What kind of cockroaches are you seeing in your New York City home?

Answer 1

See the first Related Link below for photos and descriptions of the most common kinds of cockroaches found in New York City homes, from the Ecology Exterminating Services website. The second Related Link also has photos, but unfortunately there are no tags identifying which kind of cockroaches are shown in each photo.

If they are large roaches (2 to 3 inches long) then they are probably American cockroaches, which go by different names in different parts of the U.S. In New York, we call them "waterbugs," but down south, they call them, "palmetto bugs," which, in the words of a Savannah tour guide, "is a very pretty name for a very insidious creature."

If they are small, then they are probably German cockroaches, which is the most common kind of roach in New York City.

Small ones with white bands across their bodies are Brownbanded cockroaches.

Medium-sized ones with long front legs and large, bulbous heads are Oriental cockroaches, which are also sometimes called waterbugs.

If you are looking for an exterminator, also see the second, third and fourth Related Links. These four websites are some of the most major exterminating companies in New York City, so you can do some comparison shopping and see which one is best for you.

If you're looking for a recommendation, the fourth Related Link (Sure Shot Pest Control) is the one I used a couple months ago when I saw some roaches in my kitchen. They were reasonably priced and were able to come the same day I called. They also sealed up all the cracks in the kitchen walls, flooring and counters for no additional cost. I haven't seen a roach since they came, but in all fairness, I didn't have a major problem.