German Cockroaches

Return to Pest Gallery German Cockroach

German cockroaches are the most common roaches found in homes and restaurants. Most cockroaches have a flattened, oval shape, spiny legs, and long, filamentous antennae. Immature stages are smaller, have undeveloped wings and resemble the adults. They eat food of all kinds and may enter homes by hiding within egg cartons, soft drink cartons, sacks of produce, firewood, etc. The German cockroach adult is about 5/8" long, and colored light brown except for the shield behind the head marked with two dark stripes, which run lengthwise on the body. Young roaches are wingless and nearly black with a single light stripe running down the middle of the back. German cockroach egg capsules are light tan.

They can develop into large populations and live throughout the house, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. During the day, these roaches may be found hiding clustered behind baseboard molding, in cracks around cabinets, closets or pantries, and under major kitchen appliances.

German cockroach females, unlike most other roaches, carry the egg capsule protruding from their abdomen until the eggs are ready to hatch. The case is then placed in a secluded location, with the nymphs emerging one to two days later. A female may produce four to six cases during her lifetime, each containing 30 to 40 eggs. Eggs hatch in 28 to 30 days, and nymphs develop in 40 to 125 days. Female roaches live about 200 days and males not as long. The roach produces more eggs and has more generations per year (three to four) than other roaches, and only a few individuals are needed to develop into troublesome infestations.

Roaches can foul food, damage wallpaper and books, eat glue from furniture, and produce an unpleasant odor. Some homeowners are allergic to roaches. The pests can contaminate food with certain bacterial diseases that result in food poisoning, dysentery, or diarrhea.

The following links will take you to pages with information on other common types of cockroaches found in Georgia.

Getting rid of German Cockroaches usually requires the use of baits however it is important to get the right concentration of the poison. Our roach control specialists can eliminate your German Cockroach problem, and give you ideas on how to roach-proof your property.