Water Bugs in Georgia

Most of the time when a person mentions water bugs in Georgia, they are referring to cockroaches. The United States has an estimated 70 diverse species of water bugs; however, there are five species that are frequently crawling in Georgia. Water bugs generally like warm places that have plenty of moisture. You can see water bugs in Georgia with a range of sizes, shapes and colors.

  1. Blattella Germanic

    • German cockroaches belong to the blattella Germanic species and can eat anything in the vicinity. You will find German cockroaches in eateries, grocery stores, houses and apartments. This type of water bug may grow from 3/4 to 5/8 of an inch in length and may have a pale or dark brown body with two dark stripes on the thorax. The female German cockroach has the ability to generate one egg pod every 20 to 25 days. One pod holds a range of 18 to 48 eggs. This water bug generally stays in the kitchen, bathrooms and cracks in walls. Some items German cockroaches may eat include fabric, rotten plants, insects and paper products.

    Peripatetic Americana

    • Another insect people refer to as a water bug is the American cockroach, which is a member of the peripatetic Americana species. This type of water bug ranges from 1/2 of an inch to 2 inches in length. It has light marks on the thorax and brownish-red wings. Usually you will find the American cockroach in areas where people prepare food such as kitchens and restaurants. It desires warm moist environments. This water bug frequents outside areas and daytime hours more than other species. The female American cockroach produces numerous capsules that hold an estimated 13 eggs.

    Supella Lagniappes

    • The brown-banded cockroach or water bug has the ability to fly. It is apart of the supella lagniappes species. This type of water bug prefers dark, warm and dry atmospheres. You may find the brown-banded cockroach in high locations, kitchens and furniture, including pantries, closets and electronic equipment. Typically, this type of water bug can infest places humans live. The female brown-banded cockroach can produce an egg capsule that holds about 14 to 18 eggs. In addition, this type of water bug reaches from 1/2 to 5/8 of an inch in length, and it has two brown stripes along the abdomen with a brownish body.

    Periplaneta Fuliginosa

    • Another type of water bug that belongs to the peripatetic fuliginous species is the smoky-brown cockroach. The female water bug creates numerous egg capsules that hold about 17 to 20 eggs per capsule. It appears brownish-black to mahogany with wings longer than its body and reaches from 1 to 2 inches in length. Smoky-brown cockroaches or water bugs crawl in cracks in the middle of the night and like to stay in moist places. This type of water bug has the ability to fly and hangs around lights.