The only roach that lives and breeds indoors year-round, and the reason spraying baseboards makes an infestation worse rather than better: repellents scatter the population into new voids instead of killing it.
Signs in the house
- Small tan roaches with two dark stripes behind the head, seen at night.
- Pepper-like droppings in cabinet corners and along shelf edges.
- A sweet, oily smell in a kitchen that is otherwise clean.
- Egg cases glued into cracks behind appliances and under sinks.
Size
13-16 mm.
Active
Year-round indoors. Populations double roughly every month untreated.
Nests in
Warm, humid voids — behind refrigerators, dishwashers and under sinks.
Risk
Health. Allergens and food contamination.
Treatment window
Same week. Baiting programs run six to eight weeks.