cockroach nymphs

cockroach nymphs

5789  We are trying to identify the attached insects.  My location is Albuquerque, NM.  They are very small, between 4-5 mm (~3/16ths of an inch), end to end, not including antennae.  We are concerned these could be immature roaches, but we have lived here ten years and have never had them.  We have not seen any adult insects.  We are in a condo on the second floor, with one unit below part of our own.  The insects are showing up on the kitchen floor, either dead or dying.  We only spray outdoors, so we aren’t sure if these are coming in from the outside (deck, about 15 feet from the kitchen), or if they hatched inside.  If they hatched indoors, then we can’t explain what is killing them.  Also, we would expect to see a more signs, and greater numbers, not just two or three each day.  We have seen approximately eight total, but can’t identify where they are coming from. Thank you.  Any help in identifying the insects and recommendations to control is greatly appreciated. Kurt

These are very young cockroach nymphs, but I am uncertain as to exactly which species they might be. You might check with the owners/occupants of adjoining units to see if any had recently initiated any pest control measures. In the meantime, you might set out some ‘roach motels’ to see if you can get a better idea as to the extent of your infestation. Cockroaches essentially are nocturnal, so you might see only a few during the daytime even if a relatively heavy infestation is present. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.