It’s a nightmare many of us have even if we don’t want to admit it. We wake up in the middle of the night, go to the kitchen and flick on the light switch, only to hear and see dozens of roaches scuttling to hide. But even as you cringe and a shiver goes up your spine, you notice something unusual… was that cockroach green??

As we wake up from that terrifying thought, let us comfort you with one thought – that green cockroach won’t be there for long.

Cuban or Banana cockroaches have no interest in staying in your house. While they do occasionally wander in through a gap under the door or by flying through an opening in your screen, they much prefer to be outdoors.

Outside Roaches

Unlike their problematic and prolific cousins, brown and German roaches, Panchlora nivea prefer to live and breed in rotting logs and under piles of leaves. They are attracted to light, which is how some end up in your home, but they will exit as quickly as they can.

The name Cuban cockroach stuck because that’s where this particular species seems to have come from. They came to our shores in banana shipments (hence their other common name) and moved with fruit trucks and migrant workers around Florida and Texas, but appear to prefer living on the Gulf Coast.

The adult green cockroaches are about three-fourths of an inch to an inch long. They are thinner and more aerodynamic than other cockroaches, which helps their migration, because both the males and females have fully developed wings and are excellent flyers.

Living La Vida Loca

Cuban cockroaches actually are only green in their adult stage. As nymphs, they are dark brown, looking very much like the other roaches we encounter.

The females have large oothecas, or egg cases, attached to their bodies, and their brood of more than 100 eggs start developing while still connected to momma. After about 2 months inside her, nymphs will move into the wild and spend about 100 days developing before they complete their final molt into their green adult form.

Their preferred habitat is the banana plant, but here in the United States they will settle for any detritus of rotting organic matter they can make their home in and eat. Again, it is almost impossible for these roaches to reproduce indoors, so they stick to the outside.

In fact, most of the time you encounter a green roach inside, it’s an errant pet – or a pet reptile’s escaped dinner.

Ushering Them Out

You can kill green cockroaches, but the easiest way to get rid of them is to just show them the door. They prefer to be outdoors, so even if you can’t help them leave in the moment, know they will be headed out.

The best defense against these bugs is to make sure you have weatherstripping and tight seals around doors and windows. You can also turn lights off at night to keep them and other nocturnal insect explorers from ending up on your doorstep.

We also encourage you to maintain your yard. Regular lawn care and clearing debris away from your home will encourage green roaches, as well as spiders and centipedes, to stick to the outskirts.

Unfortunately, if the nightmare we described earlier is your real life experience, you’re going to need some professional help. Good News Pest Solutions handles all roach and other insect infestations quickly and efficiently, while keeping your family safe.

Our Go Green Perimeter Plus protects your home from various bug invasions by first making sure all potential entry points are sealed, and then using our greenest treatments to keep your home bug free and the planet safe. For more details, please give us a call!