Smokybrown Cockroach
Even though Smokybrown Cockroaches prefer to live outdoors, they can eventually make their way into your home and cause a whole world of trouble. This article will not only provide you with all the “must know” facts about Smokybrown roaches but will also guide you through the process of getting rid of them once and for all!
Smokybrown Cockroaches visually look very similar to American cockroaches, but a Smokybrown Cockroach can easily be distinguished because of its uniform color. Both male and female Smokybrown cockroaches have large wings and long antennae that extend their body in length. These insects live in damp and revolting environments. They carry a lot of germs and bacteria and can cause a lot of trouble if they manage to invade and thrive in a house. Thus, it is better to take precautions before your house gets invaded by these pests as it is very tricky to get rid of them once they make themselves at home.
Smokybrown Cockroach Characteristics
Belonging to the Periplaneta fuliginosa family, a Smokybrown cockroach is larger compared to other cockroaches and prefers to live outdoors. However, these pests can come indoors during the day in search of food. Some characteristics of these insects are:
- Smokybrown roaches can group up to a length of 32-35 millimeters (1.3-1.4 inches).
- This family of roaches is closely related to the American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana).
- The Smokybrown cockroach is commonly found in Japan and the Southern United States (Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi).
- This roach thrives in warmer climates and is not able to tolerate cold temperatures.
- The thorax of a Smokybrown cockroach is dark and shiny while other cockroaches have a rimmed pattern.
Source: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokybrown_cockroach)
(https://cockroachfacts.com/smoky-brown-cockroach/)
Smokybrown Cockroach life cycle
The life cycle of a Smokybrown cockroach is divided into three phases, which are egg, nymph, and adult. Females produce an egg case that contains the eggs and looks like a grain of rice but is brown.
The female carries it for 24 hours after which they deposit the egg case in a warm and moist environment. The larvae emerge from this egg case after 24-70 days and this incubation is highly dependent on the weather conditions. After these insects hatch from the eggs, they are called nymphs. A nymph is very small compared to adult roaches and has no wings. They shed skin through a process called molting and through this process their exoskeleton hardens and changes color.
Smokybrown Cockroach nymph
A Smokybrown cockroach in its immature form is referred to as a nymph or a baby Smokybrown cockroach. The color of the Smokybrown cockroach nymph is black, has a white band on its thorax, and is about 1 inch long. Sometimes, these nymphs can look like earwigs or little scorpions because some parts of their abdomen protrude above their bodies. Nymphs also don’t have wings and eventually grow them as they molt and turn into adults.
Smokybrown Cockroach diet: what do they eat?
Just like other cockroaches, Smokybrown cockroaches are scavengers and feast upon a wide variety of organic decomposing food such as pet food, feces, paper, earthworms, and more. Decaying bodies and fruits also act as a food source for these cockroaches.
Where do Smokybrown cockroaches live?
Smokybrown roaches thrive in warm and moist areas and do not like cold environments. Which is why it moves indoors during winter. For most of its lifespan, the Smokybrown cockroach is observed living around perimeters of different houses, where it can easily feed and stay warm. These cockroaches are hard to catch as they are quite agile and have a sturdy yet flexible exoskeleton. This allows a Smokybrown roach to move into small cracks and other tight spots easily.
How to control Smokybrown cockroaches
Without the help of professionals, it can be very hard to control Smokybrown cockroaches. These pests are common house invaders and should be dealt with as soon as possible. If you see Smokybrown cockroaches running around your house, it means that they have found a place to thrive near your house and will stay there for a long time. To keep these insects under control you should get rid of leaf litter and make sure there are no stationary water puddles near your home. Clean drainage pipes as well as gutters to make sure that these insects don’t invade your house through them.
How to get rid of Smokybrown cockroaches
There are several different methods that you can use to get rid of Smokybrown cockroaches from both inside and outside house environments. For outdoor treatment, you can use bifenthrin insecticide near doors and windows. You can also use various insect baits around your back and front yards. These insect baits are especially attractive to Smokybrown cockroaches and are quite effective.
For indoors you can use Anti-Roach Gel baits around cracked walls, cabinets, and any moist and warm place in your house. In case of severe infestations, you can use insecticide sprays or call your local pest control to get rid of them for you.
If you are looking for products that can help you get rid of Smokybrown cockroaches, you can find them on popular shopping websites like amazon. Combat Max is a popular roach-killing bait that you can buy using this link:
Combat max also offers a gel which is available here:
How dangerous are Smokybrown cockroaches?
Even though a Smokybrown cockroach is an outdoor insect, they are prone to invade houses in colder climates. These insects live within sewers and feast upon decaying matter which means that they carry a lot of germs and are considered a vector for diseases like cholera, tuberculosis, dysentery, leprosy, etc. These pests can also contaminate utensils as well as food if they invade your house.
How to prevent Smokybrown cockroaches from entering your home?
Smokybrown cockroaches can enter your house through different areas and are usually spotted roaming around the kitchen. To make sure that these insects do not infiltrate your house you can take different precautions. Some of the precautions are:
- Thorough cleaning of garbage cans.
- Repair cracks in the foundations.
- The gaps around the doors and windows should be sealed properly.
- Move the garbage can at least 25 feet away from your house.
- Damaged wood inside as well as outside the house should be repaired.
- Inspect and fix all water leaks around the house.
How to identify a Smokybrown cockroach infestation?
To identify if the Smokybrown cockroaches have infested your house you should look for droppings or shed skin in moist and dark areas of the house. If you see any of the above-mentioned signs, it means that the cockroaches have infested your house and they are roaming around at night. These cockroaches leave shed skin as well as egg sacks in the area where they have been feasting. If you happen to find an egg sack, you should treat pest invasion as soon as possible.
The lifespan of a Smokybrown cockroach.
The eggs of a Smokybrown roach are laid within a ½ inch-long ootheca. This ootheca has dark brown color and holds up to 20 eggs. The average incubation period for a single egg is 45 days and it takes 320 days for Smokybrown cockroaches to fully grow from an egg to an adult. After these cockroaches become adults, they can live for about 6 months.
How do Smokybrown cockroaches reproduce?
The female Smokybrown cockroaches release hormones in the air which are sensed by the males. These hormones tell a male that the female is ready for reproduction. The female roach raises its wings to an angle of 45° and its abdomen also bends toward the ground. These cockroaches only need a humid area with water and food to start reproducing.
The male cockroaches spend 20% of their life reproducing while the female only spends about 8%.
Smokybrown cockroach FAQs
Some of the most frequently asked questions about Smokybrown cockroaches have been answered below.
Can Smokybrown cockroaches infest your house?
Smokybrown cockroaches are not known as indoor insects, but they sure can infest your house in search of food and water. Taking proper precautions is necessary to make sure that these insects do not invade your house.
Does the Smokybrown cockroach fly?
Smokybrown cockroaches do have a pair of wings and they can fly when they feel threatened. These insects are also known to use their wings at night when they get out of their cracks in search of food. They can get on top of tables and cabinets very easily.
Why do Smokybrown cockroaches infest a house?
If your house provides these cockroaches with water, food, and a humid environment in any form they will infest your house. These insects can also reproduce at a very high rate, so it is best to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
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