roach??
dear bugman,
I sent you info, but no picture about these which live outside (and now some inside as of a month or so ago) our southeast michigan home. i now have photos. they are about 3/8 to 1/2 inch long, walk around during the day (and we assume night too). they are very light brown, but don’t have any dark lines like the german roaches. I saw one fly only once, they usually walk or run. What are they and will they try to make a home in our house?? thanks a lot.
LN

Hi LN,
You certainly have a cockroach. I can only guess you home would be attractive to them. You are correct in guessing it does not look like a German Cockroach, but I can’t help you on the species.

I am an Urban Entomologist at Clemson University in South Carolina. I noticed the cockroach photo sent to you from Jennifer on 12/24/05. To me, the species in her house looks like a late instar, native wood cockroach, probably Parcoblatta lata. They are not found in grocery stores like German cockroaches. These non-pest species can be found in wooded areas and around the outside of homes. On occasion, one will wander indoors, but they do not establish indoor infestations. As you correctly pointed out, she has nothing to fear from this incidental intruder. They are actually pretty cool little woodland creatures, not nasty home dewelling pests.
Eric Benson

Dear What’s That Bug:
Thanks for your informative web site. I had the misfortune of moving into an apartment that was infested with German cockroaches about a month ago. On average I see around 10 of the critters a day throughout the unit, sometimes more. After negotiations with my landlord, I’m planning to move out in the next few weeks but I’m terrified of taking these pests with me. I took very few clothes to the apartment and never used two of the closets nor did I ever use the kitchen normally. Most of my belongings are in lidded plastic bins and anything that has remained in a box I plan to re-pack in a plastic bin. I plan to get rid of my dresser drawers as I often saw roaches on them. How worried should I be about taking these things with me? Can you recommend anything else I can do in terms of my furniture to help prevent them coming with me? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you bug man!
Nervous in Virginia

Dear Nervous,
You have every cause to be concerned. These roaches are insidious. Unfortunately, you can never be positive that you are not transporting tiny immature roaches to your new apartment. I don’t normally endorse fumigation, but it would be wise to find some way of poisoning the stowaways who might be infesting your belongings. You might want to take your clothes to the laundermat and wash them before going to your new place. Do not return them to the site of the infestation or you may get new hitch-hikers. Good luck.

A few days ago I had a very uncomfortable experience with what I now think was an American cockroach. It seemed to me to be about two inches long and an inch wide and very shiny. And very aggressive! It boldly scurried up to me two times, both times I shooed it away. Then it actually followed me aggressively as I backed away from it. I didn’t want to step on it – too yucky. I just wanted to get away form it. I finally kicked away and it hit a wall and ended up on it’s back. I had a good look at it and it really was huge. I’d never seen a roach like this before. This all took place in a washroom in a train station. I found the experience unnerving. I’ve never known cockroaches to actually chase after people. I know it sounds laughable, but it’s true – the damn thing actually chased me! > >Is this normal for American cockroaches? Or I am now some kind of roach-magnet?
thanks ……… Terrified in Toronto

Dear Terrified in Toronto,
Roaches are not aggressive in the manner you described. I doubt that it was attacking you. More
likely, it was seeking shelter in your shadow. They do like dark places you know. Rest assured you are not a roach magnet. It does sound like an American Cockroach, which get very large and often frequent bathrooms. We have big ones in the basement bathrooms and darkroom of a college where I teach in Los Angeles.

Dear WTB,
I found myself in a debate over the Labor Day weekend as to whether or not Los Angeles’ famous creepy crawlers are in fact cockroaches. My friend who grew up in New York kept referring to them as water bugs. As a life-long Southern Californian, I say la cucaracha! What do you say? Oh, and I’m refering to both the small brown ones and the big black ones. I tried to search online for a photo but I got too ooged out to continue. Oh, and is it true that the cockroackes will rule the earth long after we’re gone?
signed,
curiously strong in silver lake

Dear Curiously Strong.
Cockroaches never gave up the earth. If you want to really be creeped out, just try watching the film Mimic (soon to be posted as a review on this site). Yes, those waterbugs are roaches, in fact the Oriental Cockroach, Blatta orientalis. We have a roach comparison photo on our roach page.

hi again
thanks a whole bunch for taking your time to research that bug for me. the picture and description of the bug you sent fit perfect. anyway you guys are
great and thanks again

Are cockroaches known spreaders of disease? That is my only question, because they certainly look like they would be, truly gruesome characters what with their greasy demeanor and inquisitive antennae.
Having spent much time in South East Asia, you will be pleased to know I am sure, that I once was neighbor to a Thai girl who lived basically on a linolium floor. Thai’s eat on the floor. Lunch time, she would tap her foot, and one limping fellah, I guess it was a male I did not inqiure, would limp and dash across the floor from the vicinity of the bathroom, lodge itself next to her heal, and enjoy a lite meal, hand fed. She would then later tap her heel again, and the little fella (not so little) would limp and dash back to where he came from.
I personally am not particularly fond of cockroaches. However, I am beginning to respect the intelligence of insects, as I know you do, and whether or not you publish this is up to you.
But I knew you’d love to hear the story–and it is a true story. God bless you bug guys. New website for me thanx to Yahoo. See ya again soon. (Not the cockroach, you!)
Best regards,
frederick pavese

Dear Frederick,
Thank you for the sweet letter.
According to Hogue, "The importance of cockroaches in transmission of human diseases sems overrated, although most of the domiciliary species have been found capable of mechanically transmtting some disease organisms, especially dysentery bacteria." The key word here is mechanical transmission, meaning the roach must walk through a disease infested area before transmitting it to a person who puts dirty fingers into the mouth. Roaches are scavengers who help clean up dropped food, especially in the tropics where their large size prohibits huge numbers inside the home, unlike the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) which is the small, quick, light hating roach known to infest tenement slums and other high human population environments, including restaurants. I think that Thai girl’s pet sounds like a delightful companion.