The word cockroach is a corruption of the Spanish cucaracha. The cockroach is characterizable by a flat oval body, long thin antennae, and a shiny black or brown leathery integument. The head is directed downward, and the mouthparts are pointed to the back instead of forward or downward as is the case with many other insects. The male frequently has two pairs of wings, while the female, who in some species, is wingless or has vestigial wings. The female creates eggs in egg cases (labeled oothecae). These are sometimes held protruding from her body or might be glued in protected parts. After the female deposits an egg case, the soft, white nymphs emerge. As their exoskeleton toughens, it turns brown in appearance. The shape and large size (certain species possess a wingspan measurement of upwards of 12 cm [4.7 inches]) of cockroaches have become a significant interest in the biological laboratory.

The cockroach takes a warm, humid, dark environment and is more often than not found thriving in tropical and other mild temperatures. Only a couple species have become pests. The insect inflicts damage on more material than it eats and possesses a yucky odour. The food preference of the roach, which can be both plant and animal product, goes from food, paper, clothing, and books to dead insects, particularly bedbugs. Insecticides are used in roach removal.

The American cockroach (species Periplaneta americana) is 30 to 50 mm long (up to about 2 inches), reddish brown, and inhabits out of doors or in dark, heated indoor places (e.g., basements and furnace rooms). During its adult life, generally about 1.5 years, the female creates 50 or more oothecae, each containing around 16 eggs that hatch after 45 days. Nymphal life lasts from 11 to 14 months. The American cockroach, a native of tropical and subtropical America, has well-developed wings. However, most species are seldom good at flying.

The German cockroach (Blattella germanica), a common house pest and sometimes incorrectly labeled a waterbug, is light brown with two dark stripes on the prothoracic region. The female produces the ootheca three days post mating and carries it for about 20 days. Because it is miniature (about 12 mm [less than 0.5 inch] long), this cockroach generally is brought into households in grocery bags and boxes; it has been taken through the world by boat. Three or more generations may breed yearly. This cockroach, found in abundance through the water pipes of the Croton Aqueduct in New York City, is commonly labeled the Croton bug.

The brown-banded cockroach (Supella supellectilium) is like the German cockroach but is even smaller. The male has fully developed wings and is brighter in colour than the female, whose wings are short and nonfunctional. Both sexes have two light-coloured bands along the back. The adult life span is around 200 days, and there may be two generations in a year. Eggs can be dropped in clothes, wood molding, or cracks in the floor. With the innovation of heated buildings this cockroach became established in cooler locations.

The Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) is held as one of the most disgusting of household pests. It is oval, shiny black or dark brown, 25 to 30 mm (1 to 1.2 inches) long, with a life cycle similar to that of the American cockroach. The male has short, fully developed wings, while the female possesses vestigial wings. This cockroach has been distributed by vehicles of trade from its Asiatic origins to almost every temperate regions.

Wood roaches are wild pests. Parcoblatta pennsylvanica, the common wood cockroach, habits beneath logs and stones in northern latitudes. The male and female are so differing in appearance that they were originally considered unique species. The male, 15 to 25 mm (0.6 to 1 inch) long, possesses wings that expand beyond the abdomen; the female is smaller and has much shorter wings. Cryptocercus punctulatus eats wood with the aid of some protozoans in its digestive tract.

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