COCKROACHES, THE MULTIPLE PEST
Cockroaches are among the most adaptable, durable and prolific insects throughout the world. Their existence has been recorded in geologic material 200 million years old. There are approximately 3,500 species today, 55 of which infest the United States. The most common species in the United States are the American, the Oriental, the German, the Brown and the Wood cockroaches. They prefer a warm, humid climate.
In general, cockroaches are active nocturnally, preferring the dark in which to scavenge. A sudden light will send them scurrying into hiding. They feed on carbohydrates, starches and sugar but will also eat leather, glue, hair, dead animals and plant materials and are particularly inclined to build their nests near sources of water such as underneath sinks and refrigerators. An understanding of the roach life cycle will shed some light on why they are so hard to control.
