are some differences that a practiced eye can discern.

The German cockroach is found throughout the world in association with humans. They are unable to survive in locations away from humans or human activity. The major factor limiting German cockroach survival appears to be cold temperatures. Studies have shown that German cockroaches were unable to colonize inactive ships during cool temperatures and could not survive in homes without central heating in northern climates. The availability of water, food, and harborage also govern the ability of German cockroaches to establish populations, and limit growth. None of this is an issue in Texas.

Eggs are carried in an egg case, or ootheca, by the female until just before hatch occurs. The ootheca can be seen protruding from the posterior end (genital chamber) of the female. Nymphs will often hatch from the ootheca while the female is still carrying it. A typical egg case contains 30 to 40 eggs. The egg case is a tiny, brown, purse-shaped capsule. It is about 8 mm long, 3 mm high, and 2 mm wide.

The German cockroach has three life stages typical of insects with incomplete metamorphosis: the egg, nymph, and adult. The entire life cycle is completed in about 100 days. However, factors such as temperature, nutritional status, and strain differences may influence the time required to complete a life cycle. German cockroaches breed continuously with many overlapping generations present at any one time. Under ideal conditions, population growth has been shown to be exponential. Actively growing field populations are comprised of 80 percent nymphs and 20 percent adults. The German cockroach is omnivorous, eating table scraps, pet food, and even book bindings.

Since the German cockroach is considered an aesthetic pest, the action threshold for this insect depends upon the tolerance of the people living in the infested dwelling. However, most people associate cockroach infestations with poor sanitary conditions and typically go to excessive lengths to eradicate them from their houses.

Insecticides in the organophosphorous, carbamate, pyrethroid, amidinohydrazone, insect growth regulator, inorganic, microbial, and botanical classes are available for controlling German cockroaches. Insecticide treatments are available in a wide variety of formulations including baits, sprays (emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders, microencapsulated), dusts, and powders.

Non toxic and low toxic alternatives for German cockroach control are available. Sticky traps can be used to monitor or reduce population size. Improving sanitation by eliminating food and water sources and clutter can have a significant impact on reducing the chances of infestation population size. Finally, exclusion practices such as sealing cracks and crevices will reduce harborage space and also negatively impact population size.

Call First Response Pest Control @ 214-864-0669 to get answers for any questions you may have.

Proudly providing pest control services to our neighbors in Highland Village, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Coppell, Corinth, Denton and Plano Texas.

Visit our website at: www.lewisvillepestcontrol.net

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