Types of Cockroaches: 5 Common Species
Flat, oval bodies, long antennae and a shield covering the head. This guide covers the 5 cockroaches people find most often.
Quick list
How to narrow it down
Narrow it down with three quick checks. Count the legs: insects have six, spiders and ticks have eight, and centipedes and millipedes have many more. Check for wings, even folded ones. Then compare size against a coin: a US penny is 19 mm across. Our bug identifier tool does this filtering for you.
The 5 bugs
American Cockroach
American CockroachPeriplaneta americanaThe largest common house cockroach, a reddish-brown roach that lives in sewers, basements and steam tunnels. It can fly short distances in warm weather.
Tell-tale sign: Large reddish-brown body up to two inches long. Risk: American cockroaches can spread bacteria to food and trigger allergies and asthma.
Brown-Banded Cockroach
Brown-Banded CockroachSupella longipalpaA small cockroach with two light bands across its back that prefers warm, dry spots high in rooms. It hides behind picture frames, in electronics and inside furniture.
Tell-tale sign: Two pale yellow bands across the wings and abdomen. Risk: They carry bacteria and allergens like other cockroaches but are not known to bite.
German Cockroach
German CockroachBlattella germanicaA small, light-brown cockroach that breeds rapidly in kitchens and bathrooms, especially in apartments and restaurants. Females carry their egg case until it is ready to hatch.
Tell-tale sign: Light tan to brown body about half an inch long. Risk: German cockroaches contaminate food, and their droppings and shed skins are a major asthma trigger.
Oriental Cockroach
Oriental CockroachBlatta orientalisA shiny, dark brown to black cockroach that prefers cool, damp places such as basements, drains and crawl spaces. Females have tiny wing pads, and neither sex can fly.
Tell-tale sign: Glossy black or very dark brown body. Risk: Oriental cockroaches feed on garbage and sewage and can spread bacteria to surfaces.
Smokybrown Cockroach
Smokybrown CockroachPeriplaneta fuliginosaA large, uniformly dark mahogany cockroach common in the humid Southeast. It lives outdoors in tree holes, mulch and gutters and flies toward lights at night.
Tell-tale sign: Shiny, uniformly dark brown body with no markings. Risk: Smokybrown cockroaches can carry bacteria indoors from mulch and garbage.
Which ones should you worry about?
0 of the 5 bugs in this guide can bite or sting. None of them are considered medically significant. The rest are harmless or simply a nuisance.
Comparison at a glance
| American Cockroach | Brown-Banded Cockroach | German Cockroach | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Cockroaches | Cockroaches | Cockroaches |
| Scientific name | Periplaneta americana | Supella longipalpa | Blattella germanica |
| Size | 35–53 mm | 10–14 mm | 12–15 mm |
| Colors | Red and Brown | Brown and Tan | Tan and Brown |
| Legs | 6 legs | 6 legs | 6 legs |
| Wings | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bites or stings | No | No | No |
| Risk | Nuisance | Nuisance | Nuisance |
| Key feature | Large reddish-brown body up to two inches long | Two pale yellow bands across the wings and abdomen | Light tan to brown body about half an inch long |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common one?
Among the bugs in this guide, the American cockroach and brown-banded cockroach are the ones people ask about most.
Which of these are dangerous?
None of them are medically significant, though some can bite or sting.
How can I identify a bug I found?
Use the free bug identifier tool: choose the number of legs, wings, main color, size and where you found it, and it will list the closest matches.