Woods Cockroach

These cockroaches are also referred to as stinking cockroaches because they release foul smelling liquid when they are threatened. They love hiding under palmetto leaves, especially in areas like Florida and the locals refer to them as palmetto bugs.

Appearance

They look so much like American roach with an oval flat body, spiny legs and long antennae, The chestnut brown color is also similar but the woods cockroach is slightly smaller compared to the American cockroach. Even though they appear to be wingless, they have short vestigial wings. Adult makes appear tan because of wing color and you can actually recognize large nymphs and adults by the creamy pale white or transparent stripe they have on outer edge. This edge extends onto the front wings of the adults.

Habits

The woods cockroaches are common in trees outdoors, woodpiles and leaf litters. They tend to be more common in warm, humid areas like coastal Georgia, Florida, West Indies and coastal Alabama among others. Even though they are not common indoor pests, they can enter into your home looking for some warmth and you might sight them in basements and bathrooms. Leaky pipes also make an attraction to the cockroaches. They prefer eating decaying organic materials.

The cockroaches are attracted to light and are most active during the winter. They do not survive inside buildings for long, but they do well in woodlands that are moist. They may only get into your home when carried on firewood or when they wander mostly in search of some warmth.

Reproduction

The female cockroach produces egg cases that can have 24 eggs on average and it can lay up to 950 eggs every year. The eggs hatch during the warmer months of summer and mature during spring. The life cycle of woods cockroach can go for two years. They are highly unlikely to reproduce indoors because they need consistent moist conditions under wood piles, loose bark and decaying logs and the indoors only offer the conditions temporarily.

Control

Indoor infestations are usually temporary only lasting a few weeks because the conditions are not favorable. You therefore might not need any chemical measures to eliminate the cockroaches. However, if you do face an infestation then it would be best to consider perimeter treatments. You get advice from pest control experts if you are beginning to worry about the woods cockroaches on your property.

To keep the cockroaches out of your home, exclusion is the best technique to apply. You should take measures such as sealing of gaps, openings and cracks that can offer them access into the home, especially if you live in an area where they are common. Firewood should be stored away from your buildings and trees should be trimmed so they maintain a safe distance from the house. If you must have firewood on your property, then ensure that you only hold a reasonable quantity at a time depending on the season and take small piles indoors for use only for a day or two so the roaches to not emerge and crawl into your home.

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