WHEN ARE COCKROACHES MOST ACTIVE?

It is convenient to assume that cockroaches are contaminating our homes throughout the year. While the winter season may offer some relief, entomologist Graeme Smith says, cockroaches can take over kitchen and industrial spaces at any given time of the year. The reason being, cockroaches prefer warm and humid places irrespective of the weather. The warmer months are the time they decide to breed, however, it is best if you completely understand their life cycle.

“When the weather gets cool, the cockroaches are much less active,” says Smith. “They almost go dormant, even though they don’t necessarily die out.”

Know your enemy

The movements of cockroaches can be classified into two major groups that we come across:

GERMAN COCKROACHES

These small, brown cockroaches “are very prevalent in industrial situations like commercial kitchens and bakeries, on planes and trains, and things like that,” explains Smith.

If an establishment or premises is heated and air-conditioned, the roaches can visit year-round – but they will still be more common during summer season. The amount of cockroaches you would encounter can vary depending on the location.

LARGER AMERICAN COCKROACHES

These bigger cockroaches are mostly found outdoors. They breed slowly and they prefer breeding in drains and occasionally in kitchens. 

“Mostly they come into kitchens from outside, and they’re the ones that freak people out the most. They can fly as well,”

says Smith.

As the weather warms up, they breed more and you’ll get more of them. “