Cockroaches

New Jersey Cockroach Control - The tenacity of cockroaches through geological and recent history demonstrates that their 350 million years of evolution has resulted in species that are highly adapted for survival. Cockroaches, despite man's advancement in technology and pesticide development, continue to maintain an admirable position on the face of the earth.

Despite its name, the American Cockroach, was introduced on ships from Africa, where as the German and Oriental Cockroach was directly from Europe.

The Name for Cockroach In: Norwegian          kakkerlak Swedish              mort Danish                 kakerlak German               kuchenschabe Hungarian           svabbogar, csotany French                 blatte, cafard Dutch                  kakkerlak Portuguese          bicho de conta Polish                   karaluch Italian                   blatta Russian                Tarakan amerikanski(American)                                            turusak (German) Chinese                chang-lang Japanese              abula mushi

Public Health Significance of Cockroaches

Because cockroaches are so closely associated with humans and commonly feed on decaying food, crumbs or scraps, and frequent unsanitary areas such as sewage systems and septic tanks. Pathogenic organisms have been isolated from cockroaches collected in domestic or peridomestic environments.

The characteristic of ominvorous feeding is the principal reason why the impact of cockroach infestation on human health tends to be underestimated. Cockroaches have the potential to transmit pathogens indirectly via contamination of foods or utensils used to prepare food. Cockroaches acquire pathogenic bacteria simply by walking over cultures.

Salmonella bacteria, the cause of food poisoning, is associated with cockroach infestations. When feces of American cockroaches infected with Salmonella oranienbug were spread on human foods and on glass, the bacteria survived for the following periods: on corn flakes, 3.5 years; on crackers, over 4.25 years; and on glass slides, 3.67 years.

The German Cockroach - The German Cockroach is the most prevalent species in and around homes, apartments, supermarkets, food processing plants and restaurants. Ships, especially cruise ships and naval vessels, also can be heavily infested.

The German Cockroach produces more eggs per capsule than other pest cockroach species; and its young complete their growth in a shorter period of time.

The Oriental Cockroach - Very often this cockroach, as well as other species, is called a "water bug" pissibly because cockroaches inhabit damp places, but it should be remembered that a water bug is merely a "cockroach." In the city, it is a cockroach, in Beverly Hills it is a "water bug."

This species is the most disliked of all cockroaches since it often travels through sewer pipes and lives on filth. It may enter the home in food packages and laundry, or simply come from under a door or through air-ducts. Large populations have been found in trash chutes, wall voids, and damp basements.
The American Cockroach - The "Bombay Canary" or the American Cockroach is the largest of the house infesting cockroaches. The American Cockroach enjoys the seafaring life and is one of the most common cockroaches on ships.

This cockroach is commonly found in sewers and basements, particularly around pipes.

Source: Handbook of Pest Control