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Smokey-Brown Cockroaches

Although smokey-brown cockroaches are related to the American cockroach, they are slightly smaller in size and uniformly mahogany in color. Nymphs are the same color as adults and their antennal tips are white. Smokey-brown cockroaches can grow up to 1.5 inches in length. Both sexes have wings that are longer than their abdomens. Smokey-brown cockroaches are capable of flying and they are attracted to light.

Their oothecae, or egg capsules, hold an average of 17 eggs. Each female is capable of producing 17 oothecae in one lifetime. Nymphs undergo several molting stages, after which they emerge as adults. The life span of the smokey-brown cockroach averages six months, although they can live as long as 12 months in ideal conditions.

While smokey-brown cockroaches prefer to eat decaying plant matter, they will consume any food source available to them. They are nocturnal and hide in small places during the day, making themselves inaccessible to humans and predators. Commonly found in tree holes, wood-shingled roofs and in gutters, smokey-brown cockroaches thrive in damp, dark and poorly ventilated areas. Inside, they breed in attics, where their populations can grow unnoticed. 

When their populations grow large enough, they will infest entire homes. However, they prefer non-dwelling areas such as greenhouses, nurseries and gardens. They can be found throughout the southern United States and are most common from Texas to Florida. They have also been found in Southern California. They are major pests in cities such as Houston and New Orleans.