Do Roaches Fly?

We get a lot of pest questions, and the roaches are no strangers to frequent misconceptions, but did you know that roaches can and do fly? Apparently, this is news to a lot of people, including our copywriter, so this week we’re going to talk about roaches, their wings, and what they can and can’t do with them. 

So can roaches fly?

We just gave that one away but yes oftentimes cockroaches do fly. Not all roaches and not all the time. 

In the greater New Jersey area we see, commonly, just three main cockroach species: the German Cockroach, the Oriental Cockroach, and the American Cockroach. All three of these species have wings and all three CAN fly. 

Of these three roaches, which we describe more in detail in this column, the American Cockroach is the most likely to be seen flying. Although it’s more a glide action than a flight action which brings us to our next point. 

How do roaches fly? 

This may seem like a silly question, roaches have wings so they use their wings for flight, right? Not exactly. Roaches can fly but not well. They cannot flap their wings and soar like a bird, a bee, or even a fly does. 

Roaches are rather large and heavy for insects and especially for their wing size. When roaches do fly, they really don’t have too much control over their flight and they tire very quickly. This is why 99.99% of the time roaches will choose to walk, even long distances, over flying. 

What if I see one flying? Where it is going? 

Most often you encounter a roach flying it’s an American Roach and it’s gliding from one countertop or surface to another. But you can sometimes catch them flying to the top of your cabinets. Wait? The top of my cabinets? Yes. The top of your cabinets. 

Cockroaches are often found on the tops of cabinets where it’s dusty and warm, near the oven hood. (This is especially true for the American Roach which loves the heat and humidity.) Why? For a few reasons. First, it’s warm. Second, it’s far away from its main predators: humans and pets. And finally, because they like to eat the dust and the grease accumulation on top of your cabinets. 

And before you think, no way there is no grease on my cabinets – yes there is. Unless you never cook in your house and/or you are frequently (as in weekly) cleaning the tops of your cabinets. Grease and dust are normal and unavoidable and this is a fact the cockroaches depend on. 

So what do I do if I see a flying cockroach?

First, take a deep breath and resist the urge to burn your entire house down. There are much more effective (not to mention cheaper and less dangerous) ways to treat your home for roaches. 

Once you’ve composed yourself set out to eliminate as much of their food and water sources as possible. Clean the tops of your cabinets, put all food in sealed containers, clear any cardboard boxes out of your kitchen (roaches live IN cardboard boxes) and then call Kapture Pest Control for a free phone consultation. 

Whatever you do, don’t fall for the spray can treatments. The ease of use is appealing but the chemicals in those products are harsh, and they often don’t work. Not to mention if they do work, they don’t work properly because just like ants, roaches are social insects and they live in colonies. 

If you are killing roaches on the spot, you are doing nothing to diminish the colony. The trick with roaches is to treat them with a slow-acting compound that does not kill them right away so that they can bring the poison back into the colony for maximum damage. 

Flying roaches may sound terrifying but very few species can actually stay airborne for that long and a roach is a roach. Flying or non-flying they have no place in your home and if you’d rather not give them the bad news – we’re more than happy to.