Japanese Cockroach

Periplaneta japonica

Facts About Japanese Cockroaches

Again like the German cockroach, the Japanese cockroach is no longer confined to its native country, and has since made its way to the United States. This potentially invasive species has been popping up in larger quantities recently, most notably in New York City. While NYC is no stranger to pests, this newer species is considerably more resistant to cold weather than others, making it quite the pest.

Japanese Cockroach Bites

Japanese cockroaches do not bite, but do have another interesting form of protection. When young Japanese cockroaches are threatened their bodies secrete a thick material along their dorsal surface, which can then be thrown at an enemy through shaking. You may see this behavior if a Japanese cockroach feels threatened by your behavior. The liquid is not poisonous, but merely meant instead to slow down attacking insects. If you get this material on you, simply wash it off.

Japanese Cockroach Infestation

Most cockroaches prefer warmer, more humid environments, and while this may still be the case with the Japanese cockroach, it has adapted to colder environments quite well. Having evolved to deal with the harsh winters in Japan and China, these pests take on the challenging New York winters surprisingly well. As of now, they are the only species of cockroach in America that can handle the snow and cold even while still developing. This means that while other species might enter homes to avoid the cold in the winter, these cockroaches are more likely to set up shop near commercial areas, but still outside (perhaps near the garbage disposal areas).

Types of Japanese Cockroaches

Japanese Cockroach Identification

Japanese cockroaches are a moderately sized of cockroach, measuring on average an inch in length. These are another flying species of cockroach, but still are often seen crawling as a primary means of movement. They further have the fairly common dark brown coloration, with lighter brown/amber colored wings. Some variations have been shown to have lighter brown patterns across their heads, but this is not the average in most cases.

Japanese Cockroaches in the House

Japanese cockroaches, like most others, will tend to search for food in areas near humans. Instead of hunting, these scavengers prefer to pick at what we leave behind, especially in NYC. While there have not been an abundance of reports of Japanese cockroaches in homes and apartments in NYC, the sightings are definitely increasing. Because this species is very resistant to the cold, it does not necessarily need to search for food directly in apartments. Moreover, because the city trash receptacles near apartments are full of food scraps, this is where they are more likely to be found.

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