Cockroach

American Cockroach Info Sheet
FAST FACTS o o o o o o o Cockroaches have been around for over 200 million years, since the time of dinosaurs! A cockroach can live almost a month without food. Acockroach can live about two weeks without water. A cockroach can live for up to one week without its head! Cockroaches can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes! Cockroaches can run up to 3 miles anhour. Some female cockroaches only mate once and stay pregnant for life!

General Information The American cockroach is the largest cockroach found in houses. Females can hatch up to 150 offspringper year. Cockroaches don’t get their wings until the become adults. American cockroaches are also known as “waterbugs” because they are so commonly found near rich water resources, like puddles andwater pipes. American cockroaches are nocturnal. They rest by day and forage for food at night.

Size Shape Color

2” Oval Reddish brown, with a yellowish figure eight pattern on the back of theirhead 6 Yes Yes

Common Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

American Cockroach Animalia Arthropoda Insecta Dictyoptera Blattidae Periplaneta americana

Legs Wings Antenna DietAmerican cockroaches will eat just about anything, including plants and other insects. Habitat American cockroaches live in warm, dark, wet places, because they need to be near water. They areoften found in sewers and basements, around pipes and drains. Impact Cockroaches crawl through dirty areas and then walk around our homes tracking in lots of bacteria and germs. They can contaminatefood by shedding their skins. Their cast off skin and waste byproducts can also trigger allergic reactions, asthma and other illnesses, especially in children. Prevention * Keep cooking, eating and foodstorage areas clean and dry. * If you see cockroaches, it is best to call a pest management professional due to the illnesses they can spread. To learn more about this and other cockroaches, visit...