The German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is a perennial pest of kitchens, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, food manufacturing plants, swine farms, etc. It is present on all continents in association with human and their food or waste. This species only exists in an indoor environment and occasionally found around buildings. Its origin remains debatable, but a recent hypothesis suggested that its ancestor species could have originated from southern Asia, transported to Europe, and naturally selected to survive in heated buildings and evolved as an indoor species to become B. germanica before they spread out from Europe to other parts of the world. In this presentation, I will discuss the infestation of B. germanica on different continents (North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa), especially in homes, transportation systems (ships, airplanes, trains, etc.), and its economic importance.
