Order Blattodea - Cockroaches and Termites

Roaches

Water Bugs

Cockroaches are sometimes considered a suborder, Blattaria, of order Dictyoptera, which BugGuide treats as a superorder.

Blattaria is from Latin blatta, a cockroach (1). English cockroach itself is derived by folk etymology from Spanish cucaracha. That, itself, is a derivative of Spanish cuco, an insect; the Spanish word perhaps from Latin cucus, a Jackdaw (Partridge, 1958, Origins: A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English).

At least 3500 species of cockroaches known worldwide, about 57 found in North America. (Of the latter, only a half-dozen or so are pests, and most of those not native North American species--see Remarks.)

19-50mm

Cockroaches are usually dark brown or reddish in color and have flattened oval bodies and long swept-back antennae. The head is usually concealed by the pronotum which extends far forward. When wings are present, they are held flat over the back, overlapping one another.

throughout North America and worldwide

Though considered tropical insects, cockroaches can flourish in any environment where there is sufficient food and warmth. Most North American cockroach species live in woodlands and are not pests. Those found indoors may be anthropophilic "pest" species or those that migrate inside inadvertently.

Of species found indoors, German cockroaches are commonly found in homes throughout the world.

American cockroaches are common cockroaches found in homes (and outdoors) throughout the tropics and subtropics, including throughout the southern US.

While these two species are by far the most commonly encountered in homes, many other species are not uncommonly seen in homes. Most of these belong to two cockroach families: Blattidae and Blattelidae.

Female cockroaches lay packets of 12-25 eggs, and nymphs develop to maturity through simple metamorphosis.

Most of the pest species are not North American natives, but world-wide human commensals of Old World origin. Penn State University lists four species as being common pests in that state:

Six species, including all four listed above, can achieve pest status in California (UC Davis).

According to Blattodea Species File Online, the higher taxonomy of Blattodea is as follows:

SUPERFAMILY BLABEROIDEA

- Family Blaberidae

- Family Blattellidae

SUPERFAMILY BLATTOIDEA

Epifamily Blattoidae

- Family Blattidae

Epifamily Cryptocercoidae

- Family Cryptocercidae

Epifamily Termitoidae (=Isoptera: termites)

SUPERFAMILY POLYPHAGOIDEA

- Family Polyphagidae

[Note: Parts of this guide page were copied from another one that included contributions from Richard Leung, cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, Lynette Schimming, and Chuck Entz.]