German Cockroach

Cockroach (German Cockroach)

Binomial Name: Blatella germanicagerman20cockroach

Identification:

  • Overall Length: Adult is 10-15mm
  • Colour: Adult is yellowish-brown
  • Other Features:  Two distinctive dark parallel bands run the length of the pronotum on the adult and full body on the nymph

Life Cycle:  Eggs are laid in egg cases with about 38 eggs per case.  The adult female drops each case close to food, 1-2 days before the eggs hatch.  Mating only once, the adult female can produce up to 7 of these case in a lifetime.  The nymph (immature cockroach) moults or sheds its skin 5-7 times before it reaches maturity.  The life span of an adult is 125-150 days.

Behaviour: The German cockroach develops rapidly under suitable conditions preferring a warm and moist environment.  Consequently, it is a frequent pest in kitchens, food storage areas and bathrooms.

Signs of Infestation:  Harbouring sites (places where the cockroach hides and rest) include crevices behind sinks, beneath counters, under kitchen equipment, motor compartments, within electrical fuse boxes, inside telephones and under broken plaster.