Cockroaches are among the most persistent and unpleasant of the insect pests that infest dwelling houses. A thousand or more species are found all over the world and can boast an ancient lineage, for cockroaches were the dominant insects in the coal-making (Carboniferous) period of geologic times. A cockroach is easily identified. The flattened, slippery body, with its leather-like, shiny casing; the long, strong, bristle-covered legs; and the thin, lengthy antennae, or feelers, belong to a creature not easily mistaken for any other insect.
Bakeries, groceries, office buildings, restaurants, hotels, flour mills, and libraries, as well as homes, are infested, for cockroaches will eat anything—food, garbage, clothing, furniture, book bindings, and other insects, including bedbugs. They are well-fitted to slip through cracks and crevices, and when the lights are out at night, they emerge in droves from their hiding places in search of something to eat, swarming over and contaminating everything that is explored.
The most common species in United States are the croton bug of the Eastern States, a German cockroach whose name refers to its connection with the croton waterworks system of New York City, and the Oriental cockroach, or black beetle, more prevalent in the South and Middle West. The croton bug is smaller than the Oriental roach but is more prolific and destructive. It is pale yellowish-brown, with two dark stripes on the forepart of the body. Control.
Dirt, grease, moisture, and bad air are favorable to cockroaches. Moreover, many good housekeepers are annoyed by these pests at the same time. Roach powders, which contain such ingredients as sodium fluoride, borax, or pyrethrum, may be dusted into crevices and hiding places, particularly around sinks and water pipes, or boiling water may be poured down.
There are various methods of trapping these insects. An English plan is to put some molasses on a board and set it afloat in a basin of water. The insects will be so anxious to get the food that many will drown trying to reach it.
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