About the German Cockroach:

The German cockroach is the most common species of the cockroach.  Their ability to successfully establish an ecological niche inside a property is due to their hardy nature and resiliency against attempts at pest control.  They can breed at a rate of up to six generations per year. German cockroaches prefer close spaces which makes them adept at fitting into small cracks and crevices as small as 3/8 inch in width, thereby evading humans and eradication efforts. They are good hitchhikers that often find their way into new structures via grocery bags, cardboard boxes, drink cartons and secondhand appliances. German cockroaches will feed on almost anything, including soap, glue and toothpaste. They prefer to live in warm, humid places close to food and moisture sources. They are frequently found in residential and commercial kitchen environments and bathrooms. In addition to being a nuisance, the German cockroach has been implicated in outbreaks of illness and allergic reactions in many people. Cockroaches have been reported to spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria, six kinds of parasitic worms and at least seven other kinds of human pathogens. They can pick up germs on the spines of their legs and bodies as they crawl through decaying matter or sewage and then carry these into food or onto food surfaces. Medical studies have shown that German cockroach allergens cause allergic reactions and can exacerbate asthma attacks, especially in children. This makes German cockroach control incredibly vital. Pest control methods must kill 95% of the overall population to be effective in a property due to the species’ fast reproductive cycle.