AMERICAN COCKROACHES

What American cockroaches look like

The American cockroach is the largest cockroach found in Canadian buildings. Adults reach 30 to 40 mm, several times the size of the German cockroach most people picture when they hear the word. The body is a glossy reddish brown, and the shield behind the head carries a pale yellowish band around its edge, sometimes shaped like a rough figure eight. Both males and females have full wings that extend past the end of the body. They can glide short distances, though they run far more often than they fly, and they move quickly when a light goes on. Young ones are smaller, greyer and wingless, so they are easy to mistake for another species. The antennae are long, often as long as the body itself.

Signs you have American cockroaches

• Large roaches near drains in basements, boiler rooms, laundry rooms or commercial kitchens, usually seen at night.
• Droppings that look like small dark pellets with blunt ends and ridged sides, often mistaken for mouse droppings.
• Egg cases about 8 mm long, dark reddish brown and purse shaped, glued behind appliances, near drains or in pipe chases.
• A musty odour that builds in a basement or mechanical room and does not clear with cleaning.
• Shed skins collecting around floor drains, sump pits and the gaps where pipes pass through walls.

Why American cockroaches come indoors

This species wants warmth and moisture together, which is why it settles in sewers, storm drains, boiler and mechanical rooms, laundry rooms and restaurant kitchens rather than in a dry living room. It travels up through floor drains, sump pits, traps that have dried out, sewer lines and the gaps around pipes and conduit. Older apartment buildings, restaurants and commercial properties with shared service runs see it most, because one warm damp space can supply an entire building. A cool, dry, well sealed home is a poor fit for them, which is why sightings there are usually tied to a specific problem such as a leak or an open drain.

How to keep American cockroaches out

• Keep floor drains and unused traps topped up with water so they do not dry out and open a route in.
• Seal gaps where pipes, cable and conduit pass through walls and floors, and repair damaged drain covers.
• Fix leaks, dry out damp corners and run a dehumidifier in basements that stay humid.
• Screen or cover sump pits, crawl space openings and vents, and check the seals on exterior doors.
• Clear grease and food debris nightly, keep bins lidded and store dry goods in sealed containers.

How GO! Pest Control treats American cockroaches

• Inspection. We confirm the species, then trace the activity back to the drains, voids and warm damp areas it is coming from.
• Treatment. We apply targeted products and baits in the harbourage points and travel routes, placed away from living space.
• Follow-up. We return to check the result, look for new activity and adjust the plan if anything is still moving.
• Advice. We tell you which drains, leaks or gaps need attention so the same route does not get used again.

We are licensed, insured and bonded, and we work in homes, apartments, condos and businesses across the Toronto GTA, Ottawa and Hamilton.

Common questions about American cockroaches