Interestingly enough, the German Cockroach did mot originate in Germany. More than likely, this roach (like many others) originated in Southeast Asia. These roaches began to spread throughout the world as exploration and travel become more prevalent. With roaches being associated with filth and disease, the official name was probably given out of spite and meant as an insult. In reality, the only thing German about this roach is nothing at all. In Germany, this roach may be referred to as a Russian Roach or a French Roach. No matter the name, these little guys are spread world-wide and infestations can get out of hand quickly. 

Indeed, a dirty home can definitely be a source and potential breeding ground for German cockroaches; however, filth isn't necessary. In reality, all a German Cockroach wants is water, food, and warm place to call home. What better place than in your kitchen? These roaches prefer the feeling of wood as their resting spot which is one reason your cabinets and are prime real estate. Much like Asian Cockroaches, the German Cockroach is drawn to warm areas close to a water source. When I say warmth, you should think kitchen appliance. 

Toasters are an excellent food source for the beginnings of an infestation. These areas are warm, provide PLENTY of food due to overlooked crumbs, and are very often kept on counters not far from a water source. It doesn't matter just how tidy you keep your home, it doesn't take much to to make a feast for these creatures. The smallest of grease splatters can feed a handful of German Cockroaches for at least a month. While they don't require filth to make a home in your home, leaving a pizza on the counter sure makes life a little easier for them. ​

Like most cockroaches, the German Cockroach is nocturnal. They prefer to be out and about when the sun is down and the lights are out. So, if you're seeing one or two out on the counter during the day, you can almost bet there are plenty more hiding away. 

These females will carry their egg casings for nearly a month. Each egg sack can contain 35-50 eggs inside. When it's closer to hatching time, the female will drop the egg casing in a secure location. To insure that the ootheca isn't released too soon (resulting in the death of the eggs), the female German Cockroach will stay extremely still for a few days before it's time to hatch. In her adult lifetime (around 30-40 weeks), the German cockroach can produce 6-8 egg cases resulting in a possible 400 offspring. That's 10 new roaches EVERY week from one female. In a year, that single female could be the cause of almost half a million roach children, grand children, and great grand children!! 

German cockroaches can single-handedly render all the food in your home as useless. As these roaches move around, they secrete a fecal material contaminating everything they touch. Guess what? This fecal matter also produces a pheromone that brings in MORE roaches. These secretions lead to allergic reactions and disease ridden bacteria covering your kitchen, bathroom, and home.  In extremely bad infestations, these nasty roaches have been reported to BITE humans as well as feed off of food particles left on their faces while they sleep!! German cockroaches are nasty, vile, and disgusting creatures, but they can be stopped.  

If you fear that your home may be under attack by German Cockroaches, give us a call at Champion Pest Management. We will come out, take great care of you, and return your home to its proper owners. 

 Aside from termites, cockroaches are the number one expense when it comes to pest control in the United States. It's a huge slice of the 7.5 billion dollars spent in the US on pest control a year. With that kind of money going out, it's extremely important to make sure that your hard earned dough is being put to good use, so proper identification and treatment is essential. 

Biologically speaking, most of these home invaders are very similar to one another in the idea that they prefer dark hideouts. Cracks and voids are typically where these guys like to hang out. They do this, so they can avoid air movement. Roaches are not a huge fan of vibration and air moving over them. 

Cockroaches are omnivorous which means they don't discriminate when it comes to their dinner menu, and these little guys are hungry to eat both plant or animal matter.

​Have you ever flipped a light switch and been witness to cockroaches scattering about as if they've been caught red-handed in a conspiracy meeting? This is instinctual for cockroaches because for the most part they are negatively phototactic--in simpler terms, what this means is they don't like the light, and when a light is switched on quickly, these guys are frightened and go to seek out the comfort of their dark, tiny, damp homes. There are a few roaches who are drawn to light, but they still aren't a fan of being startled quickly with light. 

As pest control experts, knowing who we're battling is a key element in successful pest control strategies. In the United States, there are approximately 69 species of cockroaches, but less than 10 of them are what we would consider home invaders. 

​In the Charleston area, we encounter 5 species that Champion Pest Management works to protect you from under our service agreement. It's extremely important for our techs to first identify what type of pest you may be dealing with in order to customize the best treatment for your home or business. In this post, we will discuss some basic characteristics of these 5 species and how they vary from one another. In the weeks to come, keep an eye out for our roach series where I'll devote more attention to each type of cockroach.