Overview
With over 4,500 roach species worldwide, just a handful earn the description “white roaches species list” through their light coloring. From the large, foul-smelling Oriental roaches swarming basements to quick, tiny Pennsylvania Wood roaches emerging indoors from forest debris, not all white intruders share the same habits and habitats. Getting acquainted with regional roaches helps homeowners and pest pros better track infestations back to the source and apply tailored removal methods – from sanitation and sealing entry points to targeted sprays and traps. Whether you’re battling Surinam roaches in the South or Turkestan roaches out West, identifying your light-hued brand of pest sets you on the path to purge.
Finding roaches scurrying around your home can make your skin crawl, especially the quick little white ones. But not all cockroaches are created equal when it comes to habits, habits and removal tactics. Understanding which white roach species may be invading can better equip homeowners, renters and pest pros to win the battle.
Let’s meet the common culprits behind white roach sightings across North America and beyond:
5 White Roaches Species List: A Comprehensive Guide
From Oriental roaches lurking in dank basements to Pennsylvania Wood roaches creeping in from forests, white roaches vary greatly behind the color. Surinam roaches, Turkestan roaches and Cuban roaches join the lineup too with differing features and behaviors. Getting to know your light-hued invaders provides homeowners and exterminators key insights to effectively evict each pesky variety. Here is 5 distinct white roaches species list that is worthy reading guide to all of you.
Oriental Cockroach (Blatta orientalis)
The Oriental roach ranks as the #1 white/light tan roach infiltrating buildings across the northern United States today. Originating in tropical Africa, Oriental roaches measure about 1 1⁄4 inches long at maturity. Identifiable by their glossy brownish color as nymphs and black wing markings on a light tan exterior once mature, these rapid reproducers thrive in cool, excessively damp areas.
Key habitats in a home or apartment unit include:
- Basements
- Crawl spaces
- Around pipes
- Near wall voids
- Around sewer drains
Attracted to decay and water, Oriental roaches emit a foul odor. And while pesticide sprays prove largely ineffective against their egg capsules, thorough sanitation measures like moisture control provide key prevention. Their habit of hitching rides in grocery bags also contributes to inadvertent spread.
Turkestan Cockroach (Blatta lateralis)
Largely confined to the Western states like California, Arizona, Texas and Hawaii, the Turkestan roach resembles a wingless version of the Oriental roach in size and color. An identifying feature includes heavier dark striping on both its abdomen and head area.
Another moisture lover, Turkestan roaches take refuge in cool, wet spots like:
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
- Basements
- Areas near leaky pipes
Effective prevention involves drying out their preferred habitats and sealing any access holes in walls, floors or foundations. Professional steam treatments help eliminate populations in wall voids where sprays can’t reach. Their attraction to fermenting fruits and starch also means sanitizing kitchen areas regularly.
Surinam Cockroach (Pycnoscelus surinamensis)
Native to – you guessed it – Surinam as well as other tropical regions of South Asia, the Surinam roach made its way via international shipping to Gulf coast states like Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida back in the 1950s. Since then, they continue spreading northward but remain unable to withstand cold winter temperatures.
Identifiable by their light tan color and lack of wings, Surinam roaches grow up to 5/8 inch long and prefer indoor heated spaces with humidity and darkness. Look for them hiding out in:
- Attics
- Furniture
- Closets
- Shelving Units
- Other Undisturbed Areas
Sealing entries like small cracks and crevices while minimizing clutter removes access and harborage sites. Their attraction to starchy foods also makes prompt kitchen clean-up and trash removal key prevention tactics.
Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach (Parcoblatta pennsylvanica)
Despite its name, the Pennsylvania Wood roach inhabits moist wooded areas throughout the Eastern U.S. and Canada. Their small size topping out at 1⁄2 inch long allows them to sneak indoors through tiny cracks and crevices. Light tan to cream in color, they lose their wings at adulthood.
Outdoors, Pennsylvania Wood roaches reside near moist leaf litter and log piles. But indoor sightings typically occur in damp basements, crawlspaces and structural voids. Effective control involves repairs to seal exteriors combined with interior treatments of dusts and aerosol flushes into wall voids. Monitoring with sticky traps also helps confirm successful elimination.
Cuban Cockroach (Panchlora nivea)
Thanks to international commerce, Cuban roaches spread beyond their origins in Cuba and parts of Africa and Australia to invade homes across warmer southern states from Florida and Georgia to California and Hawaii. Growing over an inch long, Cuban roaches sport vibrant green coloring with yellow edges as nymphs that fade to pale green or white with black flecks in adulthood.
Besides tropical foliage, they frequent moist areas indoors like greenhouses, bathrooms and basements. Identifying and sealing their points of entry is key to control along with moisture reduction. Their rapid speed and climbing abilities also demand quick response before populations explode.
Take Control: United We Stand
Now that we know our potential foes, we can better block access and establish defenses through improved sanitation and elimination tactics. While white roaches may vary in type across North America, united we homeowners and pest pros can stand firm against the invasion. Through vigilance and the right weapons, we can send these uninvited squatters packing!
Here’s to reclaiming our living spaces for us humans. By educating ourselves on the species in our regions and applying integrated pest management practices, we can keep those little creepy crawlers at bay for good.