Cockroaches


There are two common cockroaches in Britain firstly the Oriental Cockroach and secondly the German Cockroach.

The Oriental Cockroach (Blatta orientalis)

The Oriental Cockroach is a known major pest of buildings, notably cellars, basements, ducts, boiler rooms, kitchen, bakeries, toilets and bars.

Colour dark mahogany to black. The length of an adult is approximately 18-24mm.

The species is principally nocturnal and so not often seen during the day.

Because of its habits and feeding sites it is a potential carrier of pathogenic bacteria when associated with food. People find their presence and odour repulsive.

The Oriental Cockroach is widely distributed in almost all temperate regions of the world, preferring less humid and cooler conditions than other cockroach species such as the German. It has been shown to survive the winter outdoors notably in refuse heaps.

German Cockroach (Blattella germanica)

The German Cockroach is thought to have originated from North East Africa but now can be found in virtually all parts of the world. It prefers warm moist conditions and has consequently become a common pest of heated buildings, notably kitchens, larders and restaurants.

Colour: Light beige and is quite small 11-16mm.