• Blog
  • Main Website
  • Commercial Pest Control
  • Pest Control Reviews
  • Contact Us
deBugged
  • Blog
  • Main Website
  • Commercial Pest Control
  • Pest Control Reviews
  • Contact Us
Home  /  Crawling Insects  /  What does a cockroach look like?
cockroaches control ireland
08 June 2018

What does a cockroach look like?

Written by admin
Crawling Insects american cockroach, cockroaches, german cockroaches, Oriental cockroaches Leave a Comment

Let’s face it, cockroaches aren’t the most beautiful pests out there. The fact that they eat both faeces and other cockroaches doesn’t help in the matter.

These crawling insects can be a big concern for both homeowners and businesses alike. Equipping yourself with the knowledge and understanding of what a cockroach looks like can save you both time and money, helping to proactively react to any cockroach infestations that might develop.

How to identify cockroaches

As with most insects, cockroaches have 3 pairs of legs, large compound eyes and two antennae. Their bodies are divided into a thorax of three segments and a ten-segmented abdomen.

It’s important to note that the appearance of cockroaches can differ slightly depending on the species. With that in mind, to successfully identify a cockroach, you need to understand what the common species look like to determine which one has decided to inhabit your property.

Types of cockroaches

There are around 4,600 different species of cockroaches currently in existence. Of those 4,600, only 30 species of cockroaches are associated with human environments, and of those 30, only 4 are considered pests.

The 3 most common species of cockroaches are:

  • American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
  • German cockroach (Blattella germanica)
  • Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis)

What do American cockroaches look like?

  • 35-40mm in length;
  • Shiny reddish brown colour;
  • Area behind the head is outlined by a yellow band;
  • Wings fully cover their body, with the male’s wings being longer than the females.

What do Oriental cockroaches look like?

  • 35-40mm in length;
  • Dark brown or black in colour;
  • Female wings are underdeveloped and have a wider body;
  • Males wings cover 2/4 of their body.

What do German cockroaches look like?

  • 12-15mm in length;
  • Light brown/tan in colour;
  • Has two dark, parallel streaks on their pronotum;
  • Males are thinner and slender than the females and have a tapered abdomen.

Do cockroaches have wings?

Yes, cockroaches do have wings. They have a set of wings which are attached to the second and third segments of the thorax. The first pair of wings are adapted to protect the cockroach’s body and cover the wings when not in flight, whilst the hind wings are used for flight.

However, it is important to note, that although cockroaches have wings, they aren’t strong fliers at all. To quote Buzz Lightyear, they simply “fall with style” and only glide for short distances. It is much more efficient and quicker for them to run.

Think you might have a cockroach problem in your home or business? Get in contact with the experts at Rentokil today for immediate assistance. We are here to help.

Share On
 Previous Article Where do cockroaches live?
Next Article   Heatwave: Top 5 Pesky Pests and Prevention Tips

Related Posts

  • Bed Bugs Are Back

    September 29, 2022
  • How to Get Rid of Flying Ants

    May 27, 2022
  • The amount of silverfish in Ireland’s capital has been nearly ‘Dublin’!

    March 24, 2022
  • How To Catch Bed Bugs In Your Home & Business

    February 19, 2021
admin

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Need some advice?

Talk to one of our experts:

For your Home

0818 882 438

For your Business

0818 882 428

Checking...

Ouch! There was a server error.
Retry »

Sending message...

Quick Form

Fill in the form below and we will be in touch soon


Find us on Twitter

Find us on Facebook

Find Us on LinkedIn

Rentokil Pest Control

Rentokil Pest Control is part of Rentokil Initial — one of the world’s largest providers of business services. Formed over 80 years ago, the company has grown to become UK’s longest-established, best known and most trusted pest control service provider.

Camberley.
3,500+ employees



Rentokil Pest Control

Categories

  • Birds
  • Commercial Pest Control
  • Countries
  • Crawling Insects
  • Flying Insects
  • Property Care
  • Rodents

SUBSCRIBE TO THE DEBUGGED BLOG


Latest Video

Recent Posts

  • Bed Bugs Are Back September 29, 2022
  • Sting for Irish homeowners as wasps may be sticking around! August 31, 2022
  • How to Prevent Flies in House July 21, 2022
  • Are Horse Fly Bites Harmful? June 20, 2022

© 2022 Rentokil Initial plc and subject to the conditions in the Legal Statement.

  • Pestaurant
  • Noises in the Attic
  • Top Household Pests
  • Specialist Services
  • Why Rentokil
  • RI Supplier Code
  • Supplier Terms and Conditions
  • Manage Cookies
  • Company Information
  • Legal Statement
  • RI Supplier Code
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • eBilling
myRentokil
myLearning
  • Ambius.ie Ambius.ie
  • Initial.ie Initial.ie
  • Rentokil-Initial.com Rentokil-Initial.com