There are more than 3,500 different species of cockroaches today, and they are considered to be among the most primitive of all living winged insects in history. In fact, the species as a whole has remain unchanged for more than 300 million years. A cockroach carries a flat, elongated black or brown shell-looking body, has long antennae, and a head which points downward.
Females are wingless, and males carry two pair of wings.
Despite their reputation, only a few species of cockroach are known pests, choosing to live in domestic areas instead of their natural environment. Cockroaches survive on a combination diet of plant and animal matter, including paper, clothing, food, wood, books, bedbugs and other small insects. The German cockroach lives in abundance in New York City and other cities. This common home invader is light brown in color and has two distinct dark stripes on its body, which distinguish it from other roaches. Smaller than the American cockroach and many others in its family, the German cockroach is less than one-half inch long.