Brown-Banded Cockroach Control: How To Get Rid of Brown-Banded Cockroaches

This page is a general brown-banded cockroach control guide. Using the products and methods suggested, you will get control of brown-banded cockroaches. Follow this guide and use the recommended products, and we guarantee 100% control over brown-banded cockroaches.

Brown-banded roaches are perhaps one of the smallest species of cockroaches that can infest your home. They are commonly mistaken for German cockroaches, but what differentiates them is the fact that they don't need moisture for survival. 

Brown-banded roaches prefer dry, warm places to set up camp and are usually inside the home, in ceilings, cabinets and shelves, and even inside electronics. Unlike other roaches, they are scattered throughout a structure and not necessarily close to bathrooms and kitchens.

Brown-banded roaches can be a concerning health hazard when present. At least 33 kinds of bacteria, six kinds of parasitic worms, and seven human pathogens have been reported to be spread by brown-banded roaches. Like all cockroaches, they spread these diseases with their constant foraging, which spreads on surfaces and eating utensils.

If you want a solution to the brown-banded cockroach infestation, our DIY guide can help. Follow along to learn more about this pest and get expert advice on eliminating them using professional products.

Identification 

Before treating, you must be certain you are dealing with a brown-banded cockroach and not some other pest. Careless identification can lead to you using the wrong treatment products, which will be ineffective and waste your time and money. Knowing what brown-banded cockroaches look like is important, so here are some distinguishing characteristics of brown-banded cockroaches for easy identification.

• Brown-banded cockroaches get their name from the two lighter bands they have across their dark brownish bodies.
• Male brown-banded roaches have full wings that reach beyond the tip of their pointed abdomens, but females have underdeveloped wings that prohibit them from flying. 
• They are larger than German cockroaches, reaching about 1/2 inch long.

Use the image and description above to help you properly identify the brown-banded cockroach you are encountering. If you are not totally sure, contact us, and we will help you with identification.

Inspection

Once you have identified and confirmed that you are dealing with brown-banded cockroaches, you can conduct an inspection. Before proceeding with treatment, you must pinpoint the prime areas where brown-banded cockroaches infest your home. During the inspection, you will focus on finding these problem areas where brown-banded cockroaches are commonly found. Inspect at night, the time when they are most active.

Where To Inspect

Start by inspecting indoors. Search in the kitchen and bathroom areas. Although brown-backed cockroaches are commonly found away from water sources, they feed in these areas and might leave signs of activity. Inspect the kitchen and bathrooms, inside cabinets, shelves, drawers, and under sinks (where plumbing penetrates walls). Also, search inside your home and inspect under furniture, behind picture frames, inside electronics, and walls and ceilings. 

What To Look For 

You're looking for brown-banded cockroaches and signs of their infestation. This usually means looking for droppings (feces that are like black pepper) inside cabinets, shelves, and drawers. In these areas, you might also find egg cases (or ootheca) that look like brown grub worms. If you have noticed cockroaches in your walls and ceilings, they are brown-banded. Once you have determined the areas where they are commonly found and where you have found their droppings, you will apply the treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed brown-banded cockroach activity, it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels, follow the application instructions on these labels, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

To get rid of brown-banded cockroaches, we recommend applying Apex Cockroach Gel Bait indoors in areas of high activity and then spraying Novacide Aerosol to kill active roaches and interrupt their reproduction cycle so the infestation doesn't multiply. 

Step 1: Bait Placement with Apex Cockroach Bait

Apex Cockroach Gel Bait is a slow-acting insecticide that attracts roaches. These roaches readily feed on it, become infected, and return to the nest, where they spread the insecticide to other roaches, creating a powerful effect that affects the whole population.

Before applying this product, do your best to eliminate water and food sources. Wipe down countertops, mop, and sweep up food crumbs. Take out the trash and ensure no spills or greasy residues are in your kitchen and bathroom. 

We recommend refraining from using cleaning chemicals or products, as these will repel cockroaches. For Apex to be effective, the roaches need to come in contact with the bait numerous times. If you use cleaning supplies or chemicals, they might render the bait ineffective.

Once you have cleaned your home, you can apply the treatment. Apply a pea-sized drop of Apex Gel Bait every 12 to 18 inches apart. Please place them in areas where you have noticed Brown-Banded activity, cabinets, shelves, drawers, cracks and crevices, and areas where plumbing penetrates the walls (under sinks). You can even place a pea-sized drop on a business card and use it underneath appliances like fridges and microwaves.

Remember that Apex is the bait you want the roaches to eat numerous times. Do not disturb or kill the roaches you find feeding on the bait; do not use cleaning supplies or chemicals near the places where you placed the bait for at least 5 days. Allow 5 days, and do not apply cleaning chemicals or other insecticides to let the product work.

Step 2: Spray Novacide Aerosol

After 5 or so days, you can apply Novacide Aerosol. Novacide is a powerful insecticide with an IGR (or Insect Growth Regulator) that targets the undeveloped stages of roaches, like eggs and nymphs, stopping their population from growing. It also has a residual (or long-term effect) lasting up to 7 months.

This product comes ready to use in an aerosol can. To apply, simply hold the can upside down and spray. You'll want to spray on all the floors. Hold the can upside down about 36" off the ground (knee height) and spray 100 feet in 10 seconds, overlapping your spray pattern by 10 percent. Start at the back of the house and make your way to the front, making sure to apply in kitchens, bathrooms, and all the areas where you have noticed brown-banded activity. 

Keep children and pets away from the treated areas until the spray has dried.

Prevention

Once the brown-banded roach population has been wiped out, you should work to discourage them from returning through preventative measures. Here are some measures we suggest taking to keep brown-banded cockroaches away:

• You should regularly inspect your home for roach activity and maintain a cleaning routine to ensure the place is properly sanitized and unwelcoming to roaches.
• Clean your home thoroughly, especially the kitchen, to ensure no crumbs, grease, or oils are left behind.
• Regularly take out trash and vacuum. Remove water sources by keeping areas dry and fixing leaks in plumbing, etc. Make sure not to restrict your sanitation to the kitchen and bathrooms because, again, brown-banded cockroaches don’t prefer those areas and can be scattered around the home.
• Be sure to also carry out exclusion practices, such as sealing cracks and crevices with caulking, to keep roaches from entering your home from outside.
• Finally, spray the exterior perimeter of the house with Supreme IT as a barrier treatment to keep pests out for up to 90 days. 

Key Takeaways

What are Brown-Banded Cockroaches?

• Brown-banded cockroaches are a small species that is known to infest homes and prefer dry areas, unlike German Cockroaches, which they are often mistaken for.

How to Get Rid of Brown-Banded Cockroaches

• We recommend using Apex Cockroach Gel Bait and Novacide Aerosol to eliminate brown-banded cockroaches.

Preventing Brown Banded Cockroach Reinfestation

• Maintain sanitation and exclusion measures to prevent reinfestation of cockroaches after successful control. You can also spray Supreme IT to act as an insect barrier to keep pests out and discourage their return.