Identify Your Pest Crawling insects Brown-banded cockroach
Brown-banded cockroach
Supella longipalpa
The brown-banded cockroach is a small indoor cockroach named for the pale bands across its wings and body. It is rarely reported in Alberta, and it stands out because it hides in warm, dry rooms such as bedrooms and living rooms.
Size 10 to 14 mm long as an adult
Colour Light brown to tan with two pale bands; females darker
Key feature Two pale bands across the wings and body, and no stripes behind the head
Season Year round in heated buildings; favours the warmest rooms
Where Bedrooms, living rooms, closets, furniture, electronics and upper cupboards
What it looks like
Adult brown-banded cockroaches are 10 to 14 mm long and light brown to tan. Look for two pale, yellowish bands running across the body, one at the base of the wings and one lower down. The shield behind the head has no stripes. Males are slim, with wings that cover the whole body, and may fly a short way when disturbed. Females are darker and broader, with shorter wings, and do not fly.
Nymphs have no wings but show clear pale bands across the body. Females glue small, reddish brown egg cases, about 5 mm long, out of sight under tables, drawers and shelves, often in clusters.
Often confused with
German cockroach
Bed bug
Signs to look for
Egg cases under furniture
Cockroaches away from the kitchen
Activity near electronics
Tiny dark droppings
Risks and damage
Like other cockroaches, brown-banded cockroaches can spread germs across surfaces, and their droppings, shed skins and egg cases contain allergens. These can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms in some people. They do not damage the structure of a home. Because they spread into furniture, closets and electronics, they can be harder to find than kitchen cockroaches.
In Alberta
The brown-banded cockroach is an introduced insect that the Government of Alberta lists as present in the province, but it is rarely reported. It lives only inside heated buildings and cannot survive our winters outdoors. It can be carried in with used furniture, electronics, boxes or luggage.
Brown-banded cockroaches prefer temperatures around 27°C, warmer than German cockroaches like. That is why they often hide inside warm appliances and electronics.
How to keep them out
Check used furniture and electronics
Reduce clutter
Seal cracks and gaps
Keep food out of bedrooms
When it is time to bring in a professional
Call a professional if you find egg cases or see cockroaches in more than one room. They spread through furniture, closets and electronics rather than staying by the sink, so a careful inspection is needed to find where they breed. Technica’s licensed technicians can confirm the species and plan treatment.
Frequently asked questions
How is a brown-banded cockroach different from a German cockroach?
Look behind the head. German cockroaches have two dark stripes there. Brown-banded cockroaches have none and show pale bands across the wings and body instead. Brown-banded cockroaches also live in drier rooms, away from sinks.
Why are there cockroaches in my bedroom and not my kitchen?
Brown-banded cockroaches need less water than German cockroaches and like warmth, so they settle in bedrooms, closets, furniture and electronics. Finding them away from the kitchen is a clue, but large German cockroach infestations spread to other rooms too, so check the markings.
Can brown-banded cockroaches fly?
Adult males have full wings and may fly a short way when disturbed. Females have shorter wings and cannot fly.