How do Oriental cockroaches get inside your home? They move through the sewer system and crawl spaces. They find ways in through drains and pipes. This pest also uses the plants outdoors which gives populations of cockroaches a chance to flourish. They then come into buildings as they seek food and water.  Oriental cockroaches also are attracted to leaky pipes and leaks in plumbing equipment around your home.

What is an Oriental cockroach blatta orientalis?

Oriental cockroach blatta orientalis

An Oriental cockroach, blatta orientalis, is a pest that is dark brown to almost black in color. A male's abdomen has wings that cover 75% of the abdomen. Yet, the female pests do not have wings. An adult Oriental cockroach is around one inch long; the female is around one and one-quarter of an inch long.

Are Oriental cockroaches bad?

The answer is yes, Oriental cockroaches are very bad. After all,  Oriental cockroaches tend to like crawling in garbage, excrement, and sewers.  An oriental cockroach transfers bacteria on their legs and body to other surfaces and food. Roach is known to spread Salmonella food poisoning.  Spreading various forms of bacteria creates symptoms causing diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.  Oriental cockroaches may bring about attacks of asthma, particularly in younger children.

Will these cockroaches cause an infestation?

Yes, it is quite common for a house to have an Oriental cockroach infestation. A lot of people think Oriental cockroaches look like water bugs. This is because of their fondness for water and damp areas. But do roaches like the cold? All cockroaches, oriental species included, crawl around bathtubs, toilets, service ducts, pipes, and radiators.  Their natural habitat is outside, but during the summer, oriental cockroaches will collect around sources of water in large numbers.

What are the Signs of an Infestation?

There are three basic things that signal a possible Oriental cockroach infestation. The three signs of an Oriental infestation are:

How do you identify an Oriental cockroach?

Oriental cockroach look like a water bug

Despite being named the Oriental cockroach, this species actually originates from Africa.  It is a large cockroach species.  Often people say they are like water bugs because they are known to congregate in damp areas. Another name for them is “black beetle cockroaches”. This is due to their dark, shiny black bodies.  These pests are about one inch in length. They are reddish-brown, dark brown, or shiny black in color.  They have an oval-shaped body with 6 legs.  The Oriental cockroach is found common in the Northern regions of the United States.

What attracts cockroaches in your house?

Although the biggest attractant of roaches inside a house is areas with moisture and water.  here is a list of other things:

  • A sinkful of dirty dishes
  • Floors and countertops with crumbs
  • Garbage
  • Pet food/water dishes left on the floor
  • An excessive amount of moisture
  • Leaving edibles in containers or empty cans

How do roaches get into your home?

One of the most common ways how cockroach enter house is through a “dry drain trap”.  This is a drain in a bathroom or basement that has dried up due to a lack of being used. Oriental cockroaches can also get into a home by way of any gaps under the siding. They can also squeeze under doors and crawl through pipes and sewers leading into a building or structure.

What's the best way to control roaches?

Good sanitation is the single best piece of advice for the control of roaches. Vacuum your home often, and clean your kitchen completely.  If you have excess moisture, think about the purchase of a dehumidifier.

  • Seal off all points of entry

Sealing off all points of entry of oriental cockroaches

The outside of your home should have all entry points sealed with a caulk that is silicone-based, particularly around spaces or cracks, doors, pipes, windows, and lines to utilities.  Ensure crawl spaces are well-ventilated to prevent a build-up of moisture. Eliminate any sources of standing water, and ensure to deflect it away from the foundation of your home.  In addition, make sure the splash blocks, downspouts, and gutters are working correctly.

Is it hard to get rid of Oriental roaches?

Although Oriental cockroaches have wings, they are unable to fly. It will require chemical and non-chemical pest control methods to get rid of an oriental cockroach infestation.  Below is a list of ways you can get rid of oriental roaches before calling a professional pest control company.

  • Keep containers stored with a tight-fitting lid;
  • Use a HEPA-filter vacuum and clean regularly;
  • Repair leaks and other issues with plumbing;
  • Make sure drain taps have caps;
  • Use caulk to seal off possible entry points

Where do these cockroaches primarily live?

Oriental cockroaches are a species that mainly live outside. One can find this pest under decaying organic matter, firewood, sewers, leaves, and stones. In addition, this pest may be found under porches and other voids in buildings.

What is the lifetime of them?

An Oriental cockroach can live almost a month without food. They can live without food but not without liquid. They will perish in less than two weeks without water.  These oriental cockroaches are entirely dependent upon the liquid. Adult oriental roaches congregate around sources of moisture in great numbers.

Do Oriental cockroaches bite?

Typically, the oriental cockroach does not bite a human. However, when roaches infested house, there is little sustenance available, and these insects may bite.

Is one cockroach a sign of infestation?

A cockroach infestation

Actually, yes. Some species of female cockroaches do not require a male for reproduction. Therefore, that one lone cockroach could be a female, and she is starting her own nest right in your house. The female oriental roach is always looking for areas to lay at least 16 eggs.  In addition, it is quite unlikely that she is the only cockroach inhabiting your home. After all, to a tiny cockroach, your home is a minefield full of goodies. If you do nothing to prevent it, they can live in your drains for months.

Do Cockroaches lay eggs?

The female roach doesn’t really lay a separate egg; instead, she lays egg cases. The egg capsules are called the ootheca.  There may be 16 eggs with embryos in a single egg case. In a female’s lifetime, she produces 10-90 egg cases.  It takes the egg about 24 to 38 days to hatch.

How big are Oriental cockroaches?

An adult Oriental cockroach is a dark, reddish-brown to shiny black color. Both female and male roaches may vary in size and appearance. Usually, they grow to about 25 mm (just under an inch). Some grow to be quite large and live for several months without sustenance. The wings of smaller males are shortened to a three-quarter length. These cockroaches look like black beetle to some people.

Do Oriental cockroaches infest homes?

These Oriental cockroaches look to infest service ducts, sinks, toilets, radiators, pipes, and floor drains. Even though they are more comfortable in an outdoor habitat, they do infest homes. Although they may appear to go dormant at certain times of the year, cockroaches are active 12 months a year.

Why are they in my home?

Cockroach getting inside the house

One thing to consider is how likely is it to bring roaches when you move. But typically, roaches travel through sewers and enter by way of drains and pipes. These cockroaches will flourish wherever they find sustenance. In addition, if your home has plumbing issues and pipes that leak, you are prone to an invasion.

How do I get rid of oriental cockroaches in my home?

The best advice for getting rid of oriental cockroaches when you get roaches in your home is to sanitize everything! If there is nothing to eat, they will travel elsewhere in search of something to eat. Keep lids on garbage cans and food in air-tight containers.

Is it bad to find a cockroach in your house?

The answer is yes.  Cockroaches spread disease and bacteria. The bacteria on their legs and bodies are even known to cause a form of food poisoning known as Salmonella. So you should also know how to not bring cockroaches with you when you move.

Are Oriental cockroaches hard to get rid of?

It takes persistence and patience to get rid of cockroaches. Oriental roaches require three major items. Take away these three things--their water, sanctuary, and food, and you will be rid of these pests.

How do you kill Oriental cockroaches?

Oriental cockroaches that get into the home are thrown in the dustpan

The best way to effectively kill Oriental cockroaches is to set up bait stations. A bait station should be placed within six feet of each place you found them. Each bait station should be a combination of the two things these pests crave--water and food--with a touch of insecticide.

Can exterminators get rid of oriental cockroaches?

You have tried everything. Your home is cleaned and sanitized--you could practically eat off the floors yourself; you have cleaned so much! You have set up bait stations. Yet, these pests are still here taunting you. It’s as though they are mocking you!  It’s time to call the professionals! A.N.T. Pest Control,  a rights-reserved pest control company, is ready to come to your rescue. Give us a call, and you will have the last laugh against these bothersome pests!

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New Lenox, IL 60451

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