American Cockroaches vs German Cockroaches – What’s the Difference?
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If you find a roach in your house, chances are it’s one of two species. American cockroaches and German cockroaches are the two most common roaches in homes in the Southeast. There are a few others it may be, but for right now, we’re going to focus on American and German roaches.
Telling them apart is surprisingly easy – the most obvious difference is in size.
- American roaches are large (approximately 1.5” to 2” long)
- German roaches are small (approximately 0.5” long)
Are There Any Other Differences in Appearance?
Yes. While size is the clearest differentiator, there are a few additional differences:
| American Cockroach | German Cockroach | |
| Size | Large | Small |
| Coloring | Deep reddish-brown to mahogany. | Lighter-brown to tan in color. |
| Texture | Shiny shells with a “lacquered” appearance. | Not as shiny; “matte” appearance. |
| Markings | Yellow-brown bands on the pronotum (the plate-like structure on their back). | Two dark lines that run down the pronotum. |
| Flight? | May fly clumsily or glide if startled. | Wings cover their entire abdomen, but pretty much never actually fly. |
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Do American and German Cockroaches Behave Differently?
Yes, in addition to their appearance, there are some important differences in their behavior. The best way to illustrate this is to discuss their preferred habitat.
American cockroaches are sometimes called “water bugs” or “palmetto bugs” and prefer to live outdoors. They especially enjoy warm, damp areas, which makes many parts of the Southeastern United States region perfect for them.
German cockroaches, on the other hand, have evolved to rely on human environments for survival. Their favorite places to live are warm, damp indoor environments, like kitchens, crawl spaces, and bathrooms.
| American Cockroach | German Cockroach | |
| Preferred environment | Outdoors, but will wander inside in search of food, water, and shelter. | Indoor specialists. Not adapted for the outdoors. |
| How do they get inside? | Enter through tiny cracks, openings, and gaps in your home’s exterior. | Hitchhikes from one indoor location to the next on items like boxes, bags, and even used appliances. |
| How many? | It may just be one or a few. | When you see one, there are likely hundreds or thousands more. |
Which Is Worse to Have – American Cockroaches or German Cockroaches?
While American cockroaches are big, shiny, and give you that instant “ick” factor, the good news is that if you see one, it’s not necessarily cause for major alarm.
German cockroaches are a much more serious problem. If you see one, it’s unlikely to be the only one. It’s a sign that your home likely has an infestation.
Regardless of which type you have, don’t ignore the problem. With their ability to spread germs, bacteria, and allergens, any type of cockroach can be dangerous.
| American Cockroaches | German Cockroaches | |
| Disease and bacterial risk | High; American roaches often spend time in sewers, where they pick up pathogens that get tracked wherever they go next. | Medium; German cockroaches don’t spend as much time in sewers, but they spend a lot of time in your kitchen, where you’re vulnerable to contamination. |
| Allergen and asthma risk | Medium. | High; the risk is higher because there are usually a lot of them, which means they produce a lot of droppings, which are known to trigger asthma and allergies. |
| Difficulty in eliminating | Typically, fairly straightforward; infestations are unlikely to be widespread. | Can be very difficult; German cockroaches are resilient and highly adaptive survivalists. They have also developed resistance to some common treatments. |
What Should You Do If You Find Roaches in Your Home?
In addition to being unpleasant, cockroaches are a serious health hazard. The longer they’re present in your home, the more serious the contamination problem becomes. As soon as you understand the scope of the roach problem in your home, you should come up with a strategy to eliminate it.
| American Cockroaches | German Cockroaches | |
| Urgency | Medium | High |
| What to Do | Focus on exclusion – sealing cracks and gaps in your home’s exterior to prevent American cockroaches from getting inside next time | Call an exterminator – DIY treatment often doesn’t do enough to eliminate a German roach infestation. You need help from the pros. |
For German cockroaches especially, we recommend professional treatment. DIY treatments risk splitting one infestation into multiple infestations, each with the capability to grow.
At Rocket Pest Control, we offer professional cockroach control services in Southeastern United States. We can help you solve your problem once and for all, and make sure you get the valuable insights you need to prevent the next one from happening in the first place.
For more information or to schedule a complimentary inspection, give us a call today.
FAQs About American and German Cockroaches
Is it possible to have infestations of American cockroaches and German cockroaches at the same time?
Yes, it happens all the time. Often, people see the small cockroaches and large cockroaches in the same location and assume it’s the same species, with juvenile and full-grown specimens. While that can happen, there’s a good chance that it’s multiple species of cockroaches.
They’ve evolved to cohabitate with each other in the same areas.
Are there any other common types of roaches I could find in my house?
Yes, there are a few other types.
- Oriental cockroaches are common in many areas we serve. They’re a large roach that feeds on decaying organic matter and they often track bacteria that causes food poisoning into kitchens. Sometimes called “water bugs,” they’re more moisture-reliant than other types of roaches and attracted to areas with excess moisture.
- Brown-banded cockroaches are a small roach that looks similar to German cockroaches. They breed quickly, but they’re less of a hazard than German roaches mostly because German roaches spend most of their time near kitchens, where their germs and bacteria are more likely to make you sick. Brown-banded cockroaches can show up anywhere in the house.
- Wood roaches are large roaches that don’t have much interest in coming inside. In fact, if one does come inside accidentally, it will probably die within a few days. Wood roaches are often found in trees and piles of wood.
Do American and German cockroaches look different when they are "babies"?
Yes, especially German cockroaches. They are attracted to the warmth generated by refrigerator motors, microwaves, coffee makers, and even gaming consoles or internet routers. This is why “hitchhiking” on used appliances is such a common way for them to enter a new home.
What Should You Do If Your Palm Tree Fronds Are Turning Brown?
Yes. Even as nymphs (juveniles), they retain their species’ distinct markers.
- American nymphs are uniform reddish-brown and lack fully developed wings.
- German nymphs are dark—almost black—with a distinct light-colored stripe running down the center of their backs. Identifying the “babies” is the fastest way to know which species is breeding in your home.
Do they eat the same things?
While both are scavengers, their “diets” differ based on their habitats. American cockroaches often feed on decaying organic matter, leaves, and fungi outdoors. German cockroaches have a notorious “sweet tooth” and prefer human food scraps, starches, and even the glue on cardboard boxes or book bindings.
