Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

BugGuide is a National Moth Week Partner. How to add your National Moth Week 2021 photos. July 17-25.

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

National Moth Week 2020 photos of insects and people.

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 BugGuide Gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Discussion, insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in Wisconsin, July 10-12

Photos of insects and people from the 2014 gathering in Virginia, June 4-7.

Photos of insects and people from the 2013 gathering in Arizona, July 25-28

Previous events
TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Cockroaches and Termites (Blattodea) » Blattoidea » Blattidae » Blatta

Genus Blatta

Classification · Identification
bugss - Blatta orientalis What is it? - Blatta orientalis Help identify this strange bug! - Blatta orientalis - female black insect with orange/brown banded thorax - Oriental Cockroach? - Blatta orientalis - male Need identification fast! Please! - Blatta orientalis Turkestan Cockroach - Blatta orientalis large ruddy roach found at night - Blatta orientalis Roach - Blatta orientalis
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Blattodea (Cockroaches and Termites)
Superfamily Blattoidea
Family Blattidae
Genus Blatta
Identification
Only two species from this genus are found in North America. The most common is the Oriental Cockroach (Blatta orientalis). As adults, the male has wings that cover about 2/3 of the abdomen:


The Oriental Cockroach adult females have very small wings that do not touch in the middle:


The Turkistan cockroach (Blatta lateralis) adult females can be easily differentiated by the presence of white stripes along the side of the thorax:


The males do not look much like Oriental Cockroach males, but also have the lateral white stripes:


A species that is often confused with the Oriental Cockroach is the Florida Woods Cockroach (Eurycotis floridana), which has very small wings (like Oriental Cockroach females) but these wings touch in the middle of the back:
Contributed by Hannah Nendick-Mason on 7 October, 2005 - 9:49am
Additional contributions by John Carlson
Last updated 14 September, 2009 - 12:48am

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2021 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact