Smokybrown cockroaches look for warm or hot places with high humidity, similar to the tropical climate in which they thrive. They live outside but often enter homes in the summer, searching for food and water. These roaches can also be accidentally brought into a home as they hide in firewood. Mulch, tree bark, piles of leaves and other outdoor materials make good hiding places with lots of moisture.

The long wings of Smokybrown cockroaches allow them to fly from trees to roofs and open windows. Clogged gutters provide them with a steady source of organic material to eat. They also crawl under shingles where they can find food and shelter. These cockroaches can use cracks in roofing or walls to get into a home.

Smokybrown cockroaches are attracted to lights and use their wings to fly to light sources indoors and outdoors. Once inside a building, Smokybrown roaches stay in places close to water. This species dries up quickly and needs convenient access to moisture. They’ll hide away from vents and well-circulated areas, preferring cluttered, humid spaces, such as attics.

The diet of Smokybrown cockroaches is wide-ranging but their preferred food source is decaying organic materials. Plant matter, especially, collects around houses and feeds infestations of these cockroaches. They’ll also consume dead insects, fecal matter, meat, sugar-based foods and starches.

Their two pairs of wings are mainly used to search for food, find a mate and fly to better locations or shelters when living conditions aren’t ideal. Smokybrown cockroaches don’t swarm, though groups of males looking for mates can resemble a swarm. They are strongly attracted to lights and will fly directly into the light source, sometimes leading them into homes and other buildings.

The average adult Smokybrown cockroach lives for a little more than two hundred days. Development from an egg into an adult can take a few months or over a year, depending on the environment in which the egg was laid. With many eggs developing at one time, a Smokybrown roach infestation can begin without clear warning signs.

The average female cockroach produces around 10 egg cases or as many as 30 in a lifetime. Each egg case contains approximately 20 eggs, making it possible for one female to produce hundreds of offspring. The potential growth of Smokybrown infestations is high if the warm, humid conditions they need to survive are present.

Moisture is the primary factor that brings Smokybrown cockroaches into a house. Since they’ll die if they become dehydrated or dried out, areas with high humidity or poor circulation become the preferred indoor habitats for these roaches.

Standing water, including puddles in sinks and bathtubs, attracts them to kitchens and bathrooms. They can also enter through vents and cracks around the places where plumbing comes through the wall.

Many things in the home can be food sources for Smokybrown cockroaches: crumbs, spills, grease, leftovers, poorly sealed pantry items, fruit and more attract cockroaches that have entered a house. Additionally, storage spaces are full of potential hiding places. Piles of books or newspapers, clothing, fabrics and other objects can trap heat and humidity, creating habitats for these pests.

Smokybrown cockroaches are adaptable and resourceful, surviving on little food and flying quickly from danger. The best way to control these pests is to prevent them from getting into your house. Follow these tips to avoid attracting them and keep them away from your property:

1. Frequently change garbage bags, wash dishes and clean floors to remove roaches’ food sources.

2. Ensure that screens are intact and placed in every window and vent.

3. Keep your home well-ventilated, especially attic and basement areas that have a tendency to capture humidity.

4. Seal any cracks and holes in exterior walls or around windows.

5. Call your local Aptive branch to discuss a cockroach control plan.