Cockroaches in Maine
Many people are curious and ask, “Where will you mostly see Cockroaches in Maine”? Well, there are definitely cockroaches in Maine. In fact there are more than 4,000 cockroach species in the world, however only 30 of them are considered pests and two of the most common ones in this group are found in Maine. So, where will you mostly see cockroaches in Maine? Let’s take a closer look at the types and where they can be found. Although American cockroaches live primarily outside like under flowerbeds or underneath mulch pies, they usually move indoors when the weather changes, such as in winter or when food shortage occurs. You will mostly see Cockroaches in Maine during the summer months since they desire a warmer climate. They can be found in homes and businesses.
Cockroach Look A likes
So, what bugs in Maine look like cockroaches? There are several bugs in Maine that look like cockroaches. For one, crickets are approximately the same size of a cockroach, however, their coloring is much darker with many appearing all black. Other cockroaches look alikes include Giant Water Bugs, June Bugs, May beetles and Asian Long horned Beetles.
Maine Cockroaches
There are several cockroaches that reside in Maine. Cockroaches are also known as wood cockroaches or sometimes just wood roaches. These cockroaches are quite common in Maine and in the Northeast. They are a total nuisance when they decide to invade your home and wreak havoc infesting throughout. This will often happen during the summer months in New England.
The most common cockroach in Portland Maine and across the country is the German cockroach. The German cockroach is by far the most likely species to infest homes in Maine. It is about 1/2 inch long, light brown, with two lengthwise black stripes on the shield behind the head. The adults are fully winged, but rarely fly. The nymphs resemble the adults but are smaller, darker, and wingless. Some of the resemblances include an oval-shaped body, bodies that appear flattened and range between ¾ inch and 3 inches in length, reddish-brown but will look whitish for a short time just after molting.
Another common type of cockroach, while not the most widespread species, is the American cockroach. Are they in Maine? Absolutely! American cockroaches in Maine like areas that are dark, warm, and humid. The following is a list of where you are most likely to see cockroaches in your Maine home.
- Basements
- Drains
- Boiler rooms
- Bathrooms
- Storage areas
- Laundry Rooms
- Kitchens and food prep areas
- Behind or under appliances
Roaches in Maine
There are 5 types of roaches found in Maine. So, what kinds of cockroaches live in Maine? Read on for the top five. Roaches in Maine prefer to hide during the day and can sense our movements at night. This is why they will quickly dash away before being seen. They can actually run really fast, up to 11 inches per second! That would be like us running 93 miles per hour! If you see a cockroach during the day, then there are many more and you may have an infestation.
1. German Cockroach
These are year-round pests in Maine. They come out at night to search for food and water and will invade houses, apartments, restaurants, hotels, and hospitals. Roaches are attracted to meats, starches, sugars, and fatty goods. They will even go as far as to eat soap, glue, and toothpaste.
- Males are tan or pale brown, with two dark streaks on their heads.
- The abdomen is slender and tapers down, with a yellowish underside.
- Females are darker brown, and their abdomens are broader.
2. American Cockroach
This cockroach has the largest body size of any roaches in Maine. They are also considered one of the fastest running insects. They originally came from Africa and the Middle East. They were brought over to America hundreds of years ago on ships. American cockroaches are active all year-round and are attracted to moist and warm locations, like inside your home. These cockroaches are mostly commercial pests found in restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries, warehouses, and shipyards. They are also known as Waterbugs.
- Shiny, reddish-brown wings, paler neck with two darker reddish-brown blotches in the center.
- Short wings, males’ wings extend beyond their abdomen.
3. Oriental Cockroach
These pesky critters prefer dark, moist places. They are slow, flightless, and poor climbers. They are found in sewers, drains, damp basements, porches, or other damp places. Outside they can be found under mulch, bushes, leaves and woodpiles. They are a major household pest. Not only do they smell, but they are one of the dirtiest cockroaches in Maine. They are also known as a Waterbug or Black Beetle.
- Shiny dark reddish-brown to blackish brown.
- Males’ wings cover three-fourths of their abdomen while females have short, almost non-existent wings.
4. Brown-Banded Cockroach
his little guy is the smallest cockroach in Maine. Curiously enough, this cockroach does not need as much moisture as his friends. They can go all the places in your house when the other cockroaches won’t go. You can find them hiding in appliances, cabinets, living rooms, bedrooms, just about anywhere in your home. You find them in the daytime because they do not like the light. The Brown-banded Cockroach will eat anything and everything. If they can see it, they will eat it.
- Tan to light brown and has two light-colored bands across the wings and abdomen (which makes them look broken.)
- Males’ wings cover the abdomen and are more slender.
- Females are darker with shorter wings, and they have broader abdomens.
5. Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach
You can usually find this cockroach in wooded areas, on tree trunks and lower branches of oaks and elms. If you find this little guy inside your house it may be because he hitched a ride from firewood that may have been brought in. These are the rarest to see in Maine since they do not like to live with other cockroaches and like cooler temperatures.
- Males are dark brown, sides of the thorax (between head and abdomen) and front half of wings are yellowish. Wings are fully developed and longer than the abdomen.
- Females are dark brown, with short and useless wings.