Brown-Banded Cockroaches: How to Spot and Stop Them

The brown-banded cockroach is one of the smaller roaches you will find in a Georgia or Alabama home. It is easy to mistake for a German cockroach, but it behaves differently. It spreads through the whole house instead of staying in the kitchen and bathroom.

Here is how to identify one, what it eats and how to get rid of it.

What Does a Brown-Banded Cockroach Look Like?

The brown-banded cockroach is a small species, about ½ inch long. It is tan to light brown, with two light-colored bands across the wings and abdomen. The bands may look broken or uneven, but they are easy to see. The wings may partly cover them.

The male has wings that cover the abdomen, while the female’s wings do not cover it completely. The male looks slender and the female looks wider.

These cockroaches need warm temperatures to survive. They often come inside looking for shelter, but the most common way they get into a home is in infested furniture, food products, groceries and electronics that are brought inside. Living areas with food and plenty of hiding places are their favorite spots.

What Do Brown-Banded Cockroaches Eat?

The brown-banded cockroach eats a wide variety of materials. Like other cockroaches, it may eat glue or paste, especially from animal-based materials, as well as starch and certain dyes. Stamps, envelopes, the bindings of older books, drapes and sometimes wallpaper may show signs of feeding.

This species has also been known to chew on nonfood materials, such as nylon stockings, probably for the body oils and skin flakes on them. The damage comes from feeding and hiding in pantries and storage areas.

Cockroaches can also carry the bacteria and protozoa that cause diseases, such as different forms of gastroenteritis and diarrhea, on their legs and bodies. They leave them on food, dishes and utensils.

How Do You Get Rid of Brown-Banded Cockroaches?

It is hard to stop cockroaches from coming inside in boxes, grocery bags and suitcases. You can stop them from becoming a serious problem.

Sanitation is the key:

• Clean up spilled food on the floor.
• Do not leave dirty dishes out overnight.
• Store cereal, crackers and cookies in airtight containers.
• Empty the garbage each evening into a sturdy can with a tight-fitting lid.

Baiting is an effective way to control or eliminate brown-banded cockroaches. Baits that contain hydramethylnon, fipronil, sulfluramid, boric acid or abamectin can give a high level of control when they are placed where cockroaches hide. Some baits are sold to the public in plastic bait stations. Professional pest control technicians also use cockroach baits in granular and gel forms.

Because brown-banded roaches spread through the whole house, store-bought baits often miss them. If you keep seeing roaches after a few weeks, call Jarrod’s at (706) 841-9912 for a free inspection. Your technician will find where they are hiding and treat those spots with family and pet-safe products.