Species Blatta orientalis - Oriental Cockroach

Water Bug

Black Beetle

Adults 22- 27mm (about 1 inch)

Flightless. Males have wings covering 3/4 of their body length; females have only rudimentary wing stubs.

Relatively cool, damp areas - basements, crawl spaces. Not usually found on higher floors of buildings.

Omnivorous but prefers starchy or sugary foods. Often associated with garbage or decaying organic matter, indoors or out. Can survive one month without food as long as water is available, or two weeks with neither food nor water.

Females lay rectangular brown egg cases referred to as ootheca. See Pictures from University of Nebraska for comparison of four common species' egg cases. They may lay one every month, up to eighteen in a lifetime. On average, 14 nymphs per egg case hatch about two months later. Nymphs grow and cast their skin 7 -10 times before reaching adulthood over the course of about 12 months. Adults generally live 1 - 6 months.

UF Featured Creatures - Oriental Cockroach

University of Michigan Museum of Zoology