cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/33436612
saw the same bug indoors, wondering how concerned to be. looks like it has all the same grossly visible body parts as a cockroach but it is a much lighter tan than i am used to.
curious
(originally posted in sopuli.xyz/c/whatisthisbug)
Yes. Someone may try to tell you it’s a “water bug” but they’re just trying to gloss over having roaches.
Is it native to the United States?
Yes. In the more humid climates.
I have seen a waterbug in India once, it’s got nothing to do with a roach. It’s about 20cm wide, with pincers thick almost like my pinky finger. Absolutely stunning if you’ve never heard about them before
That’s a roach but keep in mind that there are hundreds of cockroach species in the world and most of them aren’t pests. A roach you see in nature probably couldn’t even survive in your house. When I lived in rural New Hampshire I frequently saw cockroaches in the forest but never indoors.
(If you’re in an urban area, then chances are it’s a pest.)
Nifty find and thanks for posting such clear pictures! It’s def a roach. I think that would be Ectobius pallidus (though it can be similar to other species) and here’s some info about it you will enjoy:
https://blogs.cornell.edu/nysipm/2023/05/22/can-a-cockroach-be-cute-meet-the-tawny-field-cockroach/
Just one: don’t panic, it happens.
More than one in a short time or you find droppings: you may have an infestation and you need pest control as soon as possible.
In doubt, start with a spray or traps.
Gentrol is a growth hormone inhibitor roach control method https://gentrol-igr.com/ Apparently it works really well
Definitely.
I’ve never seen one IRL and even I can tell that’s a roach.
Not necessarily a pest kind, though, if it looks unusual. Maybe one test would be if it goes towards or away from light; seeking dark is the original adaptation that allowed them to hide in human environments.
