American Cockroach

Damp, dark areas like basements, sewers, kitchens, and bathrooms; also found outdoors in hollow trees and mulch.

Omnivorous and opportunistic scavengers; they eat decaying organic matter, sweets, starchy foods, hair, and even book bindings.

Nocturnal, fast-moving insects that prefer warm temperatures. They exhibit a hemimetabolous life cycle (egg, nymph, adult) and can fly short distances.

Risk: Major pest that contaminates food sources and surfaces with pathogens (like Salmonella and E. coli) and can trigger asthma or allergies. Benefit: In the wild, they act as important decomposers.