German Cockroach (Blattella germanica)
I. Life Cycle
- Female carries ootheca containing 30-40 eggs for three weeks
II. Behavior and Habitat
- Gather in dark, humid, warm places near food and water
III. Inspection
- Look for live and dead roaches
- Deposits eggs in hiding (crack/crevice)
- Nymphs molt 6-7 times before last molt emerging with wings and sexually mature
- Female can produce 8 ootheca birthing 300 offspring which can produce 100,000 offspring
- Prefer porous surfaces (wood or cardboard) as opposed to nonporous (metal)
- Mark porous surfaces with an aggregation pheromone produced in feces
- Used to attract other cockroaches especially immatures which feed on feces
- Harborage places include cracks/crevices, wooden cabinets, wall and ceiling voids, in and around refrigerators, washers/dryers, stoves and water heaters
- Have high water needs and will be found in kitchen and baths
- Fecal matter
- Cast skins and empty egg sacks
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