Spotted Mediterranean Cockroach Infest Homes? - Ask Extension
A couple months ago I found two live Spotted Mediterranean Cockroaches in my home over the span of a week. I've also seen a handful of dead roaches in...
Knowledgebase
Spotted Mediterranean Cockroach Infest Homes? #492861
Asked October 30, 2018, 1:19 PM EDT
A couple months ago I found two live Spotted Mediterranean Cockroaches in my home over the span of a week. I've also seen a handful of dead roaches in the home. I was able to identify them thanks to this 2008 article: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/spotted_mediterranean_cockroaches. A pest control company treated our home, inside and out a month and a half ago. This past week, I found a dead nymph near our slider door. Could seeing the nymph be a sign of home infestation or just as likely that they came from outside and died from the perimeter pesticide?
Pest control around here doesn't seem very familiar with this outdoor roach. Their recommendation is doing a more intensive treatment after finding the nymph. With a newborn in the home, I'm uncomfortable with this approach unless absolutely necessary. Through persistent internet searching, I'm finding this roach generally doesn't infest homes. But, I cannot find anything definitive. What kind of treatment is actually necessary indoors for this particular roach versus treatment outside of the home? The fact that it generally lives outdoors makes me wonder whether the treatment companies use for a common German roach works for this roach.
Thanks in advance for your expert opinion!
Washtenaw County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello,
I don't think you need to treat indoors unless you're seeing live roaches running around. With the arrival of cooler temps there is little or no reason to treat outside again until next spring.
Howard