Who wants to read about different types of roaches, you ask. After all, a cockroach is a cockroach, right?
Wrong, wrong, wrong! Cockroaches have been around for millions of years, and they haven’t spent that time sitting on their many cockroachy hands.
They’ve spent it breeding, and that means evolving. The end result of all this steamy cockroach loving is a group of insects that boasts around 4500 different species.
But don’t worry. You don’t have to learn them all. This isn’t cockroach college.
That being said, if you’ve got a roach problem on your hands, it would be mighty wise for you to get a little familiar with the most common types of cockroaches typically found scuttling around our homes.
4 Common Types of Roaches You Need to Know About
When it comes to invading human homes and businesses, there are four species of cockroach that are the main culprits. Why should you care?
Because these different species have different habits and different food preferences. Knowing what type of cockroaches you have can help you to choose the best product to kill them.
As ancient Chinese strategist Sun Tzu once said, “If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” He then went on to add, “Is that a cockroach? Ewww, gross!”
And with those wise words, let’s delve into one of the most common types of roaches out there…
German Cockroach
The German cockroach has next to nothing to do with Germany. This cockroach is found worldwide and is by far the most prevalent species in human homes.
Quick Facts
The German roach is the smallest species on this list, with adults reaching 5/8 of an inch at the longest. These cockroaches are fast-moving, and most worryingly of all, they’re prolific breeders.
If you have cockroaches in your home, the chances are good that it’s German cockroaches. And if that’s the case, you’re going to have lots and lots of cockroach babies.
How to Kill German Roaches
It’s not a good idea to spray for German cockroaches, or indeed any cockroaches. These insects are highly mobile, and once they detect that you’re trying to kill them, they will scatter. This can make a bad problem worse as the cockroaches spread throughout the house and find new areas to colonize.
The best approach is to use a poison bait. The cockroaches will consume the poison as they feed, and spread it throughout the population.
For the first few days of their lives, baby cockroaches feed on the droppings of the adults. Since German cockroaches have so many babies, baits are particularly effective against them.
Best Products for German Roaches
When it comes to getting rid of German roaches, you don’t want to rely on just one roach killer. Especially considering their high reproductive rate, you want to set up complementary bait stations that will wipe out the infestation quick.
So what are your best bets? Here’s what to stock up on to kill German roaches.
Hot Shot Roach Bait
Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Roach Bait is a good choice. This liquid bait comes in plastic bait stations, making it one of the easiest products to apply. Simply place the bait stations in areas of high cockroach activity and let them find the new food source by themselves.
The liquid bait is highly attractive to cockroaches, and will quickly spread through the population, killing them off while you sit back and cackle. Like a boss.
InVict Gold Cockroach Gel
This stuff really is liquid gold when it comes to killing German roaches. And the best part is that you can place little dabs of it anywhere that these unwanted pests are likely to trod.
Extra perk? Like the Hot Shot Bait above, this is also a very effective and pet safe roach killer.
American Cockroach
These bruisers are the heavyweights of the cockroach world. The average length of an adult of the species is 1.6 inches long, and some grow even bigger than that.
Quick Facts
The American cockroach species is also capable of flight, although they are not particularly good at it. If you see one of these miniature monsters in your kitchen, you could be forgiven for wanting to burn the house down.
But there are better options. Trust us and put the torch down.
How to Kill American Roaches
Baiting for American cockroaches instead can solve your problem without requiring you to replace everything you own and move to a new neighborhood.
American cockroaches, like many cockroaches, require high levels of humidity to live their best life. While they can go for months without eating, they will only last around a week without water. For this reason, liquid baits can be very effective on this species.
Best Product for American Roaches
But before you go reaching for the same bait stations you would use on a German cockroach, consider the size of these beasts.
The openings in the regular cockroach bait station may prove too small for an adult American cockroach to enter. Which is why you should go for one of the best American roach killers instead…
MaxForce Roach Gel Bait
American cockroaches are huge so it’s better to use a gel bait that you can place somewhere the cockroaches will find it. Maxforce FC Magnum Gel Bait is a product that has been around for a long time and has a distinguished pedigree in getting rid of cockroaches.
The gel bait comes in a syringe with an applicator tip so that you can apply the bait in the cracks and crevices that roaches love to hide in. Then all you need to do is sit back and let the poison do the rest.
Black Flag Roach Motel
As you can see, this roach motel is gargantuan as far as roach traps go, which makes it perfect for capturing the larger American roaches.
The way it works is simple: A special lure attracts roaches into the trap and a sticky glue inside holds the cockroaches in place. Roaches come in but none are allowed to leave.
But don’t let the simplicity fool you – this is a highly effective roach killer.
Brown-Banded Cockroach
Brown-banded cockroaches are similar in appearance to German cockroaches. However, their lifestyle and habits are quite different from the German cousins.
Quick Facts
Brown-banded cockroaches are more tolerant of low humidity than other species. As a result, Brown-banded cockroaches are often found throughout the home, whereas other species tend to congregate in areas of high humidity such as kitchens and bathrooms.
Brown-banded cockroaches also like heat, and so they are often found up high on walls and ceilings, where the air is warmer. Although they are less commonly found in homes than other species, their unusual habits can make them tricky to deal with.
How to Kill Brown-Banded Roaches
What makes killing brown-banded roaches even more troublesome is that, by cockroach standards, they are picky eaters. Plenty of baits that work with other cockroaches are not attractive to brown-banded cockroaches at all.
For this reason, you will want to use a cockroach bait that is specially formulated for this particular species.
Advion Cockroach Gel
Advion Cockroach Gel is probably the most well-known roach bait out there. It’s also often used by professionals because of its effectiveness. But more than that, it works on a broad range of cockroach species, including Brown-banded cockroaches.
Professional exterminators don’t always know what species of cockroach they will have to deal with, so they tend to favor baits like this that can be used in a wide variety of situations. Advion is an excellent product to use against brown-banded cockroaches.
Oriental Cockroach
The Oriental cockroach is one of the more exotic species that is nevertheless still occasionally found in homes.
Quick Facts
While not quite as big as the American cockroach, adults of the species can reach 1 1/4 inches in length. And their shiny black color makes them look like villains. Which, if you find them in your kitchen, they kind of are.
Oriental cockroaches typically live outdoors. From here, they will enter homes in the search for food and shelter. If they find what they are looking for, it’s quite possible that they will set up a home inside your home and make themselves very comfortable, very quickly.
How to Kill Oriental Roaches
Because they can live both indoors and outdoors, Oriental cockroaches require a different approach when it comes to baiting. Mainly, you want to ensure that they don’t get in.
Which means the killing should begin outside.
Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer for Indoor & Perimeter is perfect for this – it’s highly effective for Oriental roaches and the spray works like any other cockroach insecticide, but the formulation means they can survive the weather outside your home and provide a line of defense that other sprays won’t.
All cockroaches are not created equal. Therefore, neither are all cockroach baits. The first step to solving your cockroach problem is to figure out what kind of cockroach you’re dealing with.
Then, choose your weapon wisely. The right product can make all the difference. An