Cockroaches in Indiana - German vs. American Roaches

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If you live in Indiana, it’s important to know the types of cockroaches in the area. Cockroaches are not only disgusting pests, but they can also carry diseases. In this blog post, I wanted to share my research and findings on roaches in Indiana. You will get a chance to identify the different cockroaches in Indiana and how to get rid of them.

If you want to get rid of German cockroaches or American cockroaches in Indiana, you are not alone. German roaches are some of the most hated pests in Indiana. Even though we hate them, German and American roaches love to live in the state of Indiana. They eat what we eat, they drink what we drink and they sleep in the same house we sleep. In general, baiting systems and pesticide solutions are effective for eliminating German and American roaches from homes and businesses.

What kind of cockroaches live in Indiana?

The two most common roaches in Indiana are the German cockroach and the American cockroach.

How big are cockroaches in Indiana?

The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) also known as a “palmetto bug” or “water bug” is about 1.5 inches. The German cockroach is also very common in Indiana, but it’s much smaller than the Amercian roach. The German cockroach is a small insect. It is only about half of an inch long.

Do Indiana cockroaches fly?

It’s highly unlikely that you will see cockroaches fly in Indiana. Although some people have reported flying roaches in Indiana, I haven’t found any evidence. So, at this point, we don’t know for sure.

Some Indiana residents say they’ve seen roaches fly, while others swear that cockroaches in Indiana can’t fly. So, what’s the truth?

It turns out that roaches can fly – but not all of them. Most species of cockroach are incapable of flight. But, a few cockroach species can fly for short distances.

So, do Indiana roaches fly? It’s unlikely, but it’s more likely that they don’t.

German Cockroach in Indiana

The German cockroach is the pest that gives roaches a bad name in Indiana. Of the 70 different cockroach species in the country, the German cockroach and the American cockroach is Indiana’s #1 pest. However, this roach is not unique to Indiana. The German cockroach is common in all other U.S. states and worldwide. The German cockroach is probably originated in Africa.

While German roach infestations occur in a wide variety of urban areas, they are most often associated with schools, food processing facilities, hotels, nursing homes, greenhouses, restaurants, even ships. Roaches are well adapted to live in the same environments with people. They enjoy similar temperature and humidity levels as humans.

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In this post, I will share more facts about this pest and how to get rid of German cockroaches.

Are German roaches harmful?

Yes, German cockroaches can be harmful. These pests are potentially very dangerous to have in your home. German roaches carry a large number of bacteria and viruses, and parasites on their bodies.

German cockroaches in your house can cause salmonella, diarrhea, dysentery, and many other serious health issues. Also, cockroach feces and shed skins can trigger asthma attacks in people, especially in little children.

What Do German Cockroaches Look Like?

Both nymphs and adult German roaches are recognized by their longitudinal stripes close to their head. These two dark parallel stripes are located on their backs. The color of the stripes is between tan and light brown.

Adult German cockroaches are about 12 mm (half an inch) long. This pest has a straw or pale brown color to its body and wings. Nymphs (young roaches) are wingless and are a bit darker.

Adult females are darker than make German cockroaches. Even though German cockroaches are winged, they rarely fly. Instead of flying, they are fast runners.

What attracts German cockroaches?

It isn’t a love story, but German roaches cannot live without humans. German cockroaches are codependent on people. It means that these roaches depend on us for their survival.

So much so that German cockroaches do not exist in the wild. Instead, German roaches prefer to live in moist areas like bathrooms and kitchens in the home.

Roaches can enter houses through small gaps and cracks. They only need a 3/8th of an inch crevice to squeeze their flat bodies through. While foraging for food, German cockroaches normally enter inside underneath doors or through gaps in the foundation. But most often, invasive roaches are carried inside by people. These pests are unknowingly transported furniture, groceries, appliances, packages, and other deliveries. Once inside a house, German roaches can be found living in large populations in humid, warm places like bathrooms and kitchens.

Signs of a German roach infestation

German cockroaches are attracted to damp, warm places close to moisture and food sources. These pests are common in bathrooms and commercial and residential kitchens. Therefore, these are the two environments where a German cockroach infestation is most likely to occur.

You are likely to find German roach droppings in areas they frequent. Cockroach feces may look like ground pepper in drawers and on countertops. Dark smears or spots, fecal staining, are common in the openings into walls, corners of rooms, around small cracks, or along the tops of doors.

A “musty” odor is a common sign of German roach populations. It’s the smell that signals that cockroaches are present in large numbers.

How to get rid of German cockroaches?

So, how to get rid of German cockroaches if there is an infestation in your home? The best way to get rid of German roaches is to practice good sanitation. Yes, cockroaches hate clean homes.

If you want to prevent German roaches from infesting your home or business, you should keep it squeaky clean. In the kitchen and dining area, wipe up spills, clean up crumbs, and vacuum daily. Don’t allow dirty dishes to pile up in the sink.

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Get rid of German cockroaches with bait

Baits are either solid or semi-solid products. The bait is contained in small placements, reducing the overuse of pesticides. Even a small amount of bait can get rid of large German cockroach infestations due to horizontal transfer. This phenomenon happens when German cockroaches share a lethal dose of a pesticide with other pests through fecal or oral secretions.

Unfortunately, baits do not eliminate cockroaches instantly. Therefore, with this roach control method, time is needed before the effect of horizontal transfer is realized and German cockroach population numbers decrease.

German cockroaches and bait avoidance

Bait avoidance can occur when if insecticide sprays are used on baiting systems. Unfortunately, sprayed pesticides contaminate the bait.

For best results, it’s critical to switch the active ingredient in baits. If the same active ingredient is used, German cockroaches will build up resistance to pesticides. Change the active ingredients at 90-day intervals.

Eliminate German roaches with glue traps

The number of German cockroaches present in a house can be estimated with glue traps. The number of roaches you catch with glue traps will help you determine the amount of bait needed in a cockroach control program. Glue traps also help homeowners track pest movements. You can use trap counts to compare the orientation and the source of infestation of trapped German roaches.

German cockroaches and bait competition

When using baits, excluding German cockroaches from potential food sources is critical to avoid bait competition.

Maintaining a clean home is an important requirement for German cockroach management. To keep these pests out, remove clutter, such as old newspapers, moving boxes, and stored paper bags to reduce potential hiding areas. In addition, wiping spills and cleaning crumbs from countertops, toasters, drawers, and behind and under appliances removes easy German cockroach food sources.

High-temperature cockroach control

Temperature extremes can help you get rid of German cockroaches. The concept of heat treatment is similar to treatments used to get rid of bed bugs. This method of roach control requires raising room temperatures to 140 °F for several hours. Extreme temperatures can eliminate large cockroach populations.

Where high-temperature treatment is impossible, placing infested items (such as museum artifacts) in cold storage (below freezing for 24 hours) can be viable.

Dusts and desiccant powders to get rid of German roaches

Dusts and desiccant powders are effective in German cockroach control. They can be applied to wall voids or similarly protected spaces and behind walls. Always read product labels before applying pesticides.

Can I use electromagnetic devices to get rid of German cockroaches?

Electromagnetic devices do not get rid of German cockroaches. Instead, according to some sources, these devices may increase insect activity in the same area.

Can I use ultrasonic devices to get rid of German cockroaches?

Unfortunately, cockroaches are not repelled by ultrasonic sounds. But, if you have dogs, these devices might drive them crazy.

Are electric cockroach traps worth it?

Electrical roach traps are less effective than glue traps. So, a heftier price tag doesn’t translate to a great value. Why spend hundreds of dollars on an electric roach trap when you could get better results with much cheaper glue traps?

To keep German cockroaches out:

Seal all entrances to the house.
Fill gaps and caulk around vents and utility pipes.
Ventilate crawl spaces to prevent moisture buildup.

If there are signs of a German cockroach infestation, you might need to hire a pest control company near you.

Sometimes the best approach is to get the help of a professional to inspect and treat the German roach infestation.

Is it hard to get rid of German cockroaches?

Eliminating German cockroaches from a property can be very difficult; they are nocturnal, breed quickly, and adapt easily to new environments. To eliminate a German cockroach infestation, you need the knowledge and experience of a trained professional. A trained exterminator understands the habits and habitats of German roaches. If you want to get rid of German cockroaches, you might want to hire a pest control company near you. These year-round pest control plans get rid of cockroaches and other common household invaders with regular treatment visits.

There are many reasons it’s hard to get rid of German cockroaches. First, because of their high reproductive rate, roaches can breed six generations in a single year. Nymphs will often hatch from the ootheca while the female German cockroach still carries it. The typical German cockroach egg case contains as many as 40 eggs. Cockroaches prefer to nest in hard-to-reach areas like electrical wiring or plumbing.

Therefore, reoccurring pest control is a must to eliminate German cockroaches from your home or business.

How to get rid of German cockroaches naturally?

The faster you act to treat German roaches once you’ve found them, the sooner you can get rid of an infestation in your house.

The first step is to clean your home and kitchen. Immediately clean up crumbs and wipe up grease and spills under and behind appliances, in cupboards, on countertops, etc. When you clean your home clean, you essentially eliminate easy roach food sources.

Next, you should seal up gaps, cracks, and crevices in your house’s foundation. Repair your door and window screens. Make sure that weatherproofing is in good order. You should also seal gaps between doors and windows and outer walls and seal areas where utility hardware enters your house. Then, repair cover vents with mesh.

Finally, you should get rid of cockroach hiding places like old magazines, newspapers, and empty boxes. And to keep German cockroaches out of your home, repair any leaky faucets and pipes both inside and outside your house.

How to get rid of German roaches in the house?

German cockroaches release pheromones that get embedded in porous objects such as rugs, wood, or paper to let other cockroaches know they’ve found a safe place. Thus, do your best to make your home as dry and easy food source free as possible.

Create a daily routine of wiping down anywhere there is food or liquid, mopping tiled areas like the kitchen or bathroom at least every other day, vacuuming at least weekly (preferably daily), getting rid of clutter, and disposing of any cardboard or paper that is not necessary.

The critical thing to remember is that a German roach can eat nearly everything and live on very little food. That tortilla chip that fell under the couch without anyone noticing a month ago is a long-lasting feast that will feed many roaches. To keep cockroaches out of your home, it’s essential to keep food localized to a single room. Investing in a good dehumidifier should also make cockroaches less comfortable in your house. The dehumidifier will take the moisture they enjoy out of the air.

Also, make sure to dispose of the garbage every night and to put away pet food and water dishes before the end of the day.

When you turn on the light and see German cockroaches skittering away, it is usually to their nest. If you are serious about getting rid of roaches, it’s a good idea to simply follow them. Once you have isolated the nest, you can bombard the area and the surrounding area with poison or cleaning solutions. A more environmentally safe method is boric acid. This powder is white and will dehydrate them quickly if they walk through it.

Additionally, they will track it back to their nest. This makes this odorless powder very efficient in killing them in a reasonable amount of time. Some people may not like the idea of boric acid; however, a similarly effective method may be achieved with some bait and borax.

Borax is a practical solution to kill cockroaches and, when combined with bait, will tear up a cockroach’s insides. By mixing some water, Crisco or animal fat, flour, and borax into balls about the size of a grape, you can make little delicious poison balls (for German cockroaches) which you can place in dark areas, like under the sink or behind appliances. The flour and animal fat will make the borax tasty, and the cockroach will consume it. You may want to mist this concoction every few days. It’s best to keep it in an open Tupperware container to avoid contaminating the surrounding area with water when misting.

Thus, by controlling the environment and food source and using something poisonous to them, one can get rid of German cockroaches before the infestation takes hold and, in some cases, even hold it at bay until an exterminator arrives eradicates the population.