German cockroach
Light brown body with two dark longitudinal stripes behind the head. Wings cover the abdomen but they rarely fly. Nymphs are very small and almost black.
Behaviour
Lives indoors year-round in warm humid voids. Active at night, prefers temperatures of 25-32°C. Females carry an egg case (ootheca) until hatching, producing 30-40 nymphs every 4-6 weeks.
How they get into Melbourne homes
Hitchhikes on cardboard, second-hand appliances, shared apartment walls and shared rubbish chutes. Lives within 3 m of food and water once established.
DIY options
Hardware-store bait stations and IGR sprays can hold a small fresh infestation. Disciplined cleaning + sealing food helps but does not kill the colony.
When to call a professional
Sightings during the day, smell, droppings, more than two weeks active - the colony is in a void you cannot reach.
Common questions about german cockroach
- Hinges, behind kickboards, under the dishwasher motor, inside the microwave control cavity, behind the splashback. Anywhere within 3 m of food and water.
Other cockroachs in Melbourne
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