Having a bug problem in your home can be devastating if not handled immediately and properly. It can lead to a real drag on quality of life. When homeowners are facing these issues, it’s vital that they are able to identify just exactly what they are going up against. Timing is everything in these situations. One of the most common mix-ups we see for our homeowners is being able to tell the difference between American and German roaches. Being able to distinguish between the two brings you that much closer to the solution and can really make a difference in the process.
Equip Yourself With The Proper Knowledge
The best step you can take in pest control is by providing yourself with the knowledge of what you are actually going up against. This is especially true for determining if you have German or American roaches in your home. Never fear though, there are some key differences that will give you all the information about what species you are dealing with.
Spotting The Differences
- The American cockroach is the largest roach in the entire United States with bodies as long as one ½ to two inches long. While on the other hand, German roaches come in at only ½ inch to ⅝ inches in length creating a very diverse size between the two.
- The colors of the two roaches also differ somewhat dramatically and make identifying between the two much easier.
- American cockroaches are a reddish-brown with a golden perimeter around their body. German cockroaches however are a brown color with noticeable stripes all down their backs. Where the two species decide to reside can be the same in some cases but typically they choose to live in separate places.
American Roaches Prefer Outdoors
American roaches prefer the outdoors more often than not but will venture inside sometimes in the search for warmth or even food. If they are inside the home, they like to stay in damp and dark places like basements, wall voids, attics, and crawl spaces.
German Roaches Like The Indoors
German roaches however are indoor creatures that regularly stay in warm and secluded areas of your home. The types of places you will most commonly find them are in voids around plumbing, beneath and behind cabinets, in the back of drawers, and in cracks behind backsplashes.
Their Reproductive Systems
Finally, one serious difference and maybe most important of all between the two is their reproductive systems. German roaches can bear between 160 and 300 babies at one time, and eventually totaling out to 30,000 a year. This can lead to many more needed treatments to get rid of German roaches. American roaches only total around 800 offspring a year making them pale in comparison to German roaches regarding this aspect.
Chorbie Can Help
No homeowner should have to live with roaches and the unsanitary conditions they bring. Thankfully getting rid of and further preventing them is made easy with Chorbie for everyone here in the DFW metroplex. If you find yourself battling an uphill fight against pests, give us a call today and let us take care of it for you.
