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Brown-banded Cockroach, Supella longipalpa1
D. R. Suiter and P. G. Koehler2APPEARANCE
The adults are rather small cockroaches about 5/8 inch long. The adult male is slender in appearance with its wings extending beyond the tip of the abdomen. Adult females have shorter wings that expose a considerable portion of their broad abdomens. They have two light yellow or cream-colored bands across their backs ( Figure 1 ). These bands tend to be hidden by the wings in the adults. The markings of the brown-banded cockroach are roughly crosswise while those of the German cockroach are lengthwise.
adults.
Figure 1.
German cockroach. HABITAT
Brown-banded cockroaches are abundant in the southern, midwest, and northeastern states. They are mainly a temperate pest thriving in heated buildings despite cold winters. Brown-banded cockroaches are found in homes, apartments, hotels, and hospitals. They are less frequently found in stores restaurants and kitchens. They are frequently transported in furniture and will spread rapidly through an entire building.Brown-banded cockroaches are generally found on ceilings, high on walls, behind picture frames, and near motors of refrigerators and other appliances. They are also found in light switches, closets and furniture. They do not require as much moisture as the German cockroach which explains why they normally are found in rooms other than the kitchen or bathroom. These cockroaches dislike light and are not normally seen during the day.
BIOLOGY AND HABITS
The life cycle of the brown-banded cockroach takes from 95-276 days, with an average of 161 days. The males have a shorter development period than the female. It prefers temperatures over 80°F; temperatures below 75°F retard its development. The egg capsule is yellowish or reddish/brown in color and is 3/16 inch (5 mm) in length. The female carries the egg capsule for 24 to 36 hours and then attaches it to some object. Egg capsules may be glued to desks, tables and other furniture, and even in bedding. This habit of hiding capsules in furniture probably accounts for its spread. The maximum number of eggs to be found in a capsule was 18. The average number of young to emerge from a capsule was 13.2 at room temperature. The flattened virgin female develops an enormously enlarged abdomen when she becomes gravid. The average incubation period is 69.7 days. The females produce a greater number of capsules during the summer.CONTROL
Control procedure should utilize a variety of pest management procedures. The use of liquid insecticides and dusts will give long-lasting control. Many infestations are in appliances and motors; use insecticides judiciously in these devices.
Footnotes
1. This document is ENY235, one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date October 1991. Reviewed May 2003. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.2. D.R. Suiter, research assistant; Philip G. Koehler, professor, Entomology and Nematology Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
Copyright Information
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