If you have been finding reddish-brown cockroaches in your backyard, there is a good chance that what you are seeing is not the American cockroach that Long Beach residents have historically dealt with.
It is the Turkestan cockroach, and it has become the dominant outdoor cockroach species across much of Southern California over the past two decades, displacing the Oriental cockroach in most areas and establishing itself as the primary cockroach pest in outdoor residential environments throughout the region.
At 1st Stryke Pest Control, we identify and treat cockroach infestations throughout Long Beach. Understanding what species you are dealing with matters because the Turkestan cockroach has specific behaviors and vulnerabilities that inform the most effective control approach.
What Is the Turkestan Cockroach?
The Turkestan cockroach (Blatta lateralis) is native to Central Asia and the Middle East and was first documented in California in the 1970s. It is believed to have been introduced to the United States through military equipment and supplies returned from overseas deployments.
Since its introduction, it has spread aggressively throughout the American Southwest, thriving in the warm, dry climate that characterizes Southern California.
According to research from the University of California Riverside, the Turkestan cockroach has now largely replaced the Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) in many Southern California locations, outcompeting it for resources in outdoor environments.
The female Turkestan cockroach is dark brown to reddish-brown with cream-colored markings along the edges of the wings, which are short and do not allow flight. The male is lighter brown with longer wings and can fly only briefly, particularly toward light sources at night, which is why homeowners sometimes find them near outdoor lighting, in pools, or inside homes through doors and windows left open after dark.
Both sexes are smaller than American cockroaches, typically ranging from about 25 to 30 millimeters in length.
Where You Find Them
Turkestan cockroaches are primarily outdoor insects in Southern California. They thrive in conditions that are very common in Long Beach residential yards, such as:
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- Gaps around irrigation valve boxes, which provide dark, moist harborage that the species strongly prefers
- Compost bins and leaf debris
- Wood piles and organic mulch
- Cracks in block walls and concrete
- Around the bases of potted plants, where moisture accumulates
They are generally not indoor cockroaches in the way that German cockroaches are. They prefer outdoor environments and do not readily establish themselves in kitchens and bathrooms unless outdoor populations are very high and interior entry points are readily available.
The population explosions that homeowners notice in spring are driven by warming temperatures activating adults and nymphs that have been relatively inactive during cooler months, combined with increased outdoor irrigation that creates the moist harborage conditions this species requires.
Spring is consistently the time of year when Long Beach homeowners first become aware they have a Turkestan cockroach population, even though the colony may have been established for considerably longer.
The Entry Problem
While Turkestan cockroaches prefer outdoor environments, they do enter homes, typically through gaps around plumbing penetrations, under doors with inadequate weatherstripping, through weep holes in block walls, and through open doors and windows at night when males are attracted to interior lighting.
Once inside, they are generally unable to establish a breeding population in a typical home environment because they do not thrive in the drier, less organically rich conditions indoors.
But finding cockroaches inside your home is disturbing, regardless of whether they are residents or visitors.
Effective Control
Effective control of Turkestan cockroaches requires addressing the outdoor population rather than simply treating indoor entry points. This means identifying and reducing the harborage conditions that support the outdoor population, particularly irrigation valve boxes, which are disproportionately important harborage sites for this species and should be inspected and treated specifically.
Residual insecticide applications along block walls, around the building perimeter, and in identified harborage areas are the primary treatment approach. Baits placed in harborage locations where cockroaches are active can be effective supplements to residual treatments.
Exclusion measures, such as weatherstripping, mesh over weep holes, and sealing gaps around plumbing penetrations, reduce interior entry.
Our pest control services at 1st Stryke include Turkestan cockroach identification and targeted outdoor treatment programs designed for the specific conditions of Long Beach residential properties.
Contact 1st Stryke today to schedule an inspection and get control of what is likely a much larger population than the individuals you are seeing on the surface.
