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Wood Cockroach
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)

Common Name: Wood Cockroach

Order: Dictyoptera

Family: Blatellidae

Pest Status: Wood roaches are nuisance pests when they occur inside, but unlike other roaches, do not breed inside homes or buildings.

Appearance: Adults are approximately 3/4 to 1-inch long. The male is dark brown. The sides of the thorax and the front half of the wings have yellow margins. Adult males have wings longer than their bodies, while females have conspicuous but nonfunctional wing pads that cover only one-third of the abdomen.

Life Cycle: Females deposit their egg capsules outdoors usually under bark, leaf litter, or firewood. The eggs hatch after one month, and nymphs continue maturing until the following spring. The complete life cycle generally takes about two years.

Where to Collect: Wood cockroaches can be found in or under downed timber or rotting logs and firewood. Males can be collected at lights during the mid-summer.