What You Need to Know About Cockroaches

Cockroaches are amongst the most repulsive of pests, yet they are also one of the most prevalent types of pests which can be found in homes, restaurants, shopping centres and commercial buildings.

Table of Contents

• What Types of Cockroaches are there?
• Signs of a Cockroach Infestation
• What to do if you Spot a Cockroach Infestation?
• How are Cockroaches Removed?

There are four types of cockroaches in Singapore: American (Periplaneta americana), German (Blattella germánica), Australian (Periplaneta australasiae), and brown (Supella Longipalpa).

• The American cockroach is the largest breed, extending to 1.6 inches in length. They are reddish-brown, have tri-segmented bodies, are winged, and have antennae on their heads.

• The German cockroach is shorter, ranging from 1.1 to 1.6 inches in length. Various colors present themselves, going from a pale tan to black. Although it has wings on its back, it cannot fly. Another distinguishing characteristic is two dark lines that run from the base of the head to the beginning of the wings, looking like an equal (=) sign.

• The Australian cockroach is 0.9-1.4 inches in length. A mask pattern of dark brown and yellow near its head is the most defining feature, and it is able to fly. Its primary diet consists of plants, though it is willing to eat food from kitchens as well.

• Finally, the brown cockroach is the smallest of the four, growing to roughly 0.5 inches long. It is also a flier and is recognizable because of its light brown color and two long, brown bands that wrap around its body.

Some of the common types of cockroaches worldwide include German cockroaches, American cockroaches, brown-banded cockroaches and Oriental cockroaches.

• Brown-banded cockroaches can be up to 13 mm in length, have two light yellow bands across their bodies. This type of cockroach can jump when disturbed, and also have wings (but only males are capable of flight).
• Oriental cockroaches can be from 25mm (males) to 32mm (females) long. They have glossy, dark-brown or black bodies.

All cockroaches are indoor and outdoor pests, although the Australian cockroach prefers the outdoors. Three also prefer warm environments except for the brown cockroach, which likes dry spaces like cabinets.

Cockroach infestations are messy.

One sure sign of an infestation is finding cockroach droppings around the home.

Nymphs (young cockroaches) will leave feces that are small and hard to detect, looking like pieces of black powder. Droppings from adults are larger and cylindrical.

Other signs are unpleasant odors and finding shell fragments underneath furniture or in hard to reach places. Because they are small, cockroaches can easily slip under floor mats, behind wallpaper, and through cracks in windows, doors, and walls. However, if they come in contact with liquid, they will leave a distinctive, greasy smear along a surface. Since they are nocturnal, seeing a cockroach during the day is another bad sign as it is evidence of an infestation.

In Singapore, cockroaches are commonly found in kitchens (especially in sing drains and behind appliances) and bin chutes, since they prefer a dark and moist habitat.

If an infestation is detected, immediate action should be taken. Each breed of cockroach produces 100-200 young from one mating pair, and they reach sexual maturation within a matter of days. It is likely for cockroaches to multiply exponentially into the thousands. People in flats should contact their landlords and pest control providers immediately to prevent the spread of cockroaches to other homes. If in a house, a pest control provider should again be called.

Cockroaches carry many diseases in their feces and on their bodies.

Gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, salmonella, listeria, cholera, leprosy, and dysentery can all be found in or on them, making it crucial for people suffering from an infestation to not touch them, their droppings, or any food that might have been contaminated.

Our Pest Control Operators (PCOs) will use a variety of techniques to control populations depending on the location of the infestations. For example, in kitchens our PCOs would use gel bait or spraying, outdoors our PCOs would use spraying and fogging.

Killem Pest has also pioneered a technique of bin chute flush outs for condominiums to ensure that cockroaches do not enter the internal areas of the buildings from bin chutes. Gel bait is a type of toxic gel (targeted specifically at and toxic only to cockroaches) that is applied in cracks and crevices, which are areas cockroaches are attracted to. Cockroaches will feed on the gel bait, return to their nest, and die. When this happens, the other roaches will eat his body and become poisoned themselves, dying and repeating the cycle.

To get in touch with Killem about a cockroach problem, call us or please fill in the form on our cockroach removal page.