Oriental Cockroaches
Blatta orientalis
Color: Dark brown, almost black
Legs: 6
Shape: Oval
Size: 1"
Antennae: Yes
Flight: No
Oriental Cockroaches, Blatta orientalis (L.), are large very dark (almost
black, but sometimes dark reddish-brown), shiny cockroaches which live
in sewers and similar wet, decaying organic matter. They are sometimes
called “water bugs†because they come
out of drains, and “black beetle cockroachesâ€
because of their smooth, dark bodies. Males are about 1 inch long, with
wings that cover only about 3/4 of their abdomen; females are about 1
1/4 inch long, and have only short stubs of wing pads.
Habits
This species of cockroach often travels through sewer pipes. It survives
on filth and enjoys temperatures from 68 to 84 degrees. This is a cooler
temperature than that preferred by other cockroach species.
Habitat
Oriental cockroaches are often found in sewers and will enter structures
through drains. They find indoor harborage in basements and crawl spaces.
They can also be found in leaf piles and firewood outdoors.
Threats
Cockroaches have been reported to spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria,
six kinds of parasitic worms, and at least seven other kinds of human
pathogens. They can pick up germs on the spines of their legs and bodies
as they crawl through decaying matter or sewage and then carry these into
food or onto food surfaces. Germs that cockroaches eat from decaying matter
or sewage are protected while in their bodies and may remain infective
for several weeks longer than if they had been exposed to cleaning agents,
rinse water, or just sunlight and air. Recent medical studies have
shown that cockroach allergens cause lots of allergic reactions in inner
city children. They were even shown to cause asthma in children. These
allergens build up in deposits of droppings, secretions, cast skins, and
dead bodies of roaches.
Prevention
Good sanitation and habitat reduction, along with vacuuming, surveillance,
a baiting program, and some sealing of cracks can usually quickly reduce
or eliminate a cockroach population.
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