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Photo#233401
Roach - Blattella germanica - female

Roach - Blattella germanica - Female
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, USA
October 13, 2008
Size: 1" from head to tail
I found this strange thing on my friend's window sil inside her kitchen. Its first 3 pairs of legs (white ones) are functionable and crawl roach-like but slowly, but it's second abdomen's legs appear totally dead. Its antennas move just like roach antennas. Its wings didn't move, and I thought they looked like they aren't shaped as though they can- like mutated maybe.

I thought it seemed like some sort of parasitic roach inside of a bee-thing, but the front wings are curled funny and the hind wings seem to have meaty ends like a mutant. And its the bee parts' legs that are functioning, but the roach-like antennas are too. I am dying to know what this thing is.

Thanks for your help

~Julia

Moved...
Moved from ID Request.

Yes...
This is a female, adult German roach (Blatella germanica). This is a rarely captured photograph of their molting process, and a nice addition to the guide. Please do not frass.

Cockroach
This is a cockroach which is part way through shedding its last immature stage skin. The rear section is the old skin and the front section is the new skin with wings expanding and hardening

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