Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Blatella
Explanation of Names
From Latin blatta- "cockroach" + -ella, a suffix meaning "little"
Identification
Of the Blattella species encountered in North America, the German Cockroach (Blattella germanica) is by far the most common:
male
female
The Asian Cockroach (Blattella asahinai) has a more slender body and more grey tones to its wing color. The contrast in colors on the pronotum are also more striking than the German cockroach, and the lateral edges of the abdomen are pale, although this is often obscured by the wings:
The Field Cockroach (Blattella vaga) is not afraid of light and flies readily, unlike the German Cockroach. They look very similar, but a view of the face will reveal a dark area between the eyes and mouthparts that is not present in the German Cockroach:
