Cockroaches are among the most ancient and successful organisms that have ever existed, and several species have adapted to survive within a variety of habitats all over the world. In fact, all cockroach species in the United States that are regarded as major indoor pests are non-native species that originated from tropical regions around the world, most notably Africa and East Asia. Technically, any established non-native species that demonstrate pest behaviors could be called an “invasive species, though the terms usage differs from source to source.

The domestic (indoor dwelling) German cockroach and the peridomestic (indoor and outdoor dwelling) American cockroach species were the first roach pests to arrive in North America. Like many other non-native arthropod pests, the German and American cockroaches arrived in the New World by means of colonial era ships. Several non-native cockroach species that are now recognized as significant pests of American homes are relatively recent arrivals in the country. Some of these newer roach pest species include Australian, Asian, Surinam, and Turkestan cockroaches. Turkestan cockroaches are unique in their invasiveness, and they are the only roach pests in the country that became established partly due to the online selling and purchasing of exotic insect species.

The Turkestan cockroach (Blatta lateralis) is native to a region spanning north Africa to central Asia, and it is believed that this species first arrived in the US during the 1970s and 1980s by hitching a ride on a US military ship returning to the country from the Middle East. While all cockroach pests are notable for spreading rapidly and proliferating at tremendously rapid rates, the Turkestan cockroach has surprised even experts by the speed with which the species has established itself as one of the most common indoor roach pests in the southern states. In fact, the Turkestan cockroach is displacing the Oriental cockroach in the southwest region of its invasive habitat range, and the pest has become prevalent throughout Louisiana.

The Turkestan cockroach’s unusually rapid spread has been helped by the online sale of these roaches as live food for pet reptiles, which explains why specimens have repeatedly appeared in New York and other northern regions where the species cannot survive. The Turkestan cockroach male can be recognized for its brownish yellow body that measures ½ inch to 7/8 inch in length. Females appear strikingly different due to their skinnier light brown to reddish colored body, which is around the same length as that of the males.

Have you ever encountered Turkestan cockroaches in your home?

The United States is home to at least 70 native and non-native cockroach species, at least a dozen of which are known pests of homes and buildings. In the US, both pest and non-pest cockroaches are most prevalent and species-diverse in the southern states, particularly in the southeast where mild winters, frequent rainfall, and excessive humidity provide cockroaches with an ideal habitat. Four cockroach pest species can be found in all 48 states of the contiguous US. These species are commonly known as American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana), German cockroaches (Blattella germanica), Oriental cockroaches (Blatta orientalis), and brown-banded cockroaches (Supella longipalpa). The German cockroach is the most commonly controlled roach pest within homes throughout the country, and along with the brown-banded cockroach, the German cockroach is one of the few insect pest species that dwells solely indoors. In addition to the four above mentioned cockroach pest species, smokybrown cockroaches and Australian cockroaches are very common indoor pests in southern Louisiana.

A few years ago, the American Housing Survey revealed New Orleans to be the most cockroach-infested city in the nation. This put the Big Easy ahead of other cities that are notorious for having healthy roach pest populations including Houston, Atlanta and Miami. While visiting northern areas where cockroaches are less problematic, Louisiana residents are often asked about the cockroach situation in their state. Northerners are always surprised to hear how frequently Louisiana residents witness cockroaches flying. One New Orleans resident, Ann Butcher, described an incident in which she screamed in response to finding a cluster of roaches in her kitchen. For the brief moment she opened her mouth to scream, one of the roaches literally flew into her mouth. Since then, Butcher has learned to scream with her mouth closed upon finding creepy-crawlies in her home.

With the exception of the German cockroach, the large sized American and smokybrown cockroach species are the two most frequently encountered roach pests both indoors and outdoors in Louisiana. American and smokybrown cockroaches both fly in response to high-moisture conditions, and the latter frequently flies toward porches, patios, and into homes due to their attraction to white light. American cockroaches are particularly filthy due to their commonality in sewer systems, and adults of this species range from 1 ¼ to a bit more than 2 inches in body length, making them slightly larger than smokybrown cockroaches.

Have you ever witnessed a cockroach fly into your home?