Community identification
German cockroach
Blattella germanica
- Order & Family
- Blattodea; Blattellidae
- Size
- Adults are about 13–16 mm long; nymphs are smaller and wingless.
Natural Habitat
Warm, humid indoor areas—especially kitchens, bathrooms, food-storage spaces, and wall or appliance crevices.
Diet & Feeding
An omnivorous scavenger that eats crumbs, grease, sweets, starches, pet food, and occasionally soap or cardboard.
Behavior Patterns
Mostly nocturnal, fast-moving, and strongly shelter-seeking. Females carry an egg case until shortly before hatching; populations reproduce rapidly in heated buildings.
Risks & Benefits
Can contaminate food and surfaces with microbes and shed allergens associated with asthma and allergies. It provides little household benefit, though cockroaches serve as prey for many predators in natural ecosystems.