Female German cockroach with ootheca. (Credit: DH Choe)
Cockroaches, or roaches, are probably some of the least welcome insects people encounter in their homes, kitchens, offices, restaurants, or landscapes. Indoor cockroaches can create significant public health problems by contaminating food and producing allergens.
To help manage both indoor and outdoor cockroaches, UC Cooperative Extension IPM Advisor Andrew Sutherland and UC Riverside entomologists Dong-Hwan Choe and Michael Rust tackle the challenge of cockroach management in the newly revised Pest Notes: Cockroaches.
What's new in this version?
Since it's critical to first identify the cockroach, many more color photographs have been added to aid in identification. There are additional details about common cockroach species, including two new species: the three-lined cockroach and the Australian cockroach. Understanding the biology of these pests will help manage them. The revised publication has an expanded section on general biology and life cycle of cockroaches as well as chemical control.
Male and female Turkestan cockroaches mating. (Credit: A Sutherland)
Managing cockroaches is not easy and pesticides alone will not control a cockroach problem. Cockroaches thrive in areas where food, water, and shelter are available, so it is essential to eliminate access to these resources. The revised Pest Notes is your best source to learn more about how sanitation, exclusion, and other methods can be used in combination to achieve the best cockroach control for your situation.
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