All types of cockroaches are not good to have in your house. So why are German cockroaches the worst? There are lots of reasons German cockroaches are considered the worst. You will understand why and how you can find them in your house at the end of this article.
Roaches are nuisance pests that are commonly found in homes, restaurants, and offices. They are considered pests because of the way they infest your space and make it unconducive for you to live or stay in. Let’s find out more about German cockroaches.
German Cockroach
What Do They Look Like?
German cockroaches are small cockroaches. They are about 14-15 millimeters in length. They are the smallest species of cockroach you will find inside your house. What will make you recognize German cockroaches is the two dark horizontal stripes they have behind their head on their pronotum.
These stripes look like parallel lines and run across their thorax. German cockroaches are either brown or light brown. They can fly. They like other types of cockroaches have wings to help them fly but German cockroaches like to run more and only fly occasionally.
German Cockroach Habitat
German cockroaches prefer the warmth of indoors and are mostly found inside the house in places like under your kitchen sinks, inside appliances, garbage cans, and in closets.
Although German cockroaches can also live outside the home in outdoor habitats, they prefer living in a house where there is a limitless supply of food and water for them.
What do German Cockroach Eat?
German cockroaches will eat whatever they can find in your house like:
- Leftover food
- Clothing
- Soap
- Glue
- Books
- Dead skins from human bodies
- Other small insects
- Pet Food
Life Cycle of a German Cockroach
The life cycle of a German cockroach is made up of three stages. The egg stage, the nymph, and the adult stage. The circle will take over 99 days to complete. The egg stage is between 25-28 days. And during this stage, the female cockroach will carry the ootheca around.
This ootheca has about 32-50 eggs inside of it. If you look at the female cockroach at this time, you will notice an egg-like shaped capsule showing from beneath her abdomen. They carry this around under the egg hatches.
The nymph stage development takes around 6-8 weeks. The nymph is what the egg changes to. At this stage, the nymph is more concerned with eating food than it is with any other thing and will spend their time eating food to help them grow to become adults. After the nymph stage, the German cockroaches are now adults with fully developed wings.
The Life Span of a German Cockroach
When they get to the Adult stage, the German cockroach can live for around 200-300 days. That’s around five to seven months. They die out within a year.
Read also: How To Kill Cockroaches In Drains: 4 Easy Methods
Signs of German cockroach in a house
- German cockroach droppings.
- Its egg capsules and nymphs.
- You will perceive German roaches when they are in your house. They have this peculiar musty smell
- Seeing German cockroaches in your house. This is worse because it means you have an infestation. Cockroaches like to find food when it’s dark, seeing them during daytime is a bad sign.
Where German Cockroaches Hide in the House.
- In the kitchen, under sinks, behind appliances in the kitchen.
- Under your carpet
- Behind items of furniture and sofas
- Electric switches
- In closets or any cloth clusters in the house.
- Basements
Why Are German Cockroaches The Worst?
There are many reasons why German cockroaches are considered the worst type of cockroach. The first reason is that they live inside the house with you. They are not like other types of roaches that live outdoors and just wander inside the house occasionally. The German cockroach has adapted to living with humans and will survive any kind of condition inside the house.
Another reason is that they also carry diseases. So they spread this harmful bacteria to sensitive places like your clothes, your spoons and plates, shelves, and food preparation areas. Some can get into your microwave, dishwasher, pots, and refrigerator and contaminate it.
There is also the fact that they are very small and can fit anywhere. The smallest crack in your house is enough for a German cockroach to use as an entry point into your house. Let’s not forget that German cockroaches smell and this smell can cause coughing and sneezing reactions in people who have allergies.
German cockroaches are considered very resilient pest, their high rate of reproduction is what contributes to this. They lay many eggs at once with each eggs sac containing up to 50 nymphs. With this high reproduction rate, It is hard to get rid of them because they infest quickly.
German cockroaches cause damage to things in the house. They will eat your foodstuff and also your clothes. These are the reasons why German cockroaches are considered the worst type of cockroach.
Read also: How To Get Rid Of Tucson Cockroaches In Summer Months
Conclusion
German cockroaches are considered the worst type of roaches because not only do they live with you in the house, but they will also damage your things and food. They carry bacteria that can cause disease to you, your pet, and your children.
When you notice them in your house, do your best to get rid of them immediately. I have mentioned where you can find them in your house and signs to know that they are there. This will help you find them and get rid of them from your house. I will like to hear from you. Please drop a comment.
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