Small Cockroaches
Blattella germanica
General Information
- Small cockroaches are 11 to 16mm long and generally hide in the daytime
- After dark, cockroaches come out to mate and forage for food
- Small cockroaches can be very tough to control because they reproduce so quickly
Size
less than 2cm
Colour
Tan | Light Brown
Commonly mistaken for
Additional details
- Small cockroaches always live indoors, usually invading the kitchen, pantry, and bathroom
- They like to hide in cracks, crevices, or other protected areas that are suitably warm and humid during the daytime hours
- Food, water, warmth
- Small cockroaches are especially attracted to foods that have sugar, starch, or grease, but will feed on almost anything
- Some small cockroaches can pick-up, carry and spread harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella, to other surfaces that they walk across
- They deposit their feaces in cupboards, sinks, and on countertops
- They are a source of allergies and asthma in children (make sure to sweep up and remove dead cockroaches and their feaces to decrease this impact)
Eliminate their food and water sources and hiding places:
- Remove food spills and exposed food, especially near appliances
- Store food in sealed containers
- Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink
- Take out the garbage regularly and tie the bag tightly
- Toss out old boxes and newspapers that serve as good hiding places
- Clean and vacuum regularly behind ovens, microwaves, toasters, and refrigerators
- Keep food out of bedrooms and living rooms
- Keep storage areas dry
Seal up points of access to keep them out:
- Caulk cracks and crevices where cockroaches can hide
- Seal areas where they can enter your apartment from neighbouring units
Avoid common mistakes during treatment
- When using baits, be sure you do not place them on areas that have been sprayed with an aerosol or liquid insecticide. Cockroaches traveling over sprayed areas will die before they have a chance to bring the bait back to the nest.
- Never spray the bait with an aerosol or liquid insecticide – cockroaches will not eat it
- When using baits, be sure to remove competing food and water sources so the cockroaches are forced to go to the bait
- Replace baits at intervals prescribed on the label
- The more baits you can place and the closer you place them to where the cockroaches hide during the day, the better your control will be