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American Cockroach
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)

Common Name: American Cockroach

Order: Dictyoptera

Family: Blattidae

Pest Status: The American cockroach is a major pest inside buildings.

Appearance: The American cockroach is a distinctive insect with an elliptical-shaped body and thick spines on the tibia. Adults are usually between 1 and 1 1/2-inches long and have long, filamentous antennae. They are generally a red-brown color and have a yellow stripe that extends across the back of the head.

Life Cycle: Female cockroaches carry their eggs in cases (oothecae). White-brown nymphs hatch from the cases and develop a red-brown color, similar to the adults, over time. An immature cockroach can molt as many as 13 times in one year.

Where to Collect: American cockroaches prefer warm, dark, moist areas such as home basements and sewers. They usually hide during the day and feed on decaying organic matter at night.