Oriental Cockroaches

Facts, Identification & Control

Latin Name

Blatta orientalis


Female Adult Oriental Cockroach
Female Adult Oriental Cockroach

Male Adult Oriental Cockroach
Male Adult Oriental Cockroach


Behavior, Diet & Habits

Primarily an outdoors species, oriental cockroaches are well adapted for surviving in the natural environment. Most outdoor populations can be found living beneath the mulch in landscape beds, in leaf litter, beneath stones or debris outdoors. If access is available, the insects can thrive in the voids or openings beneath porches, in wall voids and crawlspaces. In more metropolitan areas, oriental roaches can be found in large numbers living in storm drains and sewers.

Oriental cockroaches are known for their preference of feeding on garbage, filth or material that has begun to decay. These cockroaches are very dependent upon water. While studies have shown that they can survive for up to a month without food, these insects can not survive for more than two weeks without water.


On average an adult male oriental cockroach will live 110 to 160 days, whereas the adult female can live anywhere from 35 to 180 days. During that time, a single female oriental roach can produce approximately eight egg cases, or ootheca, with approximately 16 eggs per case. Approximately 30 hours after she has produced the egg case, she will drop it in a protected area where it will stay until the young hatch. The development time for the oriental cockroach is greatly affected by the season. In the warmer months, the time needed to develop from an egg to an adult may take as few as 200 days. However, when the weather becomes colder, or during the late fall and winter months, it can take as many as 800 days for the cockroaches to go from egg to adult.

Signs of an Oriental Cockroach Infestation



Egg Capsules

Egg cases, or oothecas, of the oriental cockroach may appear dark brown or reddish in color and almost 8 to 10 mm in length. Each egg case, which can hold approximately 16 eggs, is dropped by the female into protected areas, almost 30 hours after it is produced.


In areas where large populations of oriental cockroaches are present, a musty odor can be detected. This odor is a result of chemicals that are secreted by the insects that are used to communicate within the population.

More Information

Oriental Cockroaches Out Doors
Oriental Cockroaches

Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) is also known as the waterbug, shade roach or black beetle. Oriental cockroaches are shiny, blackish-brown species that measure approximately 25 to 32 in length. The wings of adult male Oriental cockroaches cover two-thirds of the abdomen. Adult female specimens are wingless, and their small wing pads extend only to the middle of the abdomen. Oriental roaches do not fly.

Oriental cockroaches thrive in port cities throughout the world. They can be found throughout the United States, as well as in England, Europe, Israel, Australia and South America. Oriental roaches prefer cool, damp locations, so they are typically located in basements and cellars. Oriental cockroaches crawl around service ducts, toilets, bathtubs, sinks, radiators and pipes.

Although their natural habitat is outdoors, they may infest homes in summer. Inside, they tend to remain on lower floors. Like other cockroach species, Oriental cockroaches are omnivorous and thrive by scavenging for food crumbs and decaying plants and animals. Oriental cockroaches tend to gather in large numbers near water sources.

Oriental cockroaches can be a source for many food-borne pathogens, including E.coli, Salmonella spp., and other pathogens. Due to their dietary preference for garbage and decaying organic matter, oriental cockroaches can carry these pathogens on their legs and bodies from contaminated areas and then transmit them onto clean surfaces.

Oriental Cockroach Nymphs

Waterbug Cockroaches