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Everything You Need To Know About German Roaches

Although there are over 4000 species of cockroaches worldwide, German Roaches have gained a reputation as the nastiest, smelliest, and difficult to control insects. The ubiquitous German cockroaches are often found in restaurants, apartment houses, and hotels. They are health hazards since they leave behind castoff skin and disease-causing excrement as they travel.

German roaches can be difficult to control when they infest a place since they reproduce faster, spread disease, and survive on very little. In this write-up, we look at a few facts about German roaches and prevent and control them.

What Do They Look Like?

Adult German roaches are flat, light brown, with two dark, side-by-side stripes that start from the back of the head. Adult roaches range from 1/2 to 5/8 inches in length. Females can lay as many as 40 eggs and have up to 7 sets of offspring in their lifetime. Nymphs are smaller and boast tan stripes down the middle of the back. Even though they don’t fly, German roaches have a set of wings on each side.

Four Facts about German Cockroaches

They love warm and humid environments. German cockroaches will live in moist areas with temperatures between 85° to 95° F. You’ll find them under the sink, above refrigerators, and near various heat-generating equipment.
They stay hidden most of the time. During the day and when the lights are on, they stay hidden in ceiling voids, inside the walls, behind cabinets, inside appliances, and spaces between door corners and jambs.
They are scavengers that eat almost everything. German cockroaches can eat everything. With decaying matter and garbage being their primary food source, they are fond of starches, grease, meat, hair and even books.
Their eggs are not susceptible to insecticides, and adult roaches can detect and avoid insecticides. One reason why German cockroaches are difficult to treat and exterminate completely is that their eggs’ cases are impenetrable by insecticides. Moreover, these creatures will detect and move away from any treated surfaces.

How to Exterminate and Prevent German Roaches Infestation

Clean Up The Clutter and Spruce the Sinks: If you maintain proper sanitation, you’ve won the cockroach battle 90%. As mentioned, German cockroaches are scavengers that get their food from dirty and untidy areas.

If you want to banish roaches from your property, make sure that trash dumpsters are emptied and cleaned often, keep dishes clean, seal food containers, and get rid of all pet food.
Poison German Roaches with Gel Bait: Gel baits have become a favorite means of exterminating German roaches. These formulations of attractants and pesticides entice roaches and deliver a lethal poison when ingested. The best thing is that they don’t die right away, but once they return to the nest and bring the poison with them.
Kill German roaches with insecticidal dust: Insecticidal dust damages the exoskeletons causing damage that leads to dehydration and quick death. The dust is placed on ducts and voids in between walls, on window sills, and on gaps between moldings, and any other place that roaches frequent.

It is crucial that you consult a professional exterminator since using too much dust can scare them off. A fine layer will poison the German roaches when ingested through the mouth or absorbed via the exoskeleton.
Cut Short Their Reproduction Using Insect Growth Regulator: Since fast reproduction is one factor that makes German roaches challenging to control, using an insect growth regulator (IGR) can help interfere with their life cycle and ensure that insects don’t reproduce. When used alongside insecticidal dust and baits, IGR curtails the roaches’ lifecycle, while the dust and baits help exterminate these pesky creatures once and for all.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that German roaches are serious pests that need a comprehensive and coordinated control plan. Using the tips provided in this piece, you can exterminate roaches and keep them away for good. However, feel free to involve a professional exterminator if managing the German roaches proves daunting.

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