Cockroach Identification & Prevention

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Use this pest guide as a resource to learn about the cockroaches that invade Morristown, NJ, homes.

What are cockroaches?

Cockroaches are disease-carrying, scavenging insects we identify by their oval body shape, small heads, long, thin antennae, and spine-covered legs. In our region of New Jersey, the four types of cockroaches most likely to cause an issue inside houses and other structures include:

• American cockroaches
• Brown-banded cockroaches
• German cockroaches
• Oriental cockroaches

Though each species has slightly different behaviors and habitat preferences, what they all have in common is their ability to become comfortable living with people. While these insects are typically associated with dirty or unkempt homes, the truth is that these pests are opportunistic and can end up in any Morristown home.

Are cockroaches dangerous?

Cockroaches are insects that we need to keep out of our homes. They pose significant health risks and make us uncomfortable in our own spaces. When cockroaches live inside our homes, they produce large amounts of feces and shed skins that emit allergens into the air. Cockroach infestations trigger allergies and asthma attacks in susceptible people, especially in young and elderly populations.

On their bodies and within their excrement and saliva, cockroaches carry and spread many different bacteria and human pathogens that can make us ill. Common diseases cockroaches carry include salmonellosis, dysentery, listeriosis, and E. coli infections. Cockroaches are scavengers and feed on the same foods we do; when they are in our homes, they contaminate food and surfaces without much effort.

Why do I have a cockroach problem?

All it takes is for one pregnant female cockroach to find its way into your home for these insects to establish themselves within your home. Cockroaches can enter our houses in various ways; the two most common include moving inside through openings they come across or hitchhiking. Food and moisture are things that cockroaches can’t resist and are what regularly attract these pests to our structures.

These insects are regularly transported from structure to structure in boxes, furniture, appliances, deliveries, and even potted plants.

Where will I find cockroaches?

Cockroaches are nocturnal and largely stay out of our sight during the day. Daytime hiding spots are typically tight, dark spaces they can squeeze their bodies into, like cracks in walls, loose trim or backsplashes, and electrical outlets. If you are spotting cockroaches out and about during the day, a large infestation is present. Cockroaches typically only emerge during the day if there is food competition.

Most cockroaches like to live in damp, warm areas, making kitchens and bathrooms prime targets for cockroach infestations. Attics, basements, and crawl spaces are other places inside houses where these pests gather.