The female Oriental Cockroach is one and quarter inch in length, the male in one inch in length. The Oriental Cockroach is shiny black in colour. They have wings but neither the male or female can fly.

Diet

Oriental cockroaches eat decayed organic matter in mulch piles and rubbish, they prefer starchy foods. They build up population around garbage cans.

Habits and Biology

Females produce 8 egg capsules, containing 16 eggs in each, from spring to mid summer. Oriental Cockroaches produce only one new generation per year, when temperatures are cool in winter. The eggs will hatch in 60 when its warmer. In early spring, only adult roaches are found. In late spring, nymphs are abundant. Inside they are found in damp areas, such as, basements, crawl spaces and kitchens. In the yard they are found beneath leaves, in dumps, in mulch in flower beds, sewers, drains and dark damp basements. Oriental Cockroaches frequently live in floor drains that go directly outside. These drains are also used as an entrance into your home.

Stop water leaks, screen equipment over flow drains and take overflow water away from building, keep drain traps full or capped. Remove rotting leaves from window wells. Move garbage cans out of preferred moist habitat. Ventilate moist spaces.