What Is Oriental Cockroaches?

Oriental cockroaches are called ‘water bugs’ because they prefer damp and humid habitats. They are larger species of cockroach that has been evolved from Africa. With smooth, dark bodies, they’ve earned the name “black beetle cockroaches.”

These roaches can infiltrate your home through openings beneath doors or gaps between siding. Also, they can enter the structure of your building through plumbing and drainage systems. So, let’s learn more about this cockroach species.

Adult German Cockroaches

Baby German Cockroaches Around Egg Case

Juvenile German Cockroaches

You can look for their physical features to identify oriental cockroaches. They have dark reddish-brown or shiny black skin colour and a glossy exoskeleton. Their size ranges from 1 to 1¼ inches in length. They have wings but can’t fly.

Another distinguishing characteristic of this cockroach type is its pungent odour, which is musty or oily. You can find these pests in moist places like basements, crawl spaces, and sewers. So, inspecting these areas can also help with identification. You can identify these features to treat, control or prevent infestations in your home or business.

Oriental cockroaches follow a distinctive life cycle like many other roach species. The female cockroach lays her eggs in a protected location, such as within cracks or crevices, and then transforms into a protective mother. After around five to twelve weeks, the eggs hatch into immature nymphs, which initially lack wings and are not sexually mature. These nymphs undergo gradual metamorphosis, developing through multiple stages before becoming fully formed adults with wings. These roaches take six to twelve months to complete their entire life cycle. Adult roaches can live up to six months.

Oriental roaches prefer dark and damp environments like basements, crawl spaces, and sewers. They can also be found outside in shady areas near buildings, gardens, alleys, and garbage dumps. You can notice them in areas with poor sanitation. As a result, they can carry bacteria and transmit diseases.

Moreover, they can contaminate your food and cause health risks. So, it’s essential to regularly inspect and clean spaces with high moisture levels to prevent infestations. They can adapt to different environmental conditions. It makes them a challenging pest to control or remove.

Dangers to Humans

Oriental cockroaches are commonly found in damp and dark places such as sewers. They can cause health risks to humans. These pests carry harmful pathogens and bacteria that can cause illness or disease. In addition, they can contaminate food and surfaces, and their faeces and shed skin can trigger allergic reactions or asthma attacks.

Therefore, it is vital to take preventive measures such as sanitation and professional cockroach pest control. This way, you can prevent an infestation and protect your family from potential health risks.

Infestation Signs

These pests leave an unpleasant, musty odour that you can detect easily. In addition, you may find their oval-shaped, dark-brown exoskeletons and small droppings in kitchen cupboards, on countertops, or even in your pantry.

Cockroaches thrive in dark, moist environments and often hide hiding in drains, beneath appliances or in other dark crevices. Seeing these signs of an infestation may indicate the need for professional extermination services to effectively eliminate the problem.

How Can a Pest Control Expert Help You?

Tom’s Pest Control Sydney offers practical solutions for Oriental cockroach infestation. Our team of experts uses proven methods and industry-grade tools to remove pests from your property. We offer customise services to suit your unique needs. They are designed to eliminate the infestation quickly while minimising disruption to your daily routine. Thus, you can trust us for a reliable pest control service. It will keep your home or business free of unwanted pests.

Call Us Today

Contact us at (02) 8073 9252 to book an appointment with our pest control technician.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can oriental cockroaches fly?

Oriental cockroaches may possess wings, but they are unable to fly. But this does not prevent male or female cockroaches from entering your home or business property in the bay area.

Where do oriental roaches lay eggs?

Female roaches lay eggs in capsules and carry them for about 30 hours before gently depositing them onto a safe surface near a food source. The females produce eight capsules on average. Each capsule contains 16 eggs that typically hatch within 60 days under standard room temperatures. Notably, the female does not affix the egg capsule to the surface.

Can oriental cockroaches bite?

Oriental cockroaches can bite, but this is not what makes them dangerous. Although a bite can result in a red mark, it poses no significant threat, provided the wound is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.