Not endemic to America, the American cockroach is believed to be native to Africa and the Middle East, introduced to the Americas in the seventeenth century. The largest of the cockroaches, American cockroaches can now be found across the world following the spread of human habitation and global trade. Â Often about an inch and a half long, American cockroaches are reddish brown, and can fly for short distances.
Not picky eaters, these cockroaches will consume a wide variety of things, including food scraps, beer, tea, decomposing organics, and starchy papers and book bindings. They prefer to live in damp areas but can survive throughout a house if they can access water. For this reason, they are common in basements, crawl spaces, hiding in walls and foundations or other concealed locations with access to potential food and water sources. Aside from being gross and unpleasant, the cockroaches can potentially carry disease and contaminate food stores inside a home, and the dust they create can contribute to allergies and asthma in susceptible individuals. If you think you have an infestation, it would be best to act fast to get rid of them!
