German cockroach

How to tell

• 12 to 16 mm, light tan, with two dark stripes running lengthwise behind the head.
• Adults have wings but rarely fly; they run for cracks when a light comes on.
• Egg cases are carried by the female until hatching, so numbers climb quickly.
• Often confused with the Asian cockroach, which looks nearly identical but flies to lights outdoors at dusk.

Where you'll find it

• Warm motor housings — under the dishwasher, refrigerator, and coffee maker.
• Hinges and corners of upper cabinets near the stove.
• Bathroom vanity plumbing penetrations.

Why it matters

German cockroaches live entirely indoors and reproduce faster than any other roach in this region. They travel between drains, trash, and food surfaces, and their shed skins and droppings are a recognized indoor allergen.

How Strike treats it

This is a sanitation and baiting problem, not a spraying problem. We inspect with a flashlight and monitors to find the harborage, place gel bait at the cracks the roaches actually use, and apply growth-regulating material in voids. Broadcast interior spraying is avoided because it scatters the population and contaminates bait. German cockroach work is scheduled in a series of visits — one treatment does not finish it.

What you can do before we arrive

• Empty the cabinets under the kitchen and bathroom sinks.
• Take out the trash and store dry food in sealed containers.
• Do not spray store-bought aerosol before we arrive — it pushes them deeper.
• Fix or report any dripping trap or supply line.