Wood Roach
The adult wood roach measures between three-quarters and 1.25 inches in length. The wood cockroach is chestnut brown with a flat, oval-shaped body, long antennae, and spiny legs.
BEHAVIOR:
The wood roach typically resides outside homes but will become an occasional invader. Sometimes confused with German, American or Smoky Brown cockroaches due to similarities. The wood roach is not skittish of light and is less likely to scurry away when you approach. Where some species of roaches will be found in specific locations of your home, the wood roach will wonder though out.
HABITATS
The wood roaches can be found throughout the continental United States they live outdoors in moist woodland areas, including woodpiles, mulch, branches or decaying logs. They don’t survive long nor breed indoors as they need consistent moisture. These particular roaches aren’t prone to infest houses like other cockroaches, but you may see them inside your home occasionally. They could find their way in via a bundle of firewood. The wood cockroach eats decaying organic matter such as rotting trees and leaf litter. They are merely a nuisance should they find their way into your house.
Your best approach is to take steps to keep wood cockroaches out of your house:
- When bringing firewood inside remove the bark and use it quickly.
- Keep woodpiles away from your house and off the ground.
- Seal cracks and small openings so they can’t slip inside and treat with Bugly dust
- Keep screens and weather-stripping around windows and doors in good repair.
- Turn off porch lights at night when not in use so you don’t attract the males.
- Limit using your porch light during mating season in late May and June when the males are often in flight.
