Insects
Oriental Cockroach
The Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis), often called the "water bug" or "sewer roach", is a dark brown to black cockroach with a glossy body. It tolerates cold better than other species and thrives in damp, cool places: sewers, drains, cellars and foundation cracks.
WHY CHOOSE US
Why choose 514 Extermination for your Oriental cockroaches?
Spraying scatters the colony into wall voids and brings it back stronger. We work with gel bait, which also reaches the individuals that never leave their harbourage.
Gel bait, not spray
Spray acts as a repellent: it scatters the colony. Gel bait is carried back to the nest and eliminates, by domino effect, the ones you never see.
A product in the cracks too
We don't stop at bait. A targeted product is also applied in cracks and sensitive areas, where spraying never reaches — to get the cockroaches that never leave their harbourage.
We identify the species first
German, American or Oriental cockroach: they don't live in the same places and aren't treated the same way. Identification changes the whole protocol.
We find the source, not the survivors
Under the sink, behind the dishwasher, near the floor drain, in the basement kitchen. What you see upstairs is almost never the focal point.
Safe for children and pets
The gel is applied in cracks and behind appliances, out of reach. Health Canada approved products, applied by a CD5-certified technician.
Follow-up + guarantee
The egg cycle (ootheca) often requires a second visit: follow-up is included. The written guarantee states the coverage period — if cockroaches return during that time, we come back at no charge.
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Free on-site inspection and quote, written guarantee: always included, offer or not.
How to identify
Stout, very glossy body, dark brown to almost black. The male has wings that do not cover the whole abdomen; the female has wings reduced to mere stubs. Neither flies.
Typical habitat
Damp, cool areas: sewers, pipes, French drains, cellars, wells, verandas and foundation cracks. Often near decomposing organic matter. Can survive outdoors in temperate zones.
Health risks
A carrier of pathogens from sewers and garbage, it contaminates food and surfaces with bacteria, fungi and viruses. Its presence gives off a characteristic musty odour.
The complete guide
The Oriental cockroach: the sewer roach
The Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) is the second most common species in homes. Dark brown to almost black, with a very glossy body, it measures 18 to 29 mm. Its nickname "sewer roach" sums up its lifestyle: it seeks damp, cool places rather than heat.
It is found in sewers, drains, damp cellars, wells, French drains and foundation cracks. Notably, it tolerates cold better than other cockroaches and can even survive outdoors in temperate zones, making it especially present around foundations in Montreal.
A particularly slow development
- The female produces an ootheca she can keep up to 7 days before depositing it in a sheltered area.
- Each ootheca holds 12 to 18 eggs, and a female lays more than 8 over her life.
- Nymphs emerge in 42 days at 29.5 °C, but in 81 days at 21 °C — temperature strongly slows the cycle.
- Full nymphal development takes 1 to 2 years, one of the slowest among cockroaches.
This slow pace means a well-established infestation has often existed for a long time and requires patience: treatment must cover several waves of hatching.
Recognizing its presence
Three clues reveal the Oriental cockroach:
- A stubborn musty odour, caused by the pheromones it releases.
- Black droppings about 1 mm, often along baseboards and near drains.
- Moults and oothecae in damp, sheltered corners.
Because it moves through garbage, toilets, pantries and refuse chutes, it deposits microbes as it goes and contaminates food.
Health risks
The Oriental cockroach carries numerous pathogens — bacteria, fungi, viruses — from sewers and decomposing matter. It contaminates food and preparation surfaces, making it a serious health concern at home and in food businesses, where it represents a MAPAQ non-compliance risk.
Our professional method
Given its attachment to moisture, treatment combines sanitation and targeted products:
- Inspection of drains, floor traps, cellars and foundation cracks to locate entry points and the moisture source.
- Glue boards and monitoring traps in activity areas.
- Crack and crevice treatment with Health Canada approved products.
- Environmental correction: repairing leaks, keeping water in floor traps, screening drains and sealing sewer accesses.
- Follow-up matched to the species' slow cycle, written guarantee and CD5-certified technicians.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Oriental cockroach called the "sewer roach"?
Why does Oriental cockroach treatment take longer?
How do I stop Oriental cockroaches from entering through drains?
Oriental Cockroach problem? We respond within 4 hours
Montreal, Laval, South Shore, North Shore. Written guarantee, certified technician, unmarked vehicle.
Other similar pests
Bed Bug
The bed bug is a parasitic insect that feeds on human blood during sleep. Montreal is one of the most affected cities in Canada.
Cockroach
Cockroaches are extremely resilient nocturnal insects. They reproduce quickly and can infest an entire building within weeks.
American Cockroach
The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is the largest cockroach found in buildings: the adult reaches nearly 40 mm. It seeks heat and moisture, and thrives mainly in basements, boiler rooms, sewers and commercial kitchens in Montreal.