Cockroaches can foul food and produce an unpleasant odor. A significant number of people are allergic to cockroaches, and may exhibit chronic symptoms without realizing the cause of their watery eyes or runny noses. Cockroaches can also contaminate food with bacteria that can cause food poisoning, dysentery, or diarrhea. Identification Most cockroaches have a flattened, oval shape, spiny legs, and long filamentous antennae. Immature stages are smaller, have undeveloped wings and resemble the adults.
Wings cover the entire abdomen of females and all except the abdominal tip in males.
The male is light brown and rather boat-shaped, whereas the female is slightly darker with a broader behind. Back to Top Life Cycle and Habits German cockroach females, unlike most other cockroaches, carry ootheca that protrude from their abdomen until the eggs are ready to hatch. The ootheca is then dropped in a secluded location, where the nymphs emerge within one day. A female may produce four to eight cases during her lifetime, each containing 30 to 48 eggs. This cockroach has spread throughout the world by commerce and transportation.