There are cockroaches that can fly so if you are wondering if cockroaches fly, then the short answer is yes, some. But there is more to understand about these pests than just that, so here is a look at which ones fly and how to get rid of them whether they are the flying or non-flying varieties!
Flying cockroaches
When investigating can cockroaches fly, it is worth noting that even some of those species of cockroaches that do have wings cannot all fly well! While a few can fly confidently, some use their wings more to glide for short bursts rather than fly. Some species of cockroach that can fly include:
- American cockroach – This is the most common cockroach species in the world. It is large at 25 to 40 mm in length and is reddish-brown.
- Smoky brown cockroach – Can be anywhere between 3 to 35 mm long and is dark brown and shiny. It regurgitates and contaminates food in the home leaving bacteria that could lead to health issues.
- Australian cockroach – Another very common species of cockroach, it is 23 to 35 mm long and is similar in appearance to the American cockroach but a little smaller and it has a yellow area on the thorax.
- Oriental cockroach – On the smaller side at 20 to 25 mm long and they are black or dark brown. In the females, the wings stay undeveloped.
How they fly
While cockroaches do have a double set of wings, those that use them only use one set. The front pair is used as a protective layer and is the same colour as the rest of the cockroach. The backset of wings are the ones they use to fly with and these are under the front pair when they are not flying to protect them. These wings are clear and thin. As the cockroach prepares to fly they lift the front wings revealing the back ones. As they fly both sets are kept lifted but it is just the back wings that actually move them around and do the work. If you have a flying cockroach, in Australia, it will not be an infant roach, as they do not yet possess the ability to fly as they do not have wings yet.
Why don’t cockroaches fly if they have wings?
Most cockroaches that could fly do more gliding than anything else. It is more efficient for them to crawl around as they can do that quicker. When they need a short burst of flight somewhere they will glide. Also compared to a lot of other insects with wings, cockroaches are a lot larger when you consider their wing size. Adding on the fact that only one set of wings works, it’s just not the most effective, or fast way to move around for them, so they often opt not to. On the other hand, on their six-strong legs, they can cover huge distances, more than 50 times their body length in just a second! The different lengths in their legs and the different spines and setae make their legs each have a function that adds to their crawling efficiency.
Removing flying cockroach
If you are wondering if can cockroaches fly because you have a problem with cockroaches in your home, the best option to handle them is to call in professional pest control experts for cockroaches. But there are some things you can do how to get rid of cockroaches and prevent problems with pests, not just cockroaches and they include:
- Remove all sources of food – If you have food out, plates not scrapped away sitting on the counter, crumbs on the floor and counters, this makes the place very appealing to the cockroaches. You must put foods in airtight containers and away, sweep away food particles, scrape, and wash your plates and dishes after you eat. Keep bins covered and empty them regularly.
- Keep the home as clean as possible – Make sure food debris is cleaned up on the couch and elsewhere in the home as well as in the kitchen, pick up pet bowls overnight, and wipe down the surfaces.
- Remove clutter – As well as cleaning the home you need to de-clutter as well. When you pick up and remove items that just cause clutter you are taking away places where the roaches will hide. Move things into plastic containers and avoid keeping large piles of papers and magazines.
- Check and maintain damp, dark places – Cockroaches like damp and dark places as well as cleaning up food sources you also need to check the bathrooms for activity in drains and make sure there are no cracks in any seals. Also carefully check and keep clean places like cabinets and skirting boards.
Choosing to use professional cockroach pest control
As well as the above actions you also need professional pest control to remove cockroaches and any flying cockroach in Australia. This is the best way to have a real impact on the nest and for the results to last a lot longer than your own efforts will achieve.
