Cockroaches in Tennessee

Not every roach in Maury County is a German. Size, color, and where you found it tell you the job. Tap the one that matches.

Tap the one that looks like what you see

American Cockroaches

The largest home-infesting roach. Red-brown with a yellow edge on the shield. People call them palmetto bugs or water bugs. They can glide.

Brown-Banded Cockroaches

Named for the tan bands across the wings. Same banding on nymphs. Prefer warmer, drier rooms than German roaches — furniture and electronics…

German Cockroaches

Small, tan, two dark stripes on the shield. Fast. This is the apartment and restaurant roach. People still call them waterbugs. They are not…

Oriental Cockroaches

Shiny dark brown to black. Females almost wingless. Cool, damp basements and floor drains.

Smoky Brown Cockroaches

Uniform dark mahogany. Strong flyer. Attic and tree-to-roof traveler.

Turkestan Cockroaches

Outdoor roach originally from the Middle East. Males are tan with cream wing edges. Females are darker and broader. Often around mulch, mete…

Wood Cockroaches

Semi-common outdoor roach in Middle Tennessee. Males fly to lights. They do not typically colonize kitchens.

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