What Is The Difference Between German And Oriental Cockroaches?

The German cockroach (Blattella germanica)

Oriental and German cockroaches are commonly found indoors and outdoors when temperatures are warmer. Both types of cockroaches are common in Southern California during every month because of the mild climate. Although both types of roaches have an equal effect of frightening home occupants, there are some differences.

Differences Of Oriental And German Cockroaches

If you were to look under a magnifying glass, the abdominal lines and shell surface of each type of roach would look different. The main difference between the two is their shell color. Oriental cockroaches are often shiny and dark reddish-brown to black. German roaches are a dark to reddish-brown color and are not usually as shiny. While German cockroaches are typically shorter than an inch in length, Oriental roaches may be longer. German cockroaches are especially problematic because they are one of the fastest-breeding types of roaches.

Dangers Of Cockroaches

All types of cockroaches feed on bacteria. They are often found in sewer drains, and they may come up through the pipes into your sinks and showers. These pests feed on garbage, sink residue or any food that is accessible in poorly sealed containers. The main danger is the spread of bacteria. They contaminate food supplies and are known to regurgitate and defecate where they eat. For some businesses, cockroaches pose an additional damage threat of a ruined reputation. This is especially true for restaurants and food stores.

What Attracts Cockroaches

Anything from garbage to crumbs may attract cockroaches. If you live in a condominium, roaches may enter your home in search of food from a neighboring unit where there is an existing infestation. Roaches are also attracted to moisture from leaky pipes indoors or damp areas outdoors. Oriental cockroaches are known to feed on rotting vegetation outdoors.

How Professional Pest Control Helps

Avoid using sticky traps for cockroaches. This only catches a few. Roaches can lay hundreds of eggs in their short lifetime and breed quickly, which means that there are always more hiding nearby. At Premium Termite & Pest Control, we use high-quality bait to quickly and effectively eliminate roach populations. The bait will not harm your family members or pets. It is toxic to roaches. Since they are cannibalistic pests, they feed on the carcasses of roaches that die from the bait. This creates a deadly domino effect for their colony.

Please call us today for a free roach control quote. We also handle a wide variety of other pest infestations. Our company serves Long Beach, Lancaster, and several surrounding SoCal areas.