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German cockroaches (the “small, annoying ones”) are one of the most difficult pests to control. If you have a German cockroach infestation at home or in your business, it generally pays to get a professional cockroach treatment, as pest managers have the knowledge and specialist cockroach products to eliminate the problem.
What do German cockroaches look like?
German cockroaches are a lot smaller than the American or Australian cockroaches, which many people think of when they picture a cockroach.
German cockroach – up to 15mm long. Mid brown. Two dark strips on pronotum behind their head.
Australian cockroach – up to 35mm long. Dark brown. Pale markings on edge of protonum and wing cases.
It’s also important to realise that, unlike American and Australian cockroaches, German cockroaches rarely fly.
The young German cockroaches (nymphs) are very small, starting off at around 2mm long – often confused as “small brown beetles”.
German cockroach life cycle
One of the reasons that a German cockroach problem can quickly turn info an infestation, is that female cockroaches produce egg cases that contain up to 50 eggs and they can complete their whole life cycle in around 3 months.
German cockroach eggs
German cockroaches don’t lay eggs. Like other cockroach species, the female produces an egg case (ootheca) which contains the eggs. The female carries the egg case until just before the eggs are ready to hatch. Shortly after “dropping” the egg case, it splits open, and the young cockroaches emerge.
German cockroach nymphs (baby German cockroaches)
Baby German cockroaches are correctly called nymphs. German cockroaches go through 5-6 development stages as they grow before they turn into an adult. Each time they shed their skin to move into the next stage.
German cockroach adults
Adult cockroaches can live between 4-8 months, with the female cockroaches laying between 5-8 egg cases during her lifetime.
German cockroach infestation
German cockroach infestations can develop quickly as they are very small and very secretive. They hide in cracks and crevices and due to their small size, a large number can fit into a very small place. As they are nocturnal, they are often not noticed until the infestation has developed and all the hiding spots are full, forcing the cockroaches out into the open during the day.
German Cockroach Pest Control
Our German cockroach extermination process
There are three parts to a successful cockroach treatment:
- Carry out a comprehensive inspection to identify all the cockroach hiding places
- Treat hiding places directly with specialist cockroach sprays
- Use cockroach baits and residual surface sprays to target any hiding spots inaccessible to spray treatments
German cockroach bait
Cockroach gel baits are a useful tool in cockroach control as they can target inaccessible or unknown hiding spots and use the cockroach’s nature behaviours against them. Pregnant female cockroaches and young nymphs don’t actually leave the harbourages, but they do eat the droppings (and vomit!) of other cockroaches. Foraging cockroaches feed on the bait, which contains a slow acting insecticide. They get back to the harbourage before they start to feel ill. Their droppings and vomit contain small amounts of insecticide which is then ingested by the other cockroaches in the harbourage, eliminating the whole population.
German Cockroach FAQ
How do German cockroaches get into my home?
German cockroaches only live inside buildings – primarily houses, food establishments and hotels. They will often get transported between buildings inside boxes and other luggage, sometimes as an egg case. In apartment blocks, they can move through the utility service connections.
How to prevent German cockroach infestations?
The best way to prevent a German cockroach infestation is to check any incoming boxes, especially cardboard boxes, for cockroaches or their eggs cases. For commercial customers, regular pest control treatments can help prevent any German cockroach infestations from developing.
What disease do German cockroaches carry?
German cockroaches have been shown to carry a large number of diseases, including a number of microbes that cause gut problems, such as Salmonella and E.coli. They are also known to be a major cause of asthma in poorly maintained inner city apartment blocks, due to the allergens from their spent skins and droppings.
