Common Cockroaches in Johannesburg

Common Cockroaches in Johannesburg

Common Pest Cockroaches in Johannesburg are often mistaken for either Indigenous species or mistakes are make regarding pest species depending on the age of the Cockroach. German Cockroach nymphs for instance get mistaken for Ants while adult Wood Roaches get mistaken for German Cockroaches. This is mainly because Roaches go through many life stages where coloration, shape, size and markings may change. Johannesburg Pest Control have decided to write this post, keep it updated and are happy to answer any Cockroach related questions.

Here are the more common Cockroaches in Johannesburg and how to tell weather they will set up shop in your home.

Common Cockroaches in Johannesburg:

German Cockroach

Quite possibly the most common Cockroaches in Johannesburg these guys are tough to kill and a multiple faceted approach is needed. Amateur use products are futile and Professional Pest Control in almost always needed. Unfortunately many clients report spending too much money on useless home remedies before resorting to the Pest Control Professionals.

• German Roaches are a Smaller Cockroach Species, adults ranging between 1.1cm – 1.6cm in length.
• Almost always light brown in color with two dark roughly parallel stripes from its head right down to the base of its wings, in large infestations it is not uncommon to find albino roaches, they may be white and unmarked but they are still German Cockroaches.
• These Pests bread exceptionally fast, heat and humidity brought by summer speeds up their metabolism. One Ootheca / Egg case can contain more that 50 eggs.
• Found throughout the world and Johannesburg, this cosmopolitan species are often mistaken for your common Wood Cockroach, nymphs are often also mistaken for Bed Bugs are in rare cases Ants.
• German Cockroaches frequent kitchens and bathrooms, they are attracted to heat generated by stoves, ovens and fridges.
• German Cockroaches feed off fatty proteins. This they find in stoves, dirty cupboards or open foods.
• They spread disease and bacteria such as Salmonella and E coli that could be fatal if not dealt with.
• Although they have wings, German Cockroaches can not fly.
• These pests are light sensitive, often not exposing themselves during the day and by night they feast on the spoils left on unwashed plates as pots.

More about common Cockroaches in Johannesburg:

Wood Cockroach:

Wood Cockroaches are found throughout Johannesburg. Although not conventional Pests they are often in the line of fire because they are Cockroaches. They are often found in numbers congregating around dark curtains of rooms that aren’t used too often. Unethical Pest Controllers often use these guys as an excuse to extort more money from clients by playing the “immune to chemicals and out of control infestation” card. These bugs have just as much chance of infesting your house as a dodo bird. They are unpleasant to have around but not a threat what so ever.

• Having a similar size shape and color the wood roach is often misidentified as a German Cockroach, Pest Controllers often take advantage of this situation and over charge clients.
• Wood roaches are not pests and are just casual intruder Insects, they will not infest your kitchen or home and rarely carry any pathogens.
• Wood Cockroaches are also not immune to residual insecticides and are much easier to control that its counterpart.
• These Bugs mind their business by feeding of organic matter in your compost heap or garden. They are often found in Johannesburg homes. Attracted to lights at night they find them self lost and trapped after sun up.

Another Common Cockroach in Johannesburg is the:

Oriental Cockroach:

Although Oriental Cockroaches are rare in Johannesburg our service staff report that Mountain Cockroaches are often misidentified as being Oriental Cockroaches. Mountain Cockroaches are however common Cockroaches in Johannesburg. Oriental roaches frequent restaurants and are a larger species of Cockroach.

More to follow