Identification
This roach is the largest common species, growing 1.5–2 inches.
American Cockroach
Ticks require this type of meal at every life stage (larva, nymph, adult) in order to molt or reproduce.
Blood meal
Seeing large roaches indoors creates this strong customer reaction.
Disgust/fear
Trails in tall grass and frequent bites on pets may indicate this pest problem.
Ticks
This roach species is sometimes called a “waterbug,” even though it isn’t aquatic.
Oriental Cockroach
This cockroach looks nearly identical to German roaches, but is attracted to lights and can fly.
Asian Cockroach
Female German cockroaches carry these until hatching, unlike most other roaches.
Egg cases (oothecae)
Ticks create panic in customers mainly because they transmit these.
Diseases (Lyme, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, etc.)
A strong, musty odor is a giveaway of a heavy infestation of this pest.
Cockroaches (esp. German)
Ticks are arachnids, just like spiders, but unlike spiders they cannot do this.
Spin webs (produce silk)
These roaches are shiny dark brown/black, males have short wings, females nearly wingless, and they’re called “waterbugs.”
Oriental Cockroach
Smoky brown roaches are strong at this behavior, which often brings them indoors near lights.
Flying
Customers associate roaches with this household issue, even if sanitation is not the direct cause.
Filth/uncleanliness
Finding egg cases (oothecae) glued to surfaces is a sign of this roach species.
Brown-Banded Cockroach
This cockroach is often mistaken for a German roach, but unlike Germans it is strongly attracted to lights and can fly.
Asian Cockroach
This roach is small (½ inch), light brown, with two dark stripes behind its head.
German Cockroach
Ticks use this behavior — climbing onto grass and stretching their legs to grab a host.
Questing
Finding tick bites on these two groups usually causes the most concern.
Children and pets
Ticks go through four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. How many blood meals do they require to complete their life cycle?
Three (one at larva, one at nymph, one at adult)
This cockroach species is unique because the female carries her egg case until just before it hatches, allowing infestations to grow very quickly.
German Cockroach
This parasite is not an insect but an arachnid, with 8 legs instead of 6.
Tick
Roaches are most active during this time of day.
Night (nocturnal)
Roaches are especially feared in this type of business because of health codes and reputation risks.
Restaurants/food service
This tick life stage is the smallest and hardest to detect, but it is often responsible for transmitting Lyme disease to humans.
Nymph
After feeding, this parasite can swell several times its normal size as it fills with blood.
Tick