American Roaches
Periplaneta americana
NuisanceWhat it is
Large reddish-brown cockroaches that favor warm, damp areas such as sewers, basements, boiler rooms, commercial kitchens, and utility spaces. They can travel long distances through drains and service lines.
How to recognize it
- 1.5 to 2 inches long, reddish-brown
- Pale yellow figure-eight outline behind the head
- Has wings and can glide or flutter short distances
- Often found in basements, drains, and utility areas
Where you will find it
Sewers, storm drains, basements, crawl spaces, boiler rooms, and mulch beds. They come in through gaps, drains, and under doors.
Most common in warm, humid areas, but they turn up in buildings across the country.
Why it matters
They can travel long distances through drains and service lines and contaminate food and surfaces.
Look-alikes
- Oriental cockroach: Darker, shiny black-brown, and smaller. Prefers cool, damp spots.
- Smokybrown cockroach: Uniformly dark mahogany with no figure-eight marking, and lives mostly outdoors in warm areas.
What to do
- Fix or report leaks, and keep basements, crawl spaces, and drains as dry as you can.
- Keep trash sealed and pet food put away.
- Avoid store-bought sprays and traps. American roaches come up from sewers and drains, and a professional can find how they're getting in.
When to call a professional
- You keep seeing them, or see more than one at a time.
- You see them in kitchens or other living areas.
Questions
Do American cockroaches fly?
They have wings and can glide or flutter short distances, especially in warm weather.
Does seeing one mean my house is dirty?
No. They come up from sewers and outdoor areas looking for moisture and food, even in clean homes.
Should I worry if I see just one?
A single one is often a wanderer from outside or the plumbing. Seeing several, repeatedly, points to a nearby source.
Related reading
Related pests
German Roaches
Small tan cockroaches with two dark stripes behind the head. They breed quickly in warm kitchens and bathrooms, can aggravate allergies and asthma, and are hard to clear without professional help.
Read more →Brown-Banded Roaches
Small cockroaches with pale bands across the wings or abdomen. They prefer warmer, drier areas than German cockroaches and may infest upper cabinets, furniture, electronics, bedrooms, and offices.
Read more →
Cockroaches
Flattened, fast-moving insects that hide in cracks and dark harborages and usually forage at night. Different species favor different moisture and temperature conditions, and infestations can contaminate food and...
Read more →Oriental Roaches
Dark brown to black cockroaches that prefer cool, damp environments such as basements, crawlspaces, floor drains, sewers, and utility areas. They are less agile on smooth surfaces than some other cockroach species.
Read more →This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Pests vary by region and situation, and an on-site inspection is the reliable way to know what you have.