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Cockroaches > Large Cockroaches >
Woods Cockroach
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Woods Cockroach Appearance:
Woods roaches are very similar in appearance to the American
roach;
flat, oval body, long antennae, spiny legs, chestnut brown color.
They are slightly smaller than the American Cockroach, about 3/4 to 1 1/4
inch long.
The adults, especially the males, appear tan because of the color of
their wings.
Adults and large nymphs of the wood roach can be recognized by a pale,
creamy white or transparent stripe on their outer edge.
The pale edge extends onto the first 1/3 of the front wings of the adults.
Woods Roach Diet:
They prefer decaying organic matter
Habits and Biology of Woods Cockroaches:
The Woods roaches are attracted to light, much different than the other
roaches.
Females deposit their egg capsules outdoors under old logs, stumps and firewood.
Females produce about 30 capsules containing up to 32 eggs each.
The egg incubation period is about one month, with nymphs hatching in the
summer and maturing the following spring (May or June).
There is one generation per year and, in some cases, the life cycle takes
two years.
At dusk, males may begin taking short flights and are often seen in the
headlights of the automobiles by persons driving through wooded areas.
Woods cockroaches are active during the winter and can be found in firewood
after pulling the bark away.
These cockroaches are usually found in groups.
Compared to domestic roaches, woods cockroaches are less likely to flee
when approached and do not survive indoors.
Over wintering occurs outdoors as a partially grown nymph.
When disturbed, nymphs are active even in freezing weather.
Adults are present May through early October.
Their normal habitat is moist woodland areas but they frequently become
a household nuisance because they wander into or are carried into houses,
with firewood ,etc.
Wood cockroaches are active both during the day and at night and they are
less likely to scamper out of sight when approached.
They are less likely to congregate in a particular location, but will wander
through the house.
Wood cockroaches do not thrive and reproduce in homes because they require
the consistently moist environment of their natural habitats such as under
wood piles or loose bark and in decaying logs.
Indoors, their presence is strictly a temporary annoyance.
They usually die within a few days in the house due to insufficient moisture.
If Woods cockroaches are found anywhere inside the home,usually they are
solitary.
The males are attracted to lights and will often make short, erratic flights
in the early evening hours.
Woods cockroaches do not reproduce or multiply inside.
Recommendations for Woods Roach Control:
Since woods cockroaches do not establish themselves indoors and
their presence is temporary (a few weeks) during the spring,
chemical control measures are rarely needed.
It is not practical to treat firewood or other areas away from the dwelling
because males can fly in from a distance.
Also, to limit the risk of exposure to toxic chemical fumes when burning
firewood,
non-chemical preventive practices are preferred.
Occasionally, populations can build in crawl spaces under the house.
Use a good residual sprays such as :
- Talstar One*Top
recommendation (Broader label and longer lasting-may be used
on ornamentals as well.
 Talstar
One
- Cyper WP
 Cyper WP
- Demon WP
 Demon
WP
You may use three residual sprays : Talstar One ,Cyper WP
or Demon WP inside or outside
Spray outside around doors, windows, pipe openings, and dryer vents.
Apply also on the inside on the baseboards near the entry pts.
On the inside-apply around the plumbing under the sinks and washer and
dryer connections. You don't have to spray all the interior baseboards,
just the corners and baseboards inside the garage and basement areas.
For additional treatment you may apply
granules around the base of the house, particularly in areas of pine straw
and mulched areas.
Two recommended granules are : *Top
recommendation(longer lasting)Talstar One or (Bifen LP)
Granules .
If you have these larger cockroaches entering inside
your home from the attic area (due to trees that overhang the attic
or gutters that are not clean) using baits like Intice insect
baits,
would give you very good results.
Intice
Bait
Intice Baits would also be excellent choices for
crawl spaces and or attics.
The residual insecticides : Talstar One,
Cyper WP, and Demon WP as well as the residual granules: Talstar or Bifen
LP Granules should be repeated every
three months during the season.
The Intice baits last from 6 months
to a year, free from rain. Feel free to call if you have any questions.
The insecticides used with success against other
cockroach species
are of very limited benefit against wood roaches.
Exclusion techniques that prevent wood roach entry should be considered.
- Practice exclusion techniques such as sealing any cracks,
gaps or openings with caulking compound, putty or plastic wood.
- Maintain tight fitting screens, doors and windows.
- Store the firewood pile far from the house.
- Try not to carry over large quantities of firewood
from season to season in order to reduce potential breeding sites.
- If practical, bring only enough firewood indoors for
a day or two to prevent insects from later emerging in the house.
- Avoid the use of unnecessary lights at night, since
males fly to them during mating season. Females will crawl into areas
around porch lights or yard lights, thus attracting numerous males.
- Individual roaches found inside can be collected with
a vacuum cleaner or a broom and dustpan and discarded.
- Caulk all penetrations through ground level walls.
- Stop water leaks, screen equipment overflow drains,
and take overflow water away from buildings; keep drain traps full or
capped.
- Remove rotting leaves from window wells.
- Move garbage cans out of preferred moist habitat.
- Ventilate moist spaces.
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