You can often find cockroaches in buildings with food-handling areas, offices, hospitals, warehouses, or restaurants. Cockroaches also secrete a substance that produces terrible odors and leaves stains on surfaces. They’re also known for destroying paper products or fabrics.

Here are some facts that you should know about cockroaches:

Cleanliness is essential in reducing cockroach infestations.
Their cast skins, feces, or saliva can trigger asthma and allergies in humans, especially children.
Cockroaches also carry diseases that can lead to diarrhea or food poisoning.
Cockroaches become active at night and hide during the day.
You should hire a pest control company to treat and control them.

You can submit a sample to a pest control company if you have difficulties identifying the kind of cockroach you have at home.

What Are Cockroaches?

Cockroaches or roaches refer to nearly 4,600 species that are among the most primitive living winged organisms. They have a similar appearance to the fossils that are more than 320 million years old. The term “cockroach” is a deviation from the Spanish word “Cucaracha.”

Cockroaches are characterized by their shining brown or black leathery integument, long threadlike antennae, and flattened oval bodies. Their mouth points backward instead of backward like the other insects, and their head is bent downward. Male cockroaches have two pairs of wings, while females have vestigial wings or none in some species.

Difference Between an American Cockroach vs. A German Cockroach

Being able to identify the pest is the first step towards handling pest problems. Different factors teach you about the difference between a German cockroach and an American cockroach:

Size: American cockroaches are the biggest home-invading species. They measure about 1.5-2 inches in length. German cockroaches tend to be much smaller at about half an inch long.

Appearance: German cockroaches are characterized by their tan color with parallel, dark lines running from the ends of their wings to their heads. On the other hand, American cockroaches are characterized by their reddish-brown color with a thorax edged with faded yellow.

Location: Even if both pests are attracted to moisture and warmth, German cockroaches are usually found in bathrooms and kitchens. On the contrary, American cockroaches are likely to be found inside or around the drains, crawl spaces, or basements.

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Frequency: Because the German cockroaches are the most common species of the two, you may have to deal with them more frequently than American cockroaches.

Damages Caused by Cockroaches

While there are many differences in appearance between a German cockroach vs an American cockroach, they can cause similar problems. Because both species will build their nests in sewers, drains, or other unclean areas, they absorb many bacteria on their bodies. Both can leave a few traces on surfaces by simply walking on them.

Their body fluids also produce a faint odor. If you have an infestation, the smell can be overwhelming. Because they always look for food sources, they can contaminate pantry supplies and potentially transmit diseases to humans.

Other Common Pests You Can Find at Home
Fleas	If your pests have brought in fleas, you’ll notice it immediately. Fleas can be tiny, but they bite and jump around a lot, especially in the warmer seasons. If you’re dealing with a flea infestation, you should immediately get rid of them. Using flea treatments for your pets is one of the best forms of prevention you have.
Flies	From house and fruit flies to drain flies and gnats, you’ll always have to deal with them. Other flies sneak in through open windows or doors, while others are bred and born inside your trash can. Flies carry diseases and trigger food poisoning, so you also have to be cautious of them. You’ll usually find them close to warm areas like sunny windows or light fixtures, near garbage cans, or around fruits or drains.
Spiders	Homes have spiders, but they rarely bite people, despite their scary image. Indoor spiders are helpful to humans because they prey on other bugs in your home. They also keep pest infestations low. Keep an eye out for spiders in quiet areas, corners, or near windows.

Are you currently experiencing a cockroach infestation at home? Get in touch with Pest Guide to get reliable exterminators at your home as soon as possible.

“Frequent cleaning can help in preventing cockroach infestations.”

Need a Reliable Pest Exterminator?

Your chances of having pests like cockroaches, spiders, fleas, or bed bugs at home are pretty high. If they reproduce and breed, they can become a huge problem. Once an infestation occurs at your home, it is time to call the experts. Get in touch with PestGuide today to get rid of them at once!

FAQs About American Roaches vs German Roaches
How do cockroaches enter your home?
Usually, cockroaches get in by hitchhiking in pieces of furniture and luggage, cardboard boxes, and grocery bags. You can also bring in a pregnant German cockroach or an egg case in a cardboard box or grocery bag, so make sure to inspect those containers. Make sure to also check food for roaches before storing them. Get rid of empty boxes because these can become the breeding grounds for roaches. If you’re working in a cockroach-infested building, you can also easily carry them home. Your kids can carry roaches home from school in their lunch containers or backpacks, so make sure to check them every night.
What plants deter cockroaches?
Other plants have scents that naturally repel cockroaches. Planting them in your containers or adding these to your garden can help keep your home insect-free. Below are some of the plans that can help deter cockroaches: Peppermint Peppermint has a strong scent, making it an excellent repellant from bugs. Insects tend to avoid this plant. Peppermint has pink or white flowers and green leaves. It‘s often found near streams because they like having plenty of water sources. You’ll have to water them regularly. Peppermint also needs full sun exposure, but they can still survive with partial sun. They can also spread quickly, so planting them in a container will prevent them from taking over your garden. Catnip If you add Catnip to your garden, you can quickly repel cockroaches, weevils, and ants while keeping your cats entertained. You can keep them outside or in your home as long as it gets a lot of sunlight. You’ll have to move the plant outdoors for a little while every few weeks. It would help if you planted them in areas with well-drained soil. You’ll have to water it when the topsoil is dry. If you plant Catnip in spring, you’ll start seeing white flowers in summer, but blooming can continue for a while. Rosemary Rosemary is known to add flavors to your meals. However, they can also keep roaches away from your home. This herb has needle-like, grayish-green leaves that come with blue flowers. Cockroaches avoid its pine-like scent. Bear in mind that rosemary doesn’t do well in winter. You can place them in a container when temperatures start to drop, allowing you to bring them inside. It also needs well-drained soil and a lot of sun exposure. Even if it needs water, you’ll have to give them a chance to dry out before watering them. You know it’s safe to water them if the soil feels dry when you touch it.
What attracts cockroaches?
There are a few reasons cockroaches are attracted to enter a clean home, including: Accessibility Cockroaches come into your home looking for three things: water, shelter, and food. They’ve already developed the ability to use even the tiniest opening as an entryway into your home. Cockroaches can enter through the gaps between floors and walls, dryer vents, and exterior walls. Thoroughly inspect the exterior of your home and seal away any entryways you can find. Moisture Cockroaches need moisture to survive, and this will bring them into your home. Leaky faucets and pipes are the most common things that attract roaches. They’re also the main reasons you see roaches in laundry rooms, kitchens, or bathrooms. Cockroaches can also hide under air conditioners and refrigerators to indulge in their condensation. They can also drink from your pets’ water bowels when left unattended overnight. They also love hiding in the dark corners of cabinets, basements, and underneath appliances, especially those that use water. Food Sources Roaches will look for food sources wherever they can find them. Despite your efforts to keep your kitchen clean, they’ll munch on anything. In fact, they’ve been known to feast on human hair, soap, leather, grease, book bindings, wallpaper paste, or cardboard. They can often be found lurking behind pictures that have been hanging on the walls, in books that you’ve stored away for years, or stacks of cardboard in your garage or attic.