What do cockroaches look like?

Cockroaches belong to the Order Blattodea.

What do cockroaches look like?

Size:

• 3 mm - 70 mm in length.

Body:

• Oval, flattened as if pressed from above.
• Segment behind head shield-like, overhanging body and often covering base of head.
• Appears hard.

Antennae:

• Thread-like, length variable.

Eyes:

• Large and well separated.
• Cave-dwelling cockroaches may have reduced or no eyes.

Mouthparts:

• For chewing or munching.
• Held downwards at rest.

Wings:

• Two pairs if present.
• Forewings are hardened and cloudy.
• Hindwing membranous and clear.
• Both wings lack cross veins and are of similar size.
• At rest, wings are held flat to body, with forewings overlapping, and hindwing hidden.

Limbs:

• Six legs with many spines.
• Slender, designed for running.

Abdomen tip:

• Two cerci (tails) never longer than the body and have one or more segments.

Where are cockroaches found?

• They are adaptable to most environments.
• The majority of Australian natives are found amongst leaf litter, under bark and rocks, and within rotting logs and crevices.
• Others live in trees or underground in burrows or caves.
• Introduced species are often found in the house.

What do cockroaches do?

• They often group together sometimes in large numbers, but are usually solitary.
• When disturbed they runaway, usually undercover and fast; rarely fly.
• They are weak fliers, usually flying in short bursts.
• Introduced species feed on plant or animal debris; native species primarily feed on plant debris.
• Most are active at night, however some do openly bask in sunlight.

What looks similar?

• Beetles can be distinguished from cockroaches by their hardened forewings. These forewings, or rather elytra, never overlap but meet in the middle. Beetles also never possess cerci.