Roaches belong to a large group of very familiar insects that includes crickets and grasshoppers. They have chewing mouthparts and can feed on practically anything.

Roaches do not directly transmit disease; however, they can contaminate food with an enormous variety of microbial pathogens including the eggs and larvae of parasites such as pinworms, tapeworms, and roundworms; bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli; and fungi such as yeast, many of which can lead to gastrointestinal problems and infections in humans. Roaches also have an unpleasant odor, and, as most of us know, their presence can be very annoying.

Roaches have also been shown to contribute to the increased severity of symptoms among asthma sufferers and others with respiratory problems due to the presence of their cast skins and feces which can be allergens.

Some studies indicate that roach allergen exposure early in life could even be used as a predictor for the development of asthma.

To discourage roach appearances, caulk closed cracks at the interface of walls and floors, counters, backsplashes on sinks, and around electrical boxes and other wall-hung fixtures where roaches live.

The German roach prefers to settle in small, tight spaces. It is most common in kitchens and bathrooms. Sealing cracks greatly reduces its preferred habitat.  This roach is also highly attracted to odors (pheromones) in the feces of other German roaches.  Good sanitation and vacuuming can be effective tools in reducing their numbers.

German roaches can be attracted to baits that contain bread, stale beer, peanut butter, or Jack Daniel’s Whiskey.  Among these attractants, bread and beer combos seem to draw the most German roaches. Unlike American roaches, German roaches must eat in order to reproduce.  They also prefer fats over proteins and carbohydrates.  If water is available, they can live for about a month without food.

The American roach is considered more of a tropical species, and prefers temperatures over 80 ° F. and humid conditions. It is often found in basements, restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores. These roaches often cannot survive very long in residential homes if humidities fall below 45% and moisture or water is unavailable.

Smokybrowns occasionally enter homes where they can be found in areas where moistures levels are high. They also like to infest attics, and like American and German roaches, can be reduced or eliminated with the use of blowers or fans since they are very vulnerable to drying out.

In China, smokybrowns have been controlled with the use of viruses which can achieve high mortality rates against adults.

A bowl of cheap wine placed under the sink will kill roaches; they drink, fall in and die.