How to Identify and Get Rid of Smokybrown Cockroaches

Updated: Mar. 10, 2022

Smokybrown and coming to a cabin near you. Control cockroaches with these pest control insights.

A creature of the woods, Smokybrown cockroaches are a warm climate pest, living outdoors and flying near homes where food and shelter are plentiful. This pest is popular around cabins and houses near the wilderness.

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What Are Smokybrown Cockroaches?

A close relative to the American cockroach, Smokybrown roaches (Periplaneta fuliginosa) have many similar behavioral and visual characteristics. In the United States, you will find them in warmer climates and southern states such as Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia.

What do Smokybrown Cockroaches Look Like?

Smokybrown cockroaches get their name from their appearance and where they like to hide. They have a distinct mahogany color with a thin and long body. Their wings are noticeable and functional, making them frequent and strong fliers. At night you can find them flying around lights, attracted to the brightness coming out of the dark.

Smokybrown Cockroach Behaviors

Living mainly in southern states, the Smokybrown cockroach prefers warm and humid locations, mainly hanging outdoors in places such as trees, gardens and mulch and leaf piles. Near the home, you can find them in gutters, the attic and crawl spaces.

When searching for food, the Smokybrown cockroach likes a wide array, including feces, other dead insects, plants, sugars and human food. Unlike some cockroach species, these roaches are only able to go a few days without water. Because of that, they cling to wet and moist areas.

Smokybrown Cockroach Life Cycle

The Smokybrown cockroach goes through the three stages of metamorphosis like the majority of cockroaches: egg, nymph and adult. Their average lifespan is six to ten months. Females lay as many as 24 eggs at a time, 16 to 18 times throughout their lifetime.

Signs of Smokybrown Cockroaches

The common signs that Smokybrown cockroaches have found a home indoors include:

On-sight visual.
Droppings.
Egg cases.

Expect to see these cockroaches at night flying near the brighter lights in and around the home. If infested, look for these signs in places such as the attic or the roof.

How to Get Rid of Smokybrown Cockroaches

Even more than their counterparts, it’s important to keep the home clean and dry to clear wet hiding locations for the pest. Some common tips for cleaning include:

Taking out and sealing trash.
Fixing leaky pipes and drains.
Getting rid of old boxes and storage containers.
Searching and cleaning major appliances.

To kill cockroaches, there are a wide variety of remedies including sprays, baits, traps, pesticides and other natural substances. If those methods prove ineffective, look to your local exterminator to provide a sustainable plan and system to help eliminate the roaches.

Smokybrown Cockroach Safety

Similar to other cockroaches, Smokybrowns transport disease and bacteria and can contaminate food. Too many in one area can also cause issues with allergies and asthma. A buildup of Smokybrown cockroaches shouldn’t be allowed to fester, making quick action a priority for home and business safety.

Cockroach Resources

For more information about cockroaches and what it means when you find this pest in your home or business, check out these pest control articles.

Sources

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