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YIKES What IS this bug? A beetle, a ROACH? & What's the difference? Are roaches beetles?

These black beetle-like critters stroll about in the middle of the night on my patio and front porch, but don't skatter like cockroaches in the light. They are black, and look like they have what look like armor plates on their backs. They aren't really 'crunchy' when I step on them. The adults are about and inch or so long or a little longer, with antennae about as long as their bodies. The "fattest" ones are about 1/2 inch wide. They seem to live in dark, 'under-stuff' places by day. I've found them under a barrel I collect compost materials in, and they came scurrying out from under my neighbor's patio when I left the hose running and it flooded down the concrete seam.
The little ones look like the big ones but smaller--that is, the juvies don't seem to have a different morphology, but they do look lighter colored-- perhaps another bug entirely?? I'm collecting about 3-4 per sticky trap per night, and the ants seem to "eat 'em up!"
My digital camera is on the fritz so I cannot submit a photo.
Please help me ID them, please, so I can control them. And, will I eventually get rid of them with sticky traps? or will I be buying sticky traps till the end of time??? I don't like using poisons. Need I be concerned about them coming indoors and setting up 'housekeeping' (!!!) or nibbling on me or my Sheltie? Might they harm my veggie plants? Will they eat the wood of my home? invade or clog my French drain, sewer, or sprinkler system?
Please reply directly if you have significant info about these critters.
GentleHealthCare@Yahoo.com THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Contributed by BarbaraH on 26 June, 2008 - 4:44pm

answer
a roach is a sub species to a beetle but not realy a bettle.
… preacher, 26 June, 2008 - 7:27pm

 
Not so
A taxonomy tree for each can be found in our guide. They are both insects and that's the point at which they diverge. See Cockroaches and Beetles. (Click on those links to browse images and perhaps you'll recognize something.) One major difference is that (like butterflies) beetles have complete metamorphosis, whereas roaches just grow bigger and molt (simple metamorphosis). So if you see any small (wingless) versions of your large insects, they are likely to be roaches, not beetles.

While I don't know what your insects are, they are definitely not likely to invade your home, as clearly they are suited to dark, damp living conditions such as where you find them.
… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 26 June, 2008 - 9:23pm

 
of beetles, and roaches, and bugs... OH MY!
Alrighty then... I took a closer look at the critters in the sticky traps, and although I haven't seen them airborn, many do seem to have wings folded neatly on their backs. That is MOST of them do.. some seem to have a row of armor plate-like structures lined up all down their back. On SOME of them, their head is on a joint/neck of some sort, and they look VERY prehistoric... like some of the dinosaur creatures on the kids' Saturday morning 'monster' movies. (OK, so my kids aren't 'kids' anymore--so we are talking 'back in the day' Saturday morning TV). There are some, when caught in the sticky stuff are expelling something that looks VERY like an egg--a reddish brown color, not like Mom at all. I guess Mom 'delivers' before her demise to assure continuation of her species. I'm not checking for gender on any of them, thank you very much! And as for setting my backyard as their delivery suite... not in MY backyard! Well!
The littler guys caught in the traps seem to be a different bug altogether. Different shape, color, etc.
Seems like I have a pretty good collection and variety going on out there, so like they say, "the plot thickens," or at least the livestock variety expands.
Thanks for the link to a taxonomy resource. I will peruse there and see what I can match up.
Warmly, Barbara 8^)
… BarbaraH, 27 June, 2008 - 9:01am

 
eeeeeuuuuuuuuuuu nastier and nastier!
OK! Seems like what I have here are Chinese cockroaches. The males are winged, the females are not, (so no need to lift their little legs to peek for 'indoor vs. outdoor plumbing') and the females carry this egg case mostly hanging out their hind parts.
Where do they come from (please don't tell me China!)What I need to know is how'd they find MY backyard, and what do I need to do to get rid of them, short of calling an exterminator and poisoning my yard, home, garden, etc.?
They are backyard/patio dwellers now-- will they want move indoors in the future-- like when the weather changes?! Not in MY house, they don't! I am not amused!
… BarbaraH, 27 June, 2008 - 9:28am

 
Roaches :^/
I live in an area that is fairly heavily wooded. There are these big dark brown roaches living amongst the trees and sometimes they like to try to get in the house. They don't get far though when they do come in because my cats stop them in their tracks. These things are so nasty the cats won't eat them, they just squish them.

Those egg cases have lots of babies in them :^O
… Scott Justis, 27 June, 2008 - 9:47am

 
Roaches >:^(
Did you look up Chinese cockroaches? Are what YOU have the same thing I have? I don't have cats-- I have a sleepy, "nick-nack" dog... she is absolutely NOT a huntress! 8^)
Whereabouts do you live? I don't need an address--just a general area.
Thanks Preston.
Warmly, Barbara 8^)
… BarbaraH, 27 June, 2008 - 10:47am

 
Speaking of which...
You haven't told us where you live. If it's a warmer part of the US, ther are probably several species of roach that live outside year-round - I know I had plenty in Florida. Controlling an outdoor population sounds like an impossible challenge to me, especially if it's a flying species.

May I also ask how you made your ID? I'm not familiar with Chinese Cockroach as a common name - it's not one we have on our site, nor did it turn up any info on Google. Do you mean Asian Cockroach or Oriental Cockroach?
… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 27 June, 2008 - 12:42pm

 
YouTube video of critter
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5y77Au8fYM
THAT's the critter. The filmer's credentials were not readily available, and I didn't pursue. How did he/she know what it was? I didn't pursue that, either.
On other sites I saw them referred to by other names, Asian, and Oriental. Seem like all the same thing-- is it? I'm not an entomologist, so pardon my ignorance here.
I'm in northern CA, about 30 minutes west of Sacramento, and about 30 minutes east of Napa (as the crow flies).
It's a temporate area, a very forgiving "Zone 8" if that means anything to you. Summers are hot and dry in the daytime, (90's - 110+F)usually not going over about 105. Cool at night,(high 50's to 70-ish) Winters are mild, RARE snow flurries, some frost, never much of a freeze, and the few we get only happen at night & thaw before noon the next day. Occasionally a dog's water bowl in the shade will stay frozen till the sun hits it, but that is seldom. The bird bath is always thawed by about 9-10 AM.
I haven't seen these guys actually FLY, and if they do, I'm taking cover! They aren't something a self-respecting person would want to get hit in the face by, wear in their hair, or get stuck in their eye! --or that a motorcyclist would think was fun to dig out of his/her teeth! These suckers are BIG! About the size of maybe 3 good-sized bumble bees! Ouch!
… BarbaraH, 27 June, 2008 - 1:17pm

 
Oriental cockroaches.
From all I have gathered from your description, it is Oriental roaches, Blatta orientalis, that you are describing. Asian roaches are in the genus Blatella, are much smaller, pale in color, and move lightyears faster. Simply keeping your home clean and dry will make it inhospitable to Oriental roaches.
… Eric R. Eaton, 27 June, 2008 - 3:18pm

 
Clean and dry
No problem with that. It's always clean and dry-- maybe not tidy all the time, but it IS clean, and always dry.
Thank all of you SO much!
The Internet brings us together in ways we never would have imagined previously. Your knowledge and support is comforting, and you truly do serve. Thank you for helping me not feel like I needed to panic about these critters.
The Asian guys haven't shown up, but there are some distinctly "scarab beetle" looking guys hanging out with the Orientals. Light brown, round, just like the pictures. Are they ok to leave alone? I know the ancient Egyptians really made a to-do about them. I've never been a bug-worshipper, so, well, if they aren't beneficial, and can be harmful, I'd like to know that and plan a strategy to allow them to set uphousekeeping ELSEWHERE! If they are harmless, they can live with the isopods, mantids, spiders, and all the rest. Thank you again!
Warmly, Barbara! 8^)
… BarbaraH, 27 June, 2008 - 3:41pm

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