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How to Identify Cockroaches

Cockroaches can be a menace in homes, hospitals, warehouses and restaurants. Almost all species of cockroach can transmit illness-causing bacteria. Follow these steps to identify cockroaches.

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    Difficulty:
    Moderately Easy

    Instructions

      • 1

        Size up the insect. Cockroaches are medium to large insects with broad, flat bodies and long antennae.

      • 2

        Look for wings. Once cockroaches have matured, they develop thin, membrane-like wings. Not seeing wings? It might be a nymph, which is a younger, less mature cockroach that has not yet developed wings.

      • 3

        Identify the species. The insect might be a German cockroach if you found it inside. The German cockroach likes warm, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms and frequently shows up in multi-family dwellings like apartment buildings. Find it in the basement or near water drains? It might be an oriental cockroach, a species that likes cooler, wetter places. Find your cockroach in the attic or in your garage? It might be the smoky brown cockroach; nymphs of this species sometimes have white segments on their antennae and on their backs which makes them a bit more recognizable. Or, if you found your cockroach outside, it may be an American cockroach, especially if you live in a warm, humid area and you found your cockroach near a sewer grate.

    Tips & Warnings

    • You need to correctly identify the species of cockroach that you are dealing with in order to figure out how to eliminate your cockroach problem.

    • If you have a cockroach issue, store food in airtight containers and keep your trash in a sealed container.

    • Many people confuse cockroaches and beetles; one of the main differences is seen in the wings.

    • A wide variety of options are available for eliminating (or, at the very least, controlling) cockroaches.

    • You will need to be quick if you think you have German cockroaches; they reproduce more rapidly than most other species.

    • In order to get rid of cockroaches, you need to find all of the locations where they are living.

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    Comments

    • warbird5 Nov 02, 2008
      trying to indentify a flee sized insect in my kichen with a dark color, soft body that squashes easily and always just one....on wall or countertop. Moves slowly.
    • warbird5 Nov 02, 2008
      trying to indentify a flee sized insect in my kichen with a dark color, soft body that squashes easily and always just one....on wall or countertop. Moves slowly.
    • kellyjo Apr 16, 2008
      I have yet to identify this type of bug - it looks like a cockroach to me but I cannot seem to find the exact pattern from any of the roaches in pictures on the internet. The type I am finding has lighter brown with dark stripes on the head with a black body that narrows slightly compared to the head. Is there a way I can submit a picture I have taken of a dead one for someone to identify the type?

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