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Cockroaches in Homes, Apartments & Restaurants
- Roach infestations are caused by unsanitary conditions -
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Summary: Cockroaches (aka "roaches") are probably the most important pest in structures where food is handled worldwide. Cockroaches are experts at finding and exploiting whatever food scraps we leave for them. They are generally, but not always, associated with unsanitary conditions.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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What are cockroaches?
 Cockroaches are medium to large size, light brown to black insects (see image right) that are probably the most successful structure-infesting pest worldwide. Most people think of roaches as associated with unsanitary urban environments but many species are not associated with human dwellings at all. Those species that do invade dwellings are called peridomestic. These pages will help you get rid of peridomesic roaches from homes and commercial property.
There are only a few truly peridomestic species and these are relatively easy to tell apart. Use these guidelines for identifying the most common species.
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German roach (adult) about 5/8" (16mm) long; note long antennae and dark stripes behind the head
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Peridomestic species enter buildings in search of food and water. Almost any foodstuff can attract and support these scavengers, and populations in a building where adequate food and water are present can grow very quickly. While roaches do not cause structural damage their presence often indicates unsanitary conditions that may be unhealthy. There are also concerns about them directly causing allergic reactions and spreading disease by contaminating food.
Roaches do not form true colonies like termites and ants but they do live in groups. They prefer warm and damp areas in out-of-the-way protected places, called harborages. Roach activity is usually highest at night. In fact, any activity in the open, during the day, typically indicates very high populations with individuals actually pushed out of harborages because of overcrowding.
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Roach control
Getting rid of roaches in a single-family home is relatively easy but getting an infestation under control in a large apartment building, or commercial building, is much more difficult. The difference is that homeowners can clean and treat every room. On the other hand, in large multi-family and commercial buildings there are often areas that are not treated for a variety of reasons.
In either situation effective roach control must include elimination of food and water sources, as much as possible, and the use of either poison baits, traps and/or insecticides. For infestations in commercial buildings, such as restaurants or apartment buildings, sanitation should be combined with baiting, as well as "crack & crevice" treatments. See all of our our suggestions for roach control here.
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Related information: [Roach Guide (pdf file)] You'll need Acrobat reader or equivalent (free) to open this pdf file; [Pest Control Reference Books] -- Roach control can be complex especially in multifamily dwellings or commercial buildings. If you are responsible for pest control in a commercial setting these reference books will be useful.
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