American Roaches

The summer of 2008 has brought the nationalistic fervor of the Olympic Games into our homes as we watch athletes from all over the world compete. But one American team we can't bring ourselves to cheer for is the American Roach - especially if the team shows up in our own home. Common cockroaches in San Diego County include the German cockroach (most common, also known as a "house roach"), the brownbanded cockroach, the oriental cockroach, the smokybrown cockroach, the Turkestan cockroach, and the American. We are highlighting the American Roach today, not because we're hoping he wins gold, but because we have had an increase in the number of calls reporting this particular variety. Pictured above are three stages of the American cockroach, (r-l) the adult, the nymph and the egg sack, or "ootheca." American roaches are larger than the common house roach, typically 1 to two inches in length, and brown in color.

We find more American roaches in downtown San Diego than in other areas - perhaps because the buildings are older or because of the higher concentration of commercial buildings. They are often associated with plumbing problems, as they favor warm, damp locations and are known to infest sewers, storm drains, basements and trash areas. Here are a few ways to limit their access to your home:

Have a plumber check to be sure pipes are in good repair throughout the house.

Check weather stripping around doors and windows, and seal any cracks or openings to the outside of the house.

Keep landscape bushes and vines trimmed, especially near vents. 

Store trash in covered containers well away from the house.

Where practical, use gravel around the perimeter of the house.

Store food in insect-proof containers.

Properly dispose of stacks of newspapers, magazines, bags and boxes.

If you find you have an infestation of American cockroaches, clean and dry out areas where they have been seen, and call a pest professional. Baits and insecticides are useful elements in an integrated pest management approach,  but must be used with the above suggestions to gain control. To view a video on exotic varieties of cockroaches, visit the Natural History Museum website, here. Or if the Olympics have put you in an international mood, click here to view a "Crazy Japanese Cockroach Commercial."