Cockroaches in Arizona: Which Roach Is in Your Phoenix-Area House?
Short answer: a big reddish-brown roach is usually an American cockroach from the sewer or yard. Small tan roaches in the kitchen are German cockroaches, and they're the ones to deal with fast.
Types of Cockroaches in Arizona Homes
The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension counts at least 20 cockroach species reported in Arizona. Most native ones stay in the desert, and seven introduced species are well established in cities like Phoenix. These are the ones homeowners find:
- American cockroach (the "sewer roach"): the largest and most common in Arizona, about 1½ inches, reddish-brown with a pair of dark-brown spots on the shield behind the head. Both sexes have wings. Comes up through drains from the sewer and in from palms and irrigation boxes. See how to get rid of sewer roaches.
- German cockroach: about ½ inch, tan with two dark stripes behind the head. Lives indoors in kitchens and inside appliances. See how to get rid of German roaches.
- Turkestan cockroach: about 1 inch. Males have long yellowish-tan wings; females are darker with short wings and cream stripes on the edges. First found in Arizona in 1982 and now common in Phoenix yards, irrigation boxes and block walls.
- Brown-banded cockroach: about ½ inch with light bands across the wings. Likes warm, dry spots away from the kitchen: behind pictures, in furniture, closets and bedrooms.
- Oriental cockroach: about 1 inch, shiny black, with very short wings. Found in damp spots like water meter boxes; less common here because American roaches crowd it out.
- Field and Surinam cockroaches: mostly outdoor roaches in leaf litter and plant beds that wander in now and then.
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What the Roach You Found Says About Your House
- One big roach at night, near a drain or door: an American or Turkestan roach got in from outside. Check drain traps, door sweeps and gaps around pipes.
- Big roaches coming out of the tub or floor drain: American cockroaches traveling up from the sewer, which University of Arizona Extension says enter through drain traps. Keep traps full and drain covers tight.
- Small tan roaches in the kitchen, especially in daylight: a German cockroach infestation that is breeding indoors. Store sprays rarely fix this one.
- Small banded roaches in bedrooms or closets: brown-banded cockroaches, which can set up inside furniture and electronics.
- Lots of roaches in the yard and block walls in summer: Turkestan and American roaches, which also feed the scorpions that hunt them.
How to Keep Cockroaches Out of an Arizona Home
- Seal the way in: doors, windows and any openings to the outside or to a neighbor's unit (University of Arizona Extension). Roaches are drawn to lights on warm summer nights.
- Close the drains: keep water in rarely used drains and keep drain covers in place to stop sewer roaches.
- Clean up food: kitchen scraps behind and under appliances, pet food left out, and trash without a tight lid.
- Move hiding spots: woodpiles, leaf litter, potted plants and compost away from the walls.
- Use bait, not foggers, for roaches that are already inside (UC IPM).
Cockroach Control in Phoenix: What the Service Does and Costs
A roach visit starts by identifying the species, because the fix is different. American and Turkestan roaches get an exterior treatment of the perimeter, block walls, irrigation boxes and sewer cleanouts, plus a list of the gaps to seal. German and brown-banded roaches get targeted gel baits and crack-and-crevice treatment inside, with a follow-up before new egg cases hatch. A one-time diagnostic visit with treatment is $149. The plan is $50/month with treatment every 60 days and free callbacks. Start a plan the same day and your visit fee covers your first 3 months of the plan. See cockroach exterminator service and pest control cost.
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Arizona Cockroach Questions
Is it normal to have cockroaches in Arizona?
Seeing an occasional big roach outside on a summer night is common in the Phoenix area. Seeing them inside every week, or seeing small tan roaches in the kitchen, is not something to live with: it means they have a way in or are breeding indoors.
What are the big roaches in Arizona?
Almost always the American cockroach, the largest and most common roach in Arizona (University of Arizona Cooperative Extension). It is reddish-brown, about 1½ inches long, and often comes up from the sewer through drains, which is why people call it a sewer roach.
What are the small roaches in my kitchen?
Small tan roaches with two dark stripes behind the head are German cockroaches. They live indoors, breed fast and hide in appliances, and they need a different treatment from the big outdoor roaches.
When are cockroaches worst in Phoenix?
Outdoor roaches like American and Turkestan cockroaches are most active in the hot months; University of Arizona Extension says Turkestan roaches can come inside at peak numbers in June. German roaches indoors are a year-round problem.
How much does a cockroach exterminator cost in Phoenix?
A one-time diagnostic visit with treatment is $149, or $50/month on a plan with treatment every 60 days and free callbacks. Start a plan the same day and your visit fee covers your first 3 months of the plan.