  Average Rating of 
The smokey brown roach is a roach species that is primarily found in the southeast region of the United States, mainly in eastern and central Texas. However, they can be located in northern states, such as North Carolina and in the Midwest, in Indiana or Illinois. Named smokey brown because of its brown and black coloring, an adult smokey brown roach can reach lengths as long as 33 millimeters.
Pennsylvania wood roaches are a common roach species that are mostly found in the central and eastern regions of North America. Male Pennsylvania wood roaches have a distinct dark brown coloring, while their thorax and wings have a yellow coloring around their margins. Adult males can grow anywhere from 0.6 inches long to almost a full inch. Females tend to be shorter, growing from 0.5 to 0.7 inches.
About Smokey Brown Roaches and Pennsylvania Wood Roaches
Smokey brown roaches favor areas that offer them protection from the elements, while remaining damp and warm. Pennsylvania wood roaches prefer wooded areas that do not offer much in the way of ground cover. The smokey brown roach does not have an exceedingly long life span, as males live for just over 200 days on average, with female life expectancy exceeding that of males by a few days, give or take. Pennsylvania wood roaches can survive in their adult stage for several months, following a nymph stage that can take up to two years.
As with any cockroach, both species have their share of natural predators. Frogs, iguanas, geckos and beetles all feed on cockroaches. There are also certain fungi and species of wasp parasites that have been identified as being lethal to roaches. Fungi of the entomopathogenic variety contains spores that are lethal to roaches and will kill them within weeks of exposure.
Smokey brown roaches are particularly susceptible to death by dehydration, which makes finding a moist living area vital to their continued survival. They primarily feed during early morning or late dusk hours, as other insects depart from their usual hiding places in search of their own meal. Smokey brown roaches hide during daylight hours to keep themselves safe from natural predators and humans.
Smokey brown roaches will feed on a variety of available options; they consume anything from the table scraps of humans, plants, fecal matter, even the bodies of other dead insects. They will also help themselves to any water supplies that are made available to them.
Pennsylvania wood roaches are drawn by lights and will attempt to gain entry into your home. They feed on organic matter that has begun to decay, often being found inside of garages or perched beneath old shingles. Smokey brown roaches are also attracted to light, and once inside your home, they will begin to breed in your attic, as it provides the maximum elemental shelter while remaining warm and moist.
Pennsylvania wood roaches also feast upon open piles of firewood and homes that are located in wooded areas are most susceptible to this particular species of roach. Both species of roach are capable of flying, the Pennsylvania wood roach in particular can fly for very long distances. Both species also like to travel in large groups.
Reproduction and Hibernation Habits
A female Pennsylvania wood roach will produce almost 1,000 eggs each year. The eggs will hatch during the summer and become adult roaches by the following spring. They are present starting in the month of May and will remain until the end of October. This species of roach does not reproduce indoors, preferring to reproduce in loose bark, piles of firewood or beneath rotting logs.
While they do not typically survive indoors, they will hitchhike into your home on firewood, dying within a few days of entry. The Pennsylvania wood roach will not come into your home in the form of a large cluster, if they gain entrance; they do in a solitary fashion. Owners of wooden porches should also beware, as Pennsylvania wood roaches will be attracted to your porch lights and may become infested in your porch.
The reproductive habits of smokey brown roaches tend to vary based on the climate they are residing in. Development for a smokey brown roach can take anywhere from four months to two years. A female will produce 10 egg cases during her life span, each of which contains 20 eggs. Within 24 hours of being produced, these cases are then attached to a well-protected area, where they remain until they are fully ready to hatch. Once in the nymph phase, the smokey brown roach will go through a variety of molting phases before emerging as an adult.
Smokey brown roaches are also summertime pests, who do not survive in colder temperatures. While they prefer warm, moist areas, a cold weather period may send them into your home, where they will reproduce unnoticed by finding tiny nooks and crannies to hide within. Often, they will use their flying capabilities to gain entrance to your home through the roof.
Controlling Pennsylvania Wood Roaches and Smokey Brown Roaches
As neither of these species is primarily found indoors, preventive measures should be taken, by sealing all outdoor crevices and using insecticide treatments on all outdoor barriers.
If you believe you’ve developed a home infestation of either roach species, look no further than Alliance Pest Services. Alliance Pest Services is the gold standard in local pest control; we will ensure that your home is cleared of all roaches.
