If you’ve seen a quick, dark bug on your kitchen floor, you’re not alone. New Orleans homes host several types of cockroaches year-round. They love the city’s humid air and move between sewers, basements, and homes.
Roaches do more than annoy. They contaminate food, leave droppings, and spread germs that can make people sick. When you know the type, you can choose the proper steps for safe, lasting control.
This guide shows the most common cockroaches in New Orleans and how to keep your home pest-free with help from local experts.
Key Takeaways
• Several species of cockroaches thrive in Louisiana’s warm, damp climate.
• The American cockroach, German cockroach, brown-banded cockroach, and oriental cockroach are most common in New Orleans homes.
• Infestations often start in crawl spaces, basements, and sewers, then spread indoors.
• Local pest control services like LaJaunie’s help safely and quickly eliminate cockroaches in New Orleans, LA.
American Cockroaches in Louisiana
The American cockroach, also called the palmetto bug, is one of the largest roaches in Louisiana homes. Adults reach about 2 inches in length, with reddish-brown bodies and a yellow mark behind the head.
These roaches prefer damp areas like basements, sewers, and crawl spaces. Since they move through pipes, you may see them near drains or in bathrooms. They eat many things, including grease, crumbs, and organic matter such as decaying food or trash. If you’re wondering how to get rid of cockroaches in your sink and drains, keeping these areas dry and sealed is essential.
When dealing with this type of roach, a professional exterminator can inspect entry points and apply targeted cockroach control in New Orleans, LA, to remove the entire population.
German Cockroaches: The Toughest Invaders
The German cockroach is smaller than the American type but causes the most persistent infestations. These light brown roaches have dark stripes behind their heads and prefer warm, humid places such as kitchens and bathrooms.
One of the biggest challenges homeowners face is that German cockroaches are hard to kill in Louisiana. Their fast reproduction rate and resistance to many over-the-counter products make them challenging to eliminate without expert help.
They hide in cracks, behind appliances, and near food sources, making sanitation critical. At LaJaunie’s Pest Control, our technicians use advanced treatments and cockroach control services designed to reach their hiding spots and disrupt their breeding cycles.
Brown-Banded Cockroaches: Small but Stubborn
The brown-banded cockroach in Louisiana is another common pest in New Orleans homes. They have clear light and dark bands across the wings.
Unlike moisture-loving roaches, brown-banded roaches live in drier areas, such as furniture, electronics, and along ceilings. People often mistake them for German roaches, but they act differently. You’ll find them in bedrooms or living rooms more than in kitchens.
They can spread allergens and bacteria, so they are still a health concern. If you notice small droppings or shed skins near cabinets or shelves, call a professional team for an inspection and treatment. At LaJaunie’s Pest Control, we offer prevention and treatment to keep your home roach-free year-round.
Oriental Cockroaches: The Water-Loving Roach
The oriental cockroach in Louisiana, often called a “water bug,” is glossy and dark brown to black. They move more slowly than many roaches and usually live in damp areas such as basements or under sinks.
They feed on decaying material, so you may find them near drains or leaking pipes. These roaches can carry bacteria, such as Salmonella, and spread them onto counters or stored food. If you see them inside, the infestation likely began outdoors, in mulch, gutters, or sewers.
Regular cleaning, sealing gaps, and scheduling pest control visits can reduce the chance of reinfestation. DIY cockroach control in Louisiana often misses hidden nests and breeding spots.
Smoky Brown Cockroaches and Other Species
The smoky brown cockroach in Louisiana is another large roach often mistaken for the American roach. It has full wings and is a uniform dark brown. They fly short distances toward lights at night and can enter through open windows or roof vents.
They thrive in the humid New Orleans climate, nesting in trees, attics, or gutters before moving indoors. Homeowners also encounter Louisiana woods cockroaches, Surinam cockroaches, and even the Pennsylvania wood cockroach, though these are less common.
If you’ve noticed these flying roaches around outdoor lights, learning how to get rid of smoky brown cockroaches in Louisiana can help you prevent them from moving inside. Since more than one species can infest at once, a full property inspection is the best way to identify what is in your home.
Where Cockroaches Hide in New Orleans Homes
Roaches are masters of survival, slipping into tight crevices and spreading through walls and plumbing. Common hiding spots include:
• Under sinks, appliances, and inside kitchen cabinets
• Around drains and plumbing fixtures
• In crawl spaces, attics, and basements
• Behind baseboards and wall voids
Finding these entry points is key. If you’re not sure how to find out where roaches are getting into your home, our technicians can locate and seal them during a home inspection.
Even in clean homes, cockroach infestations can develop when moisture, warmth, and shelter are available. Ongoing pest control services keep these conditions under control.
How to Prevent Cockroaches in Louisiana Homes
Prevention starts with steady home care. Clean often, seal cracks, and cut food sources to make your home less inviting to roaches. Knowing how to get rid of cockroaches in New Orleans, LA, before an infestation grows helps keep your space cleaner and easier to maintain.
Wipe kitchen surfaces, store food in sealed containers, and empty trash daily. Fix leaks to remove standing water that attracts roaches, including oriental roaches.
Outdoor steps help, too: trim shrubs, move firewood away from the house, and clear leaf piles. These steps build a strong barrier against roaches.
When to Call an Exterminator in New Orleans
If you see roaches during the day or droppings in cabinets, the infestation is already severe. DIY products may cut numbers, but often miss the root problem.
Hiring a licensed exterminator gives you safe, fast results. At LaJaunie’s Pest Control, we offer same-day service across NOLA and nearby parishes with family-safe treatments that target both visible and hidden infestations.
Whether you’re dealing with American cockroaches in Louisiana or stubborn German cockroaches, our cockroach control services cover every species from attic to drain.
Making the Right Cockroach Control Choice for Your New Orleans Home
New Orleans has many moisture-loving pests, but you don’t have to share your home with them. From small brown-banded roaches to large palmetto bugs, local infestations need careful, professional care.
At LaJaunie’s Pest Control, we use targeted strategies to eliminate cockroaches in New Orleans, LA, protect your family, and keep your property safe.
Ready for reliable results? Contact us today for trusted cockroach control in New Orleans, LA, and long-term protection.
FAQs
What attracts cockroaches to New Orleans homes?
The city’s humidity, warmth, and abundance of food sources attract roaches. Crumbs, grease, and moisture from leaks provide ideal conditions for them to breed.
Where do cockroaches usually hide indoors?
They prefer tight spaces like crawl spaces, cabinets, and plumbing lines. You’ll also find them in basements, attics, or near sewers where humidity stays high.
Can professional pest control eliminate all roaches?
Yes. Professional treatments target all types of roaches, breaking breeding cycles and preventing future infestations. LaJaunie’s pest control team also seals entry points to stop new pests from entering.
