Brown Banded Cockroach Identification, Prevention, & Control Tips

brown-coackroaches

The brown-banded cockroach is one of the most invasive cockroach species alive. They love to infiltrate homes and offices to obtain food and shelter. These roaches were named for the distinguishing markings that are found on mature roaches and their young.

Habits, Behavior, and Diet

Unlike their counterpart, the German cockroach, who thrives in temperatures around 70 ° F, the brown banded cockroach prefers their living area to be much warmer. Temperatures between 80° and 90° are ideal for this insect. This is why people who have developed an indoor population of these insects notice them around ceilings, appliances and appliance motors.

The brown banded cockroach is typically found scurrying around at night in rooms where the light is off. However, it is not uncommon to see them out looking for food during the day, even if there is not an infestation.

The brown banded cockroach enjoys foods that contain a high starch and carbohydrate content. They do not have the same concept of what counts as “food” that we do, so they are found in extremely strange locations. Commercial grade glue is extremely high in starch, which is why these insects are commonly found snacking on the bindings of books, wallpaper adhesive, and postage stamps.

Lifespan and Reproduction

The adult cockroach of the species lives between 130 to 315 days. The average lifespan is about 200 days, which may not sound like a long time, but they can reproduce rather rapidly.

Each brown-banded female lays 14 egg cases in their lifetime. Each case contains between 10 to 18 eggs at a time. Once the female creates the egg case, she will carry it around for between 24 to 36 hours. After this, she securely attaches it to a surface to allow the eggs to mature. The amount of time it takes the eggs to hatch depends greatly on the conditions around it and can be between 90 to 276 days.

Noticed cockroach infestation? Call our expert to help.

How to Know if You Have a Brown-Banded Cockroach Infestation

There are many different signs that you have developed an infestation of brown-banded cockroaches. The most common signs that you have developed an infestation are droppings, sightings, and egg casings.

Droppings

Droppings are one of the most notable signs of infestation. This fecal matter is found in multiple forms, including specks that look like coffee grounds, or smears on counter tops and crown molding.

These fecal smears serve as more than just droppings. They are actually a communication method used by many roach species. Cockroaches leave smears and specks of fecal matter to let other members of their community know where it is safe to gather food. This is why it is typically found in dark or warm areas.

Seeing Roaches

Brown-banded cockroaches are notoriously nocturnal. Even though they prefer being out and about in the dark, they might be seen during the day in search of food. Other people report seeing them running away from light when they open a drawer or door and let the light in.

Click here to solve your roach infestation problem.

Egg Cases

Egg cases are typically about 5 mm long. These are not typically seen by humans unless they are deep cleaning their home. This is because they are typically in cracks or hidden surfaces. Typically these cases are only found after hatching because they become dislodged and fall onto a counter top or floor.

Hanging Out In Your Home

Brown-banded cockroaches love to hang out in warm places. The warmer the area, the better. Because of this, you are likely to find them when you move appliances, or open drawers or cabinet doors. People also report seeing them when they move picture frames, clocks and items in their cabinets.

These roaches are also rarely found near water, as they prefer dry areas. This is why most reported sightings are near ceilings or in cabinets.

Brown banded cockroaches have been proven to carry many types of bacteria and protozoa. A large number of these can cause gastroenteritis and diarrhea in humans. They are also known to cause flare ups of allergies and asthma symptoms.

Saying Goodbye to Brown-Banded Cockroaches Forever

The key to getting rid of brown banded cockroaches is to correctly identify exactly what species you are dealing with. While one elimination method may completely eradicate the population, others may just kill off enough to make the roaches feel as though their population is threatened. When insects of this type feel as though their population is threatened, they can breed much faster, causing the infestation to become unbearable.

While it may be tempting to attack your roach population alone using store bought chemicals, the low concentration of active ingredients can cause the roaches to build up an immunity to the chemicals. This makes them more difficult to get rid of, even for a professional.

If you want to say goodbye to your brown-banded cockroaches forever, call your local pest control professional and get the job done right the first time.

Published
Categorized as Cockroaches

By David Jackson

I enjoy learning about new pest control strategies and sharing what I learn at NeverPest.com. I aim to create a reliable resource for people dealing with all sorts of pest issues.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.