Smoky Brown Cockroaches

Here at Canton Termite and Pest Control, we receive many calls regarding smoky brown cockroaches.

No one likes roaches, and many people find them to be terrifying. They are often associated with a lack of sanitation. Unfortunately, even well-kept homes can sometimes have roach infestations. In the Southeast, the most common cockroach is the smoky brown.

Smokeybrown cockroaches are a fairly common pest. They are the largest local species of cockroach and can be identified by their brown/black body pattern. The smoky brown is what most people associate with the word…cockroach, due to their shiny brown bodies. In outdoor environments, they are often found in warm, moist areas. This is because the smoky brown is easily dehydrated and therefore must live near a water source.

The smokey brown can often be found in gardens and forested areas around homes. Common areas include wood piles, mulch, and other outdoor debris. They are primarily nocturnal and will go out at night seeking food and water. The cockroaches can consume a wide variety of substances and are opportunistic eaters. This means that they will consume any food source available. Common food sources include:

Human food scraps
Plant Matter
Fecal Matter
Dead insects

The smoky brown has a lifespan that widely varies, from around 200-700 days. The female will reproduce by creating approximately 10 egg sacs, also known as ootheca. Each of these egg sacs will contain an average of 20 eggs. The female will often attach these egg sacs to a safe surface where they will remain until the young hatch.

Smoky brown cockroaches living outdoors do not pose a significant threat to homeowners. However, the roaches can sometimes be attracted to the lights in a home and will make their way inside a building. They can enter through doors, windows, ventilation shafts, and any other opening in a home.

Once inside, they can often find a dark, warm place, such as an attic, to hide and reproduce. Due to the amount of time in the life cycle of the roaches, they will often stay hidden for up to a year before you begin to see them in your home. They will hide in a dark space and grow into adults before venturing out into the home.

Due to the requirement for moisture, the smoky brown will often have difficulties surviving in any areas with a lot of air movement, such as ventilation shafts. However, if they find a moist area of the home, with limited ventilation, they can quickly become a frustrating pest to remove.

As they are the largest roach species in the area, it can be somewhat disconcerting to find them around your home. They will often leave their indoor hiding place at night and can be found around the home or outside seeking food. When looking for signs of roaches, homeowners should look for a blackish, tar-like residue. This residue is excreted by the roaches and is the best sign of an infestation.

To deal with an infestation, it is best to seek professional help. Some DIY products can eliminate some of the indoor roaches, but often roaches are continuing to enter the home from the outside. Non-professional grade products simply do not have the strength to keep the roaches out longterm. A professional technician is able to apply sufficient and longer-lasting chemicals to eliminate the infestation and keep the roaches out.

Exclusion and home repairs are other important steps to eliminate the infestation. The cockroaches will often have a particular area that they are entering through. So it is important to seal any potential entrances into the home. Important exclusion steps include:

Maintain ventilation in attics and crawl spaces
Discard old boxes and debris
Repair any leaking drains, faucets, and other sources of moisture
Remove any rotting leaf piles near to gutters and windows
Seal any exterior cracks or holes
Repair any caulking damage
Place mesh screens on vents and drains

These steps, combined with any other necessary repairs and chemical treatment, will help to quickly eliminate the cockroach infestation. As a homeowner myself, I can completely understand how unpleasant the idea of cockroaches in your home can be. For that reason, I am pleased to be able to provide you with the most efficient, affordable, and effective treatment options available. My team at Canton Termite and Pest Control has over 20 years of experience in the field! We are industry leaders in all forms of pest and wildlife control, including roaches.