Hey folks,
I’ve been doing some late-night pest detective work and could use your help. I keep finding small roaches around my living room and kitchen — but they’re not always near food or water. Some are hanging out higher up, like on picture frames and shelves, which made me wonder if these might be brown-banded roaches instead of the usual German cockroaches.
From what I’ve read, German roaches prefer moisture and stay low (like under sinks), while brown-banded ones like dry, warm areas higher up. But in pictures, they look almost identical to me — light brown with two darker stripes on their backs.
You’re spot on, brown-banded roaches usually hang out higher, like behind picture frames or inside electronics. German ones love moisture, so you’ll find them under the sink or near dishwashers. The easiest tell? Brown-banded males have solid light wings, while Germans have darker stripes down the head.
Treatment does differ a little. Brown-banded roaches don’t rely on water sources as much, so gel baits near moisture spots don’t work as well. You’ve gotta bait in warm, dry areas instead, top cabinets, TV stands, and behind wall clocks.
I thought I had German roaches for months before realizing they were brown-banded. My clue was seeing them in bedrooms, Germans rarely go there unless the infestation is massive. Switched bait placement to higher spots and finally saw results.
German roaches have two distinct dark parallel lines behind their heads, while brown-banded ones have lighter bands across their wings. Under a flashlight, it’s actually pretty noticeable once you know what to look for.
Brown-banded roaches love warm electronics. I found some hiding in my old router and even inside a cable box. If you suspect them, unplug devices and tap them gently — you might be shocked how many come running out.
If you’re setting traps, label them by location — like “under sink,” “top shelf,” “bedroom lamp.” When you check them later, you’ll quickly see where activity is highest, which helps identify the species too.
I used boric acid dust and sticky traps for brown-banded ones. Took a few weeks but it worked. Just make sure to vacuum and clean regularly because they love hiding behind wallpaper and baseboards.
If you ever see roaches during the day, that usually means there’s a lot of them, but brown-banded roaches are more daytime active than Germans. That can throw people off when trying to ID them.
I had both kinds once, Germans in the kitchen, brown-banded in the living room. The pros had to treat the whole unit because each species needed bait in different areas. If you’re in an apartment, talk to your landlord ASAP.
Assuming “all roaches are the same.” Identifying the species first makes treatment way more effective, otherwise you’re just wasting bait in the wrong places.