Bug Identifier
German Cockroach
Community identification

German Cockroach

Blattella germanica

Order & Family
Order: Blattodea; Family: Ectobiidae
Size
1.1 to 1.6 cm (0.43 to 0.63 inches)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Indoor environments, specifically warm and humid areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. They live in cracks and crevices near food and water sources.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous scavenger. They eat almost anything, including human food, pet food, crumbs, starch, glue, book bindings, and even waste.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal and highly reproductive. They are known for rapid movement and hitchhiking into buildings inside boxes or appliances. They exhibit hemimetabolous metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult).

Risks & Benefits

Significant household pest. Risks include spreading pathogens (Salmonella, E. coli), triggering asthma and allergies due to shed skins and feces, and contaminating food. They offer no notable benefits in human-built environments.