The most effective way to get rid of Oriental cockroaches in Pennsylvania and New Jersey is to eliminate standing water in your basement or crawl space.
Unlike German roaches, which are attracted to food scraps and greasy residue, Oriental cockroaches are primarily drawn to stagnant water with organic material nearby. This is why they’re often referred to incorrectly as water bugs.
Oriental cockroaches tend to be less common than American and German cockroaches and dwell in the cooler, damper lower parts of the home.
If you’re dealing with stubborn Oriental roaches or a large colony, you can try applying boric acid or diatomaceous earth to common entry points in your basement or consult your local New Jersey or Pennsylvania cockroach control experts.
In this guide, you’ll learn how Oriental cockroaches differ from other common species and how to prevent and get rid of them once and for all.
What Are Oriental Cockroaches?
Oriental cockroaches are a shiny black species of cockroach that primarily dwells outdoors.
While not as common as German cockroaches, Oriental cockroaches occasionally make their way indoors, typically through floor drains, sewer pipes, or basement windows.
Once inside, Oriental cockroaches tend to dwell near damp, cool spaces, such as basements, crawl spaces, and occasionally around toilets.
Since Oriental cockroaches spend significant time in sewers and storm drains, they carry hazardous pathogens on their legs and bodies that can spread to common surfaces in your basement or bathroom.
Where Are Oriental Cockroaches Found in Your Home?
Oriental cockroaches are highly susceptible to dehydration, which is why they frequent areas of your home with high humidity or standing water.
Furthermore, these roaches lack specialized suction pads on their feet. This keeps them primarily restricted to ground levels and subterranean areas of a house, where they typically hide in the following spots:
- Basements and Crawl Spaces: They routinely hide beneath cardboard storage boxes, along perimeter sill plates, or near cracks where moisture seeps through foundation walls.
- Floor Drains and Sump Pumps: Often arriving directly via sewer lines or storm drains, these cockroaches frequently emerge from plumbing fixtures. They are commonly found around sump pump basins, floor drains in utility rooms, and laundry room drain lines.
- Under and Around Utility Appliances: Appliances that generate heat, condensation, or use large amounts of water create perfect high-moisture microclimates. Key hiding spots include the dark spaces behind or underneath water heaters, washing machines, and the condensation drip pans under refrigerators.
- Bathrooms: Bathrooms offer an abundant supply of water and humidity. Oriental cockroaches typically seek shelter in dark voids behind or beneath toilets, inside bathroom vanities near leaky pipes, and around shower stalls or bathtub access panels.
When inspecting these damp areas, keep an eye out for key signs of an active infestation.
You are likely to find egg cases (oothecae), which are dark brown or black pouches about 10mm long, scattered in hidden corners.
Additionally, a large congregation of these pests will produce a distinct musty or oily odor that clings to the air in enclosed spaces such as crawl spaces and cabinets.
What’s the Difference Between Water Bugs and Cockroaches?
Water bugs live primarily in freshwater ponds, marshes, and streams, while oriental cockroaches tend to dwell in damp areas such as basements and sewers.
True water bugs are aquatic insects that live underwater and use their legs as paddles to move through the water. Water bugs are predatory insects that hunt aquatic creatures like mosquitoes and other small pests.
Most importantly, water bugs rarely enter homes, making them far less of a threat than Oriental cockroaches, especially in the northeast.
8 Tips to Get Rid of Oriental Cockroaches
Getting rid of Oriental cockroaches focuses on eliminating standing water and differs from methods for getting rid of German cockroaches.
1. Eliminate Standing Water
Oriental cockroaches are drawn to damp areas with standing water, which is why you may notice them primarily in your basement. Eliminating any standing water in or around your home can help keep these pests away.
Things like bird baths, leaky pipes, clogged gutters, or even overwatered houseplants can attract this type of cockroach to your home, so be sure to remove any excess water from your property to avoid these pests.
2. Seal Gaps and Cracks
Like all pests, preventing oriental cockroaches from physically gaining access to your home is an important first step. While many of these roaches do come in from drain pipes, you can still reduce your risk of encountering these pests by sealing up all cracks and weatherstripping all doors and windows.
3. Use a Boric Acid Trap
Boric acid works by clinging to cockroaches’ legs as they walk on top of the substance and ingest it, attacking their nervous system and killing them. You can find many lures and traps in several name-brand stores or make your own trap by researching different additives.
4. Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth
Simply sprinkle the powder anywhere you have seen cockroaches in your home. The powder will dry out their exoskeletons, causing them to die from dehydration.
5. Attack with Baking Soda
You can use baking soda in a similar manner to diatomaceous earth by sprinkling it where cockroaches dwell in your home. Once the cockroaches ingest the baking soda, it will cause them to have gas, and their stomachs will burst.
6. Remove Clutter and Trash
Cockroaches are drawn to clutter and trash, so depriving them of these resources will reduce your chances of encountering them.
Remove excess clutter, such as old newspapers, boxes, and other random junk, that roaches and other pests use to nest under.
Virtually anything exposed to moisture should also be eliminated, as it will attract Oriental cockroaches and a motley crew of other pests.
7. Use a Store-Bought Insecticide
Store-bought insecticides can be effective in getting rid of oriental cockroaches, especially if you’re in a pinch and need to kill them ASAP.
However, be sure to carefully read the insecticide instructions that come with your purchase to ensure you apply it safely and effectively, as these chemicals are potent and can be harmful to humans and pets if ingested.
8. Hire a Pest Control Company
When dealing with a cockroach infestation of any kind, your best bet is to contact a pest control professional promptly. Cockroaches can be extremely difficult to get rid of, as they reproduce quickly and are great at hiding.
Partnering with a licensed pest control professional is the most effective way to eliminate the infestation and guarantee these resilient pests don’t return.
FAQs
Are oriental cockroaches dangerous to humans?
Oriental cockroaches can be dangerous to humans who come in contact with them. Oriental cockroaches can carry a number of viruses and bacteria that can cause diarrhea, salmonella, and other illnesses in humans.
How long does it take to eliminate an oriental cockroach infestation?
Once a cockroach infestation has been professionally treated, you can expect the problem to start to get better within a few weeks. You should start to notice a significant decrease in the number of cockroaches in your home, and with proper treatment and prevention, you should not see any more cockroaches after that.
Can oriental cockroaches come back after treatment?
While any professional extermination aims to prevent cockroaches from returning, they can come back after treatment. This can be due to several factors, including hidden cockroach eggs and new cockroaches entering the home. The best course of action to prevent ever seeing another cockroach again is regular pest control maintenance by a trusted exterminator.
Do Oriental cockroaches bite humans or pets?
Oriental cockroaches rarely bite humans or pets. They lack the mouthparts designed for attacking or piercing skin, and they naturally flee human activity.
On the exceptionally rare occasion that a bite occurs, it is typically accidental—usually when the cockroach tries to feed on food residue or dead skin cells left on a sleeping person. The primary risk they pose is not biting, but rather the pathogens and allergens they spread through contact.
Are Oriental cockroaches active during the winter?
Yes, Oriental cockroaches can remain active during the winter, especially in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Unlike many other cockroach species that require tropical warmth, Oriental cockroaches are quite cold-hardy and can survive northern winters outdoors in protected microclimates such as sewers or beneath heavy mulch.
However, when outdoor temperatures drop drastically, they frequently migrate indoors into heated basements and crawl spaces, making them a year-round household nuisance.
Can I get rid of an Oriental cockroach infestation on my own?
While small outdoor populations can sometimes be managed with DIY methods like sealing cracks and applying diatomaceous earth, an indoor infestation is incredibly difficult to eliminate on your own.
Because these roaches often travel deep within sewer lines, sump pump pits, and structural wall voids, standard store-bought traps and sprays rarely reach the root of the problem. Over-the-counter insecticides can also cause the pests to scatter further into the home rather than wiping out the hidden population.
