The German cockroach is sometimes jokingly called the “five star cockroach” due to its close association with restaurants and hotels.
Despite its name, it is not native to Germany. Recent evidence suggests it emerged in south east Asia.
Invasive
Found worldwide.
German cockroaches are only found around humans and in areas of human activity – they are truly domestic cockroaches. Although they are found worldwide, they can only survive in heated buildings in colder climates.
They typically harbourage in cracks and crevices in kitchens and food preparation areas, but also bathrooms and laundries – they need access to water and food. In kitchens they will hide behind and under cupboards and crevices, in cupboard hinges, in dishwashers (including control panels, in and under microwaves and toasters, in extraction fans and more.
As they travel only small distances, their harbourage will be within 1-2 m of a food source.
German cockroaches live in aggregations – cockroaches of all ages (young nymphs to adults). Whereas the cockroaches don’t activity co-operate as a community, the young cockroach nymphs, which tend not to leave the harbourage, benefit from this arrangement as they feed on the droppings and vomit of older cockroaches.
Due to their small size they are able to live in large numbers in the smallest of spaces.
Typically, field populations consist of 80% nymphs and 20% adults.
Adults:
Colour: Tan to dark brown, with two dark stripes running the length of the pronotum (shield behind the head)
Size: Up to 15 mm
Males: Thin and slender
Females: Short and stout (wider than tegmina – leathery outer wings)
Nymphs:
Colour: Dark brown to black with distinct dark parallel lines running the length of the pronotum.
Size: From 3 mm
Eggs: 30-40 eggs per ootheca (egg case). Ootheca carried until just before hatching – sometimes hatching before the ootheca is deposited.
Number of nymphal stages/moults to adult: Varies, but most frequently 6.
Length of life-cycle (Egg to adult): 100 days
Life span of adult: Up to 6 months
Cockroaches will eat everything! They are scavengers that will eat any organic matter – A wide range of food and non-food items. They will even eat their dead nest mates!
Cockroaches are viewed as “dirty” insects, mainly due to their association with sewers and human waste. Indeed, they have been shown to carry a wide range of different diseases, in particular gastro bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, as well as a number of parasitic worms. When they move across food preparation surfaces and feed on any exposed food, there is always the potential to transfer these diseases to humans.
The spent skins and droppings of the German cockroach contain allergens that can trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks. German cockroach infestations in inner city tower blocks in the US are considered one of the major causes of childhood asthma.
Good hygiene is key to preventing a cockroach infestation:
More information on cockroaches.
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