German cockroaches live outdoors in tropical environments. They’ve become widespread home pests because their small size allows them to enter buildings easily in cold regions. German roaches frequently live around kitchens and bathrooms, where crumbs and other food remains provide an easy source of food. They also inhabit bathrooms, cabinets and the areas around plumbing.

In apartment buildings, nursing homes and similar structures, German cockroaches can use the plumbing to move from room to room. These cockroaches are smaller than many other common species and can hide in less accessible places. While they forage in areas where food and moisture are easily found, they spend most of their time in walls, cracks or other out-of-the-way places.

German cockroaches can eat almost anything. They are expert scavengers that prefer greasy and sugary foods. Crumbs, spilled liquids and oil splatter are only some of the food sources that can sustain a german cockroach infestation. They’ll also eat starches, such as book bindings, meat products, soap and similar household items.

These tiny cockroaches are fast runners. The adults have wings but can’t fly; they can only briefly use them to break a fall. Their antennae are slightly longer than their bodies, helping them to find food and to communicate with other roaches. German cockroaches are most active at night but you might occasionally see them searching for food during the day.

Adult German cockroaches can live up to about 200 days. Female cockroaches will reproduce several times during their lives, with 30 to 40 eggs in each egg case. Instead of hiding them, females carry the eggs around until just before they hatch. Infestations of this species grow rapidly and are difficult to control without professional help.

German cockroach droppings appear as tiny black dots around the kitchen or in the corners of rooms, similar to small peppercorns. This is one of the most visible signs of roaches in an apartment or home. If you begin to see droppings on the floor, it’s time to take measures to stop the infestation. Don’t wait—call Aptive Environmental right away to start a cockroach control plan.

German cockroaches’ wide-ranging diets make them difficult to kill once they’ve entered a building. This is why it’s so important to use good cleaning habits to avoid attracting them in the first place.

German cockroaches’ ideal shelter is warm and humid, so keeping your environment well-ventilated and cool can make it less attractive to these pests. Garbage, especially food waste, draws them more strongly than anything else. They’ll also eat pet food that’s left out overnight.

Leaking pipes or faucets can provide accessible sources of water, attracting roaches to plumbing within walls or in the bathroom. This makes basements and laundry rooms common cockroach habitats, too.

Cockroaches’ adaptable diet and ability to escape quickly make them difficult to get rid of without the help of a pest expert. Prevention is the best way to ensure that German cockroaches don’t start living in your home. Follow these tips to keep them out and away from your property:

1. Change your garbage bags frequently and keep them away from your house until pickup day.

2. Clean regularly and thoroughly: wipe counters, wash dishes and vacuum floors to remove cockroaches’ food sources.

3. Keep pantry foods and leftovers in tightly sealed containers.

4. Seal cracks and holes, including places where plumbing enters your house.

5. Call Aptive to begin an ongoing cockroach control plan.