American Cockroach

Natural Habitat

Prefers warm, damp, and dark environments, often found in sewers, basements, drains, steam tunnels, and under porches or within foundations. They can also infest homes, particularly kitchens and bathrooms, seeking food and water.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous scavengers, feeding on a wide variety of organic matter including decaying plants and animals, food scraps, sweets, starches, greasy foods, and even dead skin cells or pet food. They are known for their ability to eat almost anything.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal, active at night and hide during the day. They are fast runners and can often be found scurrying away when disturbed. They are also known to be gregarious, living in groups.

Risks & Benefits

Potential risks include spreading pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites) by contaminating food and surfaces, triggering allergies and asthma due to their shed skins and droppings, and infesting homes which can be a nuisance and difficult to eradicate. There are no known significant benefits to humans from American cockroaches, though they do play a minor role in decomposition in their natural outdoor habitats.

Identified on: 8/13/2025