Often considered the only species that could survive a nuclear meltdown, cockroaches have hearty dispositions among their more than 4,500 various species. Of the 30 species that are commonly found around humans, many of them may look alike but are not at all the same.
The newest cockroach to be found in the US is the Asian cockroach, making its first appearance in the early 1980s in Florida and then spreading throughout many southern states. With its almost identical appearance to that of the German cockroach, the Asian cockroach can be difficult to distinguish from its cousin.
Understanding the differences between Asian and German Cockroaches may help you to identify an infestation and apply appropriate roach extermination measures:
How They Look
To the naked eye, an Asian cockroach will look almost exactly the same as a German cockroach. Both range in color from light brown to dark brown, with oval bodies that sometimes have dark streaks behind the head. German cockroaches have wings that are shorter than their bodies. Asian cockroaches have wings that are slightly thinner, and typically longer than their bodies. This may be one of the reasons they can actually fly. In addition, the 8th segments on the abdomens of each of these species are also very different, but unless you have a microscope handy, this probably won’t mean much.
