American roaches are the largest of the house-infesting roaches and are considered to be a major pest in the United States. They’re also called by the following names:
- Water bugs
- Bombay canaries
- Palmetto bugs
Despite the name, American cockroaches aren’t native to North America. Some evidence has led people to believe that they came from Africa on ships in the early 1600’s. They’re reddish-brown in color with a circular or figure-eight pattern on the thorax as well as a light-colored band around the pronotum.
Behavior of American Roaches
American cockroaches are considered to be largest of all the house-infesting roaches in the country. The males are very sensitive to the pheromones produced by females (called “periplanone-B”), which makes them committed to increasing their population. Females can produce sacks of up to 16 eggs after they have mated. But even without mating, females can continue to produce egg sacks (called “oothecae”) from sperm that has been saved.
Under ideal conditions female American roaches can produce one egg sack every six days, but they have the ability to produce up to two in one week. To protect their young, females will glue their egg sacks in enclosed areas that can serve as “hiding spots,” which they will try to camouflage by scraping up paint and cardboard they can use as cover. A female American roach will produce an average of 6-14 egg sacks in her lifetime, which is about one year. But in ideal conditions (such as in a laboratory), she can lay up to 22 egg sacks. This can produce up to 336 nymphs. Once they’re ready to break free, they can make a synchronized effort to make their way out of the sack.
Like others of their kind, American roaches will eat anything for their next meal. Foods, feces, and everything in between can be eaten by roaches. Anything that they eat or walk across can become infected by the bacteria they carry, and you may not know it has been there. That’s why you need to thoroughly clean surfaces and keep food covered. They prefer to live in areas where there’s an ample supply of food and water. They also spend a great deal of time outdoors. They communicate with each other through the use of pheromones that help them decide which areas are best for settling in.
American cockroaches are known to settle in families, and it’s not uncommon for many generations to live in the same area. They prefer to live in environments that are above 70 degrees. In spite of their name, American roaches can be found all over the world. When they venture indoors, you can find them in crawlspaces. But they can be found in any of the following places:
- Wood piles
- Dead logs
- Hollowed-out trees
You can find them in many outdoor areas, especially in Southern states. Be sure to speak to a qualified professional for more information about the behavior of American roaches.
Controlling the Spread of American Roaches
American roach control will typically require the help of a professional, but you can limit the number of American cockroaches in and around your home by doing the following:
- Use good sanitation and garbage disposal practices.
- Eliminate any points of entry and debris on your property.
- Don’t leave food lying around your home.
- Place glue traps around your home.
If you have an infestation of American roaches in your home and you need someone who does pest control in Corpus Christi, be sure to get in touch with Bug Busters Pest Control.