Cockroaches are a common pest problem for anyone that owns a property in the El Paso TX area. Whether you’re dealing with roaches in your home or business, you’re likely dealing with German cockroaches. This species is the most common roach problem for homes, multi-family units, restaurants, food processing facilities, and more. In addition to simply being gross, German cockroaches breed rapidly and are capable of carrying dangerous pathogens.

In this blog post, the experts at Pest Defense Solutions share their 10 key German cockroach facts to learn in order to be able to identify this pesky roach.

Key German Cockroach Facts

German cockroaches may look somewhat similar to their American and brown-banded counterparts, but they’re quite different. Some key German cockroach facts to remember include:

1. German cockroaches are best identified by their pronotum (protective plate behind the head), which has two longitudinal dark stripes.
2. These roaches are most commonly found in residential and commercial kitchens or bathrooms.
3. German cockroaches typically prefer areas of high temperatures and high humidity.
4. German cockroaches only live indoors. While rare, they can live outside in warm weather.
5. German cockroaches have an extremely quick rate of reproduction. They can quickly spread throughout a building.
6. The ootheca (egg case) of the German cockroach contains between 35–40 eggs, which take one month to hatch.
7. German cockroaches can carry or transmit diseases and pathogens that may be dangerous to humans.
8. German cockroach infestations can cause severe asthmatic reactions in some people.
9. They are able to climb on smooth surfaces because they have a sticky pad on their feet.
10. German cockroaches prefer to spend their lives hidden in dark areas. They are known to hide inside walls, behind cabinets, inside appliances, and other rarely accessed areas.

How to Prevent a German Roach Infestation

As with all roaches, keeping German cockroaches out of your property requires some effort on your end. By keeping a clean, tidy property, you are effectively lessening the risk of an infestation. Roaches love filth and are attracted to clutter. To prevent a German roach infestation, make sure to keep all food in sealed containers and secure your garbage cans securely. Most importantly, check on areas in your property that are dark or rarely disturbed for evidence of cockroach activity.

Effective & Long-Lasting German Cockroach Control

As soon as you notice a single roach in your Texas property, it’s time to call the experts at Pest Defense Solutions. Our exterminators have years of experience providing residents and businesses alike with full-service German cockroach extermination. You can trust we will work to keep German roaches out of your property all year long.