Roaches
Cockroaches are found almost anywhere where humans reside. Not only can they wreak havoc by feeding on everything from food to drywall in your home, but they also carry communicable diseases including typhoid and dysentery. Likewise, roach droppings and dust from discarded exoskeletons can aggravate asthma and allergies in susceptible individuals. Roach infestations often can be detected by the putrid odor that emanates from droppings. Although there are more than 50 identified species of cockroaches in the world, the species listed below are particularly bothersome in North Carolina, including the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.
The American cockroach, also known as the waterbug, is the largest species of common cockroach.
The brown-banded cockroach is commonly found in the northeastern, southern, and midwest regions of the United States.
The German cockroach is the number one roach in the world.
These insects are particularly associated with restaurants, food processing facilities, hotels, and nursing homes.
Oriental cockroaches are a major household pest in parts of the northwest, mid-west, and southern United States.
Wood roaches are similar in appearance to the household cockroaches, but they live exclusively outdoors.
