PEST EVIDENCE GUIDE US HOMESOBSERVE COMPARE DOCUMENT
Pest EvidenceGUIDE / US HOMESStart with a clue

PEST EVIDENCE GUIDE / PEST FAMILY

Signs of cockroaches

Cockroaches often hide in protected areas. Clusters of fecal specks under counters or behind drawers, together with egg cases or live insects, are more informative than a single mark.

Explore 9 guides Record an observation
Small dark Oriental cockroach droppings scattered across a pale wooden surface
From the guide: Roach poop and cockroach droppingsPhoto: Bestiasonica / Wikimedia Commons. Resized for web. Depicts Oriental cockroach frass; other species may leave different marks. · CC BY-SA 3.0
OBSERVE THE SIGNCOMPARE THE POSSIBILITIESDOCUMENT WHAT CHANGES

THE RELEVANT EVIDENCE

Guides in this collection

09 / GUIDES
DROPPINGS

Roach poop and cockroach droppings

Identify likely cockroach fecal specks by their location and accompanying clues, and learn when to seek confirmation.

Read guide EGGS & LARVAE

Cockroach egg cases: what they look like

See a labeled American cockroach egg case, compare how four common species carry or deposit theirs, and record what a case can and cannot tell you.

Read guide LIVE INSECTS

Baby cockroaches: nymphs and lookalikes

Compare young cockroaches with adults and other small insects. Learn which details make a useful identification photo.

Read guide LIVE INSECTS

German cockroach: markings and indoor clues

Compare the two dark markings behind the head, indoor context, nymphs, and similar cockroaches.

Read guide LIVE INSECTS

American cockroach: size, color, and lookalikes

Identify the features of an American cockroach and distinguish an isolated arrival from recurring indoor evidence.

Read guide LIVE INSECTS

Oriental cockroach: dark body and short wings

Compare male and female Oriental cockroaches, damp-area sightings, and other large dark insects.

Read guide LIVE INSECTS

Brownbanded cockroach: bands and hiding places

Compare brownbanded roach markings and understand why inspections may extend beyond kitchens and bathrooms.

Read guide COMPARISONS

Bugs that look like cockroaches: comparison guide

Use body shape, wing covers, antennae, and context to compare a suspected cockroach with other insects.

Read guide COMPARISONS

Water bug vs cockroach: what the name leaves out

Compare a true giant water bug with household cockroaches and make sense of the common nickname.

Read guide

FROM THE JOURNAL

Go a step further.

All articles
01Prevention and storageBugs in cardboard boxes: inspect the item and its contents separatelyA practical record for an insect found in stored or incoming boxes, without assuming what it feeds on.02Working with professionalsQuestions to ask a pest professional before agreeing to treatmentUse the evidence record to discuss identification, scope, alternatives, and follow-up with a pest-control provider.03Working with professionalsA cockroach in an apartment: make a useful maintenance reportRecord sightings and physical evidence clearly so an apartment inspection can be coordinated.04Room checklistsDead bugs in light fixtures: what the collection can tell youInterpret a collection of dead insects without assuming it identifies the source or current activity.