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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Cockroaches and Termites (Blattodea) » Blattoidea » Blattidae » Blattinae » Periplaneta » American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
Photo#9956
American Cockroach - Periplaneta americana
Copyright © 2005 Lynette Elliott

American Cockroach - Periplaneta americana
Fort Bragg, Cumberland County, North Carolina, USA
November 12, 2004
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Contributed by Lynette Elliott on 21 January, 2005 - 5:14pm
Last updated 10 May, 2007 - 2:20pm

roach
This one appears to be the American roach. They make a good POP!when they are steped on.I have heard them called Palmetto bugs as well. I don't believe thy bite however, the spines on the legs are very scratchy and sometimes cause a mild irritation.
… Wildman, 12 February, 2008 - 1:23pm login or register to post comments

Palmetto Bug?
I recently moved to NC from up north and had about 10 of these inside my new house.
They only came out at night.
After I totally freaked out when one was on my bedspread, I called an exterminator.
He said they were Palmetto bugs and they were coming in
from an opening where the bathroom plumbing goes in the wall.
I think it is a fancy name for American Cockroach.
I swear mine were huge at 2.5 inches long!
He said they do bite!
… coffeecup22, 17 November, 2007 - 2:00pm login or register to post comments

 
Yes they are big
but they aren't that harmful... the exterminator poison is probably worse for you than the bug. I would try sealing off the entry before resorting to poison.
… Lynette Elliott, 17 November, 2007 - 2:32pm login or register to post comments

ID
I think I got this ID from UFL. But may have gotten it comparing images on the net. I'm not 100% certain this isn't the Brown Cockroach, which looks quite similar to the American.
… Lynette Elliott, 15 September, 2005 - 4:29pm login or register to post comments

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