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Most of the time when we consider cockroach living preferences, and the environmental conditions that sustain the roach, the word “tropical” jumps to mind. Thing is different species of roach like different conditions for their homes.
The Pennsylvania Wood Roach dwelling of choice is in the trees. They survive in cold, dry weather (a characteristic you might imagine just from the name) without any problems, though they enjoy high population levels in Florida, where they thrive in the warmth and humidity.
In cold climates when we see a Wood Roach indoors it’s usually because it just “happened” to fly in through an open window or door.
The majority of times I’ve found the Oriental Cockroach, they’ve been in attics, overheads, or crawling around the wall where it joins the ceiling. Though that area is warm from the rising heat of the room, it holds very little moisture. That suggests to me that this species of roach couldn’t care less if it lives in a tropical setting.
Fortunately the wood and oriental roaches don’t invade our homes often enough that they represent major pest situations in our lives.
The American Cockroach definitely wants tropical conditions where it makes its home. This roach lives in the sewer system in every major city. It not only likes warm and humid, but thrives in unsanitary surroundings also. American roaches don’t show up in our homes much. They’re more a pest in commercial buildings, hospitals, schools, and such. This species is tough to miss because it’s so big, about 2-inches long when fully grown.
Most sightings of the American happen when the roach crawls out of an unused drain, and goes scampering across the floor. They don’t swim well, so seeing one usually means the trap is dry. Simply pouring water down the drain and keeping the trap filled keeps American roaches out of your area.
In the home the biggest roach pest is the German cockroach. German roaches grow up to 5/8 of-an-inch long. This species is almost as fond of living in a tropical environment as the American, though as the family gets bigger the youngsters move away and establish nests of their own. They usually start in the wall by the kitchen sink. Then, when the colony grows it spreads to appliances where they seek the not-so-humid, but warm places. The motor/compressor compartments of refrigerators are favorite destinations.
Left alone German roach colonies spread through the house and settle in largest numbers in bathrooms under sink and shower areas, and laundry rooms around washer and dryer motors.
You probably won’t see these guy if you sleep at night. Along with their tropical preference, they like it dark. They’ll stay inside the walls coming out after food at nighttime, at least in the beginning. If you get up during the night for a drink of water, turn on the kitchen light, and see a herd of brown spots sprinting for cover, you know you have a large infestation of German Cockroaches. When the colony gets big enough the roaches are all over the place after dark.
Spraying kills the roaches you see, but remember that the highest percentage of the colony is always inside the wall. Sprays don’t get in there very well.
The best way to wipe out a German cockroach infestation is with bait.
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