Cockroaches
Australian Cockroach: Dark brown with yellow markings to Thorax and front edge of forewings. Adult grows to about 35mm in length. Reach adulthood in 6 months and generally live for another 4-8 months. The female produces up to 20 egg cases each with 24 eggs. Can fly in warm climates.
Prefers Sub-tropical and warmer climates, often found in gardens areas and in drains. Food preference is plant based. Will live in voids in buildings and homes, subfloors and roof voids.
May transfer disease causing organisms from their body and in excreta to food, utensils and food preparation areas.
American Cockroach: Reddish to Brown with a pale-yellow border around the pronotum (shield like cover over the top of the thorax). Can grow up to 40mm as an adult, taking 600 days from egg to adulthood and then live for approximately 1 year. Females can produce 10-50 egg capsules during their lifetime. Can fly in warm humid conditions.
More common outdoors in tropical areas in leaf litter and around drains and sewers. Mainly found indoors in southern areas.
Congregate in dark warm, moist areas like basements/subfloors, sewers, roof voids and around grease traps. They feed on decaying organic matter, venturing into living areas at night.
May transfer disease causing organisms from their body and in excreta to food, utensils and food preparation areas.
Smokey Brown Cockroach: Uniform in colour from dark brown to black. Adults grown to 30mm. Reach adulthood in 6 months and generally live for another 6-12 months. The female produces up to 17 egg cases each with 24 eggs. Can fly short distances in warm climates.
Common on the East Coast of Australia. Prefer garages, sheds and gardens to living areas of buildings. Preference to plant-based food.
Oriental Cockroach: Dark brown to black. Female only has wing buds and grows to 30mm while the male wings cover 75% of the abdomen and grows to 25mm. Reach adulthood in 6-18 months and generally live for another 3-6 months. The female produces up to 8-14 egg cases.
Prefers high humidity and cool conditions, often found outside in leaf litter and damp subfloors. Can be found at lower levels of buildings. Feeds on decaying organic matter. Will live in voids in buildings and homes, subfloors and roof voids.
May transfer disease causing organisms from their body and in excreta to food if they find their way into buildings.
German Cockroach: Amber coloured with two dark stripes on pronotum. Males have a slender tapering abdomen, while the female has a more rounded abdomen. Adults grow from 10-15mm. Egg to adulthood in about 100 days then has a life span of around 6 months. The female produces 4-8 egg cases with 30-40 eggs.
Live indoors, near food & water sources – kitchens, bathrooms and laundries and kitchens and food preparation areas in commercial establishments. Adults and nymphs congregate in very small spaces including cracks, crevices, door hinges, control panels of dishwashers, microwaves and toasters. Population of 20% adult and 80% nymphs. Eat any organic material including grease. Spread disease by transfer and in excreta.
Brown-banded Cockroach: Light brown with two lighter bands across the base of the wings and (Bands are more obvious in nymphs and females). The male is slenderer than the female. Reach adulthood from hatch in approximately 5 months and generally live for another 10 months. The female produces up to 13 egg cases with 9 eggs per case. Males can fly in warm climates and when disturbed. Relatively small cockroach only growing from 10mm-14mm.
Common on the coastal areas of Australia and found indoors, particularly in offices, storerooms and hospitals. Often will co-habitat with German cockroaches in homes but inhabit different areas like bedrooms, wardrobes, high on walls and behind picture frames. Will tend to avoid light.
Due to closeness with bedrooms may cause allergies as well as spread disease.