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COMMON NAME: SCIENTIFIC NAME: CLASS/ORDER/FAMILY: METAMOPHOSIS: |
American cockroach Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus) Insecta/Blattodea/Blattidae Simple |
INTRODUCTION. The American cockroach is also called a waterbug, the Bombay canary, and the Palmetto bug. Despite its name, the American cockroach is not native to North America but was most probably introduced via ships from Africa. It is worldwide in distribution.
RECOGNITION. Adults about 1 3/8-2 1/8in (34-53 mm) long. Color reddish brown except for a submarginal pale brown to yellowish band around edge of pronotal shield. Last segment of cercus at least 2 times longer then wide. Both sexes fully winged with wings of male extending beyond tip of abdomen whereas, females do not; poor to moderately good fliers.
Nymphal early instars uniformly grayish brown dorsally, paler ventrally, shiny; cerci slender, distinctly tapered from base with length about 5 times width. Later instars reddish brown with lateral and posterior margins of thorax and lateral areas (sides) of abdominal segments somewhat darker; cerci slender, distinctly tapered with length about 5 times greatest width, widest segments 2.5 times as wide as long. Antennae uniformly brown.
Ootheca or egg capsule dark reddish to blackish brown; about 3/8in (8 mm) long, with length about 1.5 times width; subdivisional furrows not extending to midwidth; weak terminal point; and usually with 8 eggs of each side.
HABITS. Although American cockroaches are found in residences, they are much more common in larger commercial buildings such as restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, food processing plants, hospitals, etc., where they usually infest food-storage and food-preparation areas, basements, and steam tunnels. During summer months, they can be found outdoors in yards and alleys. In the United States this is the most common species found in city sewer systems.
They can enter structures by being brought in, coming up from the sewer system via drains, or occasional mass migration from other structures, dumps, etc., during warm weather. Although they feed on many kings of food, they show a particular fondness for fermenting food.
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