Cockroach Facts & Information

There isn’t such a thing as a giant cockroach. The largest ever found was a fossil nearly 4″ long. Todays biggest is the Madagascar hissing cockroach at 3″ in length. American cockroaches can get quite large at 2.5″ long.

Cockroaches infest quickly and can go unnoticed. Seeing a cockroach in the light signals overcrowding. Old skins from molting, also, indicate their presence. They produce a distinct odor which intensifies with population.

Cockroach feces carry disease and create a lasting odor. Bait is an effective treatment since its excreted in the feces and consumed by the young. Clean-up requires patience, a vacuum cleaner, and disinfectant.

Cockroaches are opportunistic scavengers. They don’t need much to eat, so the first nutrition found is usually their meal. Their diet consists of feces, pet food, food scraps, decaying vegetation, trash, and even bedbugs.

Cockroaches aren’t believed to bite. There are documented cases of them eating toenails and eye lashes in heavily infested homes. They are scavengers and will eat anything with nutritional value, but its not a lot at once.

Cockroaches have three segments: head, thorax, and abdomen. Their bodies are relatively flat and oval-shaped. The head contains eyes, antennae, and mouth. The thorax has wings and legs. The abdomen houses essential organs.