American Cockroaches

The American cockroach is the largest of the house-infesting cockroach.

Brownbanded Cockroaches

Brown banded cockroaches get their name from the two lighter bands they

have across their dark brownish bodies. In addition to the distinctive banding,

males have full wings, which reach beyond the tip of their rather pointed

abdomens, but females have underdeveloped wings, much shorter than their

broad, rounded abdomens. The lighter band markings are much more distinct

in nymphs than in adults of either sex.

Oriental Cockroaches

Oriental Cockroaches, Blatta orientalis (L.), are large very dark (almost black,

but sometimes dark reddish-brown), shiny cockroaches which live in sewers

and similar wet, decaying organic matter. They are sometimes called ”water

bugs“ because they come out of drains, and ”black beetle cockroaches“

because of their smooth, dark bodies. Males are about 1 inch long, with wings

that cover only about 3/4 of their abdomen; females are about 1 1/4 inch long,

and have only short stubs of wing pads.