Brown-Banded Cockroach

Category:

Actual Size: 5/16 to 5/8″

Characteristics: Brown with distinctive dark bands across the wings.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: Yes

Habitat: Attracted to warm spaces and often lives in furniture, behind picture frames, and in other dark or protected spaces.

Habits:

  • Are completely dependent upon our homes and buildings for warmth, shelter, and food.
  • A single female can produce up to 600 young in her lifetime.
  • Tends to invade higher areas of the home, such as upper cabinets or picture frames.


Brown-Banded Cockroaches in North Jersey

The name “brown-banded cockroach” derives from the distinctive bands of color found across the wings of adult specimens and the bodies of nymphs. Within North America, the brown-banded cockroach is believed to be present in most states and tends to inhabit buildings that maintain relatively higher temperatures. While this species of cockroach shares similarities in size and body shape with the German cockroach, it can be distinguished by the absence of two dark stripes.

Brown-Banded Cockroach Habitat

Brown-banded cockroaches considered obligatory domestic roaches, meaning they do not reside outdoors and depend entirely on the conditions provided within our homes and buildings for their survival. The brown-banded cockroach has earned the moniker “furniture cockroach” due to its widespread distribution throughout households, including non-food areas such as bedrooms, spaces under chairs and tables, and behind pictures and other objects mounted on walls. Females often look for warm and dark places to lay their yellowish-brown egg capsules, and they feed on a variety of foods ranging from human foods to dyes, glue, and clothing.

Brown-Banded Cockroach Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Brown-banded cockroaches are not aggressive and are not known to bite. However, their ability to reproduce rapidly is a cause for concern, as a single female can give birth to as many as 600 offspring throughout her lifetime. These prolific breeders are also known to carry and spread at least 33 different types of bacteria, making them a significant worry for homeowners. Foraging cockroaches can act as vectors for disease, leaving behind germs or bacteria in the areas they inhabit and triggering asthma attacks in individuals who are sensitive to cockroach allergens. Brown-banded cockroaches are commonly associated with the spread of E. coli and Salmonella, both of which can result in gastrointestinal infections and diarrhea.

If you suspect a brown-banded cockroach infestation, contact a professional cockroach pest control technician for help. To protect your health and your property, it’s crucial to get rid of the infestation as quickly as possible. Since brown-banded cockroaches can be tricky pests to get rid of, it’s best to work with a seasoned professional who knows how to eliminate the infestation for good.