Thank you for maintaining such a wonderful and informative page. I just
moved to Galveston Texas and I am not used to dealing with roaches.
Tonight a wood roach flew at my head ( I was sitting under the desk light
at my computer ) and without your site I would have been sleeping in a gas
mask. It really freaked me out.
My question is this: The house I bought was flood damaged in Hurricane Ike
last year. It has been gutted to the studs and mold treated per Texas
state regulations for re-mediating a house after flood damage. Do I need
to be concerned that the wood roaches have found some vulnerable wood
inside the walls of my home? I have been here about 6 weeks and this is
the first live one I've seen (found a few dead ones in the detached
garage).
Wood Roach
Summary:
Wood roaches are large cockroaches often mistakenly identified as the American cockroach. The wood roach does not live inside structures.
The wood roach is often thought to be its cousin, the American roach. Wood cockroaches, which can grow up to one and one-quarter inches long, prefer to eat decaying organic matter and are attracted to light, whereas most roaches run from light. Females deposit their egg capsules outdoors under old logs, stumps and firewood. There is one generation of Wood cockroaches per year and, in some cases, the life cycle takes two years.
The wood roach is often thought to be its cousin, the American roach. Wood cockroaches, which can grow up to one and one-quarter inches long, prefer to eat decaying organic matter and are attracted to light, whereas most roaches run from light. Females deposit their egg capsules outdoors under old logs, stumps and firewood. There is one generation of Wood cockroaches per year and, in some cases, the life cycle takes two years.
At dusk, Wood cockroach males may begin taking short flights and are drawn to porch or house lights. The Wood cockroach normal habitat is moist woodland areas but it frequently become a
household nuisance because it wanders into or is carried into the house with firewood.
Woods Roach
Wood roaches which are also called the Pennsylvania Woodroach, do not survive indoors which is probably the best news you have read so far. They require the consistently moist environment of their natural habitats such as under wood piles or loose bark and in decaying logs. So, unless your housekeeping is way below par, the presence of wood roaches is strictly a temporary annoyance. They usually die within a few days in the house, so a call to the exterminator is probably not required.
If Wood cockroaches are found anywhere inside the home, usually they are solitary. So, it's not necessary to go looking for the mate. Wood cockroaches do not reproduce or multiply inside. Since wood cockroaches do not establish themselves indoors and their presence is temporary (a few weeks, at most) during the spring, chemical pest control measures are rarely needed.
Comments
Stephanie
10 Aug 2009, 23:15
10 Aug 2009, 23:15
Claire
12 Aug 2009, 15:38
12 Aug 2009, 15:38
I eventually fouind you again, it really is difficult to say as I onl wsaw
the thing for sconds and when I gone and got something to get it , it was
gone, but this does look like it could be what I saw thanks, the fact it
says large at the top bit I would think its likely it waws as I haven't saw
anymore since and the thng i saw was certianly pretty big, whioch to be
honest worried me, but thanks very much for the info appreciate it, as
reasding this makes me not so worried but of course it could have been
anything but I think it is likely it was as if it were a proper cockroach I
reckon I would have saw more than one in all time, I think it probly has
wondered in through my window attracted by the light as it was night time I
saw the thing, I was actualy qiute shocked at how big it was, didn't know
you could get insects that big..and never saw one that big before.
I have gas heating but I do have a chimney maybe it came from there..I don't know..but hope not to se anting like that again.
I have gas heating but I do have a chimney maybe it came from there..I don't know..but hope not to se anting like that again.
shannon
18 Aug 2009, 22:13
18 Aug 2009, 22:13
we recently purchaced a pop up camper and we where cleaning it out and came
across a roach the person we got it from lived in the country we only found
one and no more i was wondering if american roaches could live in the
camper we brought some thing in the house that was left in there and now im
freaking out that they are in are home please give me some advice on what
to do thank you so much oh and we did not find any eggs
Stephanie Randall
31 Aug 2009, 22:56
31 Aug 2009, 22:56
We just moved into an apartment and have seen literally close to 30 of
these critters per day. We see tiny ones and ones that are over an inch
long (males, I presume.) We kill them whenever we can but are seriously
concerned this is a lingering problem. The landlord said that the
exterminator is out weekly to address any issues. They sprayed one day
before we moved in and are going to spray again this week. We keep a clean
and dry house...do you have any suggestions? My 9 year old daughter and I
are pretty freaked out at this point! Thanks.
Trish
15 Sep 2009, 04:00
15 Sep 2009, 04:00
Ok so i keep seeing different roaches i can't tell what kind they are the
one i seen today was all one color light brown with no distinguishing marks
and only bout half an inch maybe what kind is that? Then my landlord put a
diff stove in and i say little ones coming out they were dark brown around
the edge of it and had a light brown spot on the middle of its back i have
seen these before. I am so terrified that i'm going to get an infestation i
am scared of bugs what do i do?
Janera
16 Sep 2009, 21:23
16 Sep 2009, 21:23
I live in NC, the house I'm renting used to be a wooded area. When we first
moved here 2 yrs ago, we saw 1 or 2. Now we see these wood roaches every
other day, 2-3 of them. Tonight 1 was on my bed (hell no), I'm terrified. I
have my sons in my room with me. Last year someone came out and stated that
there is a lot of moisture under the house and when we walk in the kitchen,
we can hear the wood floor squeak. Please help us, I have two weeks before
we move. I'm scared that they are in some of my boxes I sstarted packing up
for the move.
wanda
30 Sep 2009, 09:38
30 Sep 2009, 09:38
we had 5 big trees cut from our yard,now we see these big roaches every
day. would a wood roach bomb set off help. they move so fast that it is
hard to kill them. They are in every room sometimes 2 a day.I don't leave
food out at night Please help me. Are these the same as water bug? wanda
Dylan
07 Nov 2009, 02:18
07 Nov 2009, 02:18
I've had problems with roaches in my apartment building and just recently
discovered something unusual - they seem to be gravitating towards wood - i
found an old cutting board in a closet covered in them, but nowhere else,
and recently under my bed on the wooden planks supporting my mattress, but
thankfully it does not appear as though they have infested the mattress
itself. What kind of roaches might these be - I live in Los Angeles.
Scott
17 Nov 2009, 04:32
17 Nov 2009, 04:32
Is there a reason they are attracted to wood? Also, I'm going to guess that
cardboard boxes are a bad thing to have around them, being paper/wood
products. I'm in the process of moving, and I really don't feel like
bringing them with me...
Julie Peacock
16 Dec 2009, 21:17
16 Dec 2009, 21:17
I have been reading about these roaches and want to get your
thoughts/advice on what I have. Here is my story. I bought an older home
(built in 1980) in January 2008. I have several pine trees growing down my
property line on the west side of my small yard. There are other trees
(not pines) in some neighbors yards. I have a constant battle to keep pine
needles and leaves out of my landscaping and off my open carport. The
first one I saw was in the storage room off the carport. I still conside
this outside my home. Then I saw another out there. I can't remember what
time of the year it was, but it must have been Spring/Summer. One night
last winter, one popped out of the cabinet under the sink and made himself
right at home. He was not at all alarmed that lights were on and that I
was determined to kill him. I may have seen one more last winter. I
didn't think any more about it, in the last 2-3 months, I have seen 4 -5 of
them inside my house. Most of the time, they are already dead (on their
backs with feet in the air - almost cartoon-like). I have a couple of
sticky pads out just to see what I might catch. I got one little mouse and
I of those roaches. I saw a smaller, live one in my coat closet (on a
coat) and it did not run when I turned on the light. From what I know
about common roaches, this is unusual. They usually scurry when you turn
on a light. I also found a live one in my bathtub the other morning. Most
of them have been about an inch long and reddish brown. Am I correct that
they are wood roaches and what do you suggest to get rid of them ASAP. I
am super clean and this is just driving me crazy. I am ready to cut down
my trees or sell my house...or whatever it takes to get rid of them. Do I
need an exterminator? Please advise. Thank you in advance for your
response.
Jessica
21 Feb 2010, 13:14
21 Feb 2010, 13:14
We moved in to an extremely old house...180 years...on a lot of property.
I have seen an occasional roach and have exterminated twice. Just found one
again the other day in an upstairs bedroom. I have never found them around
any food or dishes. Could these be wood roaches? They do not fly
though??? What can I do to get rid of these disgusting bugs?