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  • Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach Cockroaches

    Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach
  • Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach
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Elimination

Wood cockroaches live primarily outdoors. They do not breed indoors. If these insects are found wandering in the house, one must determine the cause of their presence. To reduce the likelihood of infestation, move woodpiles away from the house, replace window screenings, and redirect exterior lighting.

Once these preventive actions are taken, local intervention can be performed to eliminate the insects in the house. Residual action insecticides, such as Maheu&Maheu Crawling Insect Killer aerosol spray and Maheu&Maheu Insecticide Dust , are most efficient against cockroaches because their effect lasts several weeks. Spray the insecticide in cracks and crevices and apply the dust in structural openings behind outlet plates. Baited glue traps can be used to attract and capture the insects, as well as detect the level of infestation.

If the outdoor population of cockroaches is large, we recommend using liquid insecticide to perform a complete treatment. Apply the product to all areas where cockroaches may hide: along foundations, in crack walls, fences, stacked wood, tree trunks and forks, and along a three-meter perimeter around the building.

Actions

  • Use glue traps
  • Spray indoor cracks and crevices with an insecticide in rooms where insects have been seen
  • Spray or treat the outside perimeter of the house with an insecticide if a lot of insects are getting in

Prevention

  • Avoid storing materials by the house
  • Seal the outsides of windows, doors, eaves, chimneys, etc. as completely as possible.
  • Use yellow incandescent bulbs outdoors (such as Philips Bug-A-Way) instead of soft white ones.

Description and development

The Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach (Parcoblatta pennsylvanica Deg. ) is a hemimetabolous insect that belongs to the orthoptera order. Males have dark brown bodies with lighter color on the sides of the pronotum. They measure 25 mm, are fully winged, and can swiftly fly up to 30 m (100 feet). Females are smaller (19 mm in length) and have wings that are too short for flying.
These insects have a seasonal life cycle. They spend winter as nymphs-the stage of development preceding adulthood-and are active from May to October. A generation of cockroaches generally lasts a year. However, their life cycle can last two years depending on the climate. Females deposit a maximum of 32 eggs in a yellowish brown egg case fixed to the end of their abdomen. They carry the egg case for one to three days and then release it without taking the trouble to hide it. After a 32 to 35 day incubation period, the eggs hatch in the spring. A nymph will molt five to seven times before reaching maturity in the following year. An adult cockroach can live several months.

Habits

Pennsylvania Wood Cockroaches can be found in urban areas where woods are present. They live under loose bark and in tree hollows. They can also be found in woodpiles and in cracks and crevices of the house. Contrary to other roaches, male wood cockroaches are attracted to light and are more likely to be found in the house at night. Roaches are not active during the day unless they are disturbed. At dusk, males search for a mate in every nook and cranny.

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