Cockroaches

Species matters more than size here. A German cockroach is an indoor, fast-reproducing population problem. An American cockroach is usually an outdoor insect that came in through a drain or a gap.

German cockroach

Two dark parallel stripes run front to back on the pronotum, the shield-like plate behind the head. This is th…

Professional recommended

American cockroach

Very large at 34 to 53 mm, the largest cockroach commonly found in US homes.…

Prevention usually resolves this

Oriental cockroach

Very dark, almost glossy black to deep reddish-brown, noticeably darker than any other common house cockroach.…

Prevention usually resolves this

Brown-banded cockroach

Two pale transverse bands run across the wings and abdomen, running side to side. The German cockroach's strip…

Professional recommended

Smoky brown cockroach

Uniform dark mahogany to near-black with a glossy sheen, and — importantly — no pale margin on the pronotum, w…

Prevention usually resolves this

Reviewed by AgainstPest Editorial Team Last reviewed: 2026-08-17