Unidentified Bathroom Bug
February 16, 2010
I found this critter in my second floor bathroom. It has what I thought was a distinctive white-brown-white, H shaped marking on its backside that I thought would make it easy for me to identify. I have searched but I still have no idea what it is. I tried to get better photos, but the ones I have are a bit blurry because he kept trying to escape. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks
Bob in HI
Oahu, Hawaii
Immature Cockroach
Hi Bob,
This is an immature Cockroach, though we are not certain if it is a species that infests homes.
Immature Cockroach
Karl may have found the answer
Hi Daniel and Bob:
It looks like Balta notulata (Blattodea: Blattellidae), although there appears to be more extensive black on the pronotum. This is a very wide ranging cockroach, found throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. I suspect it is not native to Hawaii but I was unable to find out where it originally comes from. There is one other species of Balta in Hawaii, the Wood Cockroach (B. similis) that may be a native species, but I couldn’t find any nymph photos. The Wood Cockroach is an outdoor cockroach that occasionally finds its way indoors, while B. notulata is considered an indoor species. I would say it is one of the two. Regards.
Karl
Eric Eaton disagrees
Daniel:
I’m about 99% positive this is a nymph of the Brown-banded cockroach, Supella longipalpa. They like to live inside electrical appliances because of the warmth. They are definitely a global domestic pest species. No exterminators may be necessary, though. Do-it-yourself, non-toxic bait recipes can be found online, especially at various “.edu” websites that discuss cockroach control.
Eric
¶ Posted 16 February 2010 § ‡ ° Unknown Insects
February 15, 2010
Please can you help me identify these insects, found in the garden during the summer months.
Chris Moran
Perth, WA, Australia
Bush Cockroach
Hi Chris,
Not all Cockroaches are pestiferous species that infest homes. Some Cockroaches are actually quite beautiful and they would much rather live in a natural environment. This Bush Cockroach, Ellipsidion humerale, is pictured on a Brisbane Insect website page.
Flat Orange and Black bug
January 9, 2010
I saw this starnge looking bug in rotten tree stumps in Kirstenbosch Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa in December. The photo is the posterior, unfortunately I did not get to see the head end. Any idea what it is?
Thanks, Jon Cooper
Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Mountain Cockroaches
Dear Jon,
Though the photo does not provide the best angle for identification purposes, we thought this must be a species of Cockroach. When we did a web search of “Cockroach South Africa”, we found a biodiversity page on life in Southern Africa with an image of the Cape Mountain Cockroach, Aptera fusca which states: “The Cape Mountain Cockroach has an interesting biology in that the eggs mature and hatch inside the female so that she ‘gives birth’ to young. In this species the male is winged and the female wingless (hence the generic name meaning ‘without wings’).“ We found some photos online, and some dialog on pet blogs, but the only source of information on the Cape Mountain Cockroach we could quickly uncover was on Wikipedia which states: “The Cape mountain cockroach, Aptera fusca is a giant cockroach which lives in the fynbos biome of the Western Cape region of South Africa. Adult females can be from 30 to 40 mm long. Males are slightly smaller, and have wings, which are absent in females. Unusually for insects, it gives birth to 18-24 live offspring and protects the young for a while after giving birth. When alarmed, it raises its abdomen into the air and squeaks loudly“.
Thanks for that Daniel,
I thought it was a cockroach at the time but my googling was not as successful as yours. Have looked at pictures on internet and I think you’ve got it right.
Thanks again,
Jon cooper
¶ Posted 10 January 2010 § ‡ ° Can you please tell me what this is?
December 20, 2009
I just moved into a new place with my three year old son. In the last 2 days, we have found three of these critters in the house. We found one in the pantry, one on the wall in the hallway, and one in the shower. I’m worried that it may be a cockroach or something, but I’m not sure. Any information you can offer would be very much appreciated.
Concerned in Florida
Saint Augustine, FL
German Cockroach
Dear Concerned in Florida,
The two parallel dark streaks on the pronotum identify this as a German Cockroach, Blattella germanica, one of the most reviled insects that infest dwellings. Eliminating them from an infested home might be a losing battle.
German Cockroach
Thank you very much. That confirms my suspicion, and makes the decision for me….I will be moving. I greatly appreciate your time.
Is this bug a cochroach?
November 6, 2009
Hi. I live in Westfield, NJ and over the passed month we’ve been finding these little bugs that move pretty fast around the house. Usually in the living room or kitchen. We’re not sure if they are cochroaches or not but we’ve laid a couple of bait traps around the house. So far we’ve spoted/killed around 8 this month.
What do you think? Thanks!
Michael
Union County, NJ
Cockroach with Oothica
Hi Michael,
Your photo shows a female Cockroach with her oothica or egg case. She is lacking the two parallel longitudinal dark streaks on the pronotum that identify a German Cockroach, so we are uncertain what species of Cockroach you have. Your letter indicates that you have a species that infests homes, and the German Cockroach would be a likely candidate except for the markings. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to identify the species of Cockroach for you.
Suggestion from Eric Eaton
Daniel:
Wow, I have no idea. I’d suggest contacting Dr. (?) Betty Faber at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey. She knows roaches very well and will surely recognize this one. I’ll be interested to know myself!
Eric
what is this insect?
October 17, 2009
In late summer 2006, I started noticing some kind of unidentified roach-like bug in the garden & around the house.
Observed in daylight, doesn’t run to avoid light. Body is ~6 mm long, semi-translucent, with darker brown stripes lengthwise down the back side of body, and one central brown stripe. Feelers approx as long as body, 2 mandible-type extensions near base of feelers, 6 legs, rearmost legs longest, with hairy extensions on them, two spikey extensions at rear end. Body is segmented, no obvious wings. A captured one was observed to have a very large object attached to it, which it eventually shed after about a day (at right). Is this some kind of egg case?
(see attached jpg images)
Thank you, JD
Petaluma, California
Cockroach
Hi JD,
This is a species of Cockroach, and we believe it is Phyllodromica trivittata, a Mediterranean import that BugGuide reports from California. BugGuide has this comment: “Known from dry habitats around the Mediterranean. It has been recorded from Morocco; Algeria; Spain; Italy (Sardinia Island); Italy (Sicily); Libya; and Israel. Given that it has not been recorded as being a pest in buildings in those countries (as far as I’m aware) it is unlikely to invade buildings in the USA. Comment by George Beccaloni (The Natural History Museum, London, UK).“ In many species of Cockroaches, the female carries the oothica, or egg case, and your description and photograph support this, though that photo is a bit blurry and we will not be posting it. The Cockroach Forum has some nice images.
Cockroach
¶ Posted 17 October 2009 § ‡ ° tasty looking cockroach
October 2, 2009
i have a cockroach that sort of resembles an oriental cockroach, but the pattern on its back differs from an oriental cockroach. it is a bit smaller than 1 1/2 inches. I got this cockroach from Ewa Beach, Hawaii.
curious
Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Harlequin Cockroach
Hi curious,
Hawaii is the home of numerous introduced species that are crowding out the endemic wildlife. We are posting your image in the hopes that someone will write in with a species identification. Unless it is a wingless species, it is an immature individual.
Update
October 3, 2009
A special thanks to Karl who identified this Harlequin Cockroach, Neostylopyga rhombifolia, a Southeast Asian species that has become established elsewhere in the world, including Hawaii. For more information read Karl’s comment and check out this website: http://www.gotroaches.com/blog/2006/05/25/harlequin-roach-neostylopyga-rhombifolia/
2
¶ Posted 03 October 2009 § ‡ ° flying beetle
September 20, 2009
what is this bug
wm in arizona
mesa, az
Surinam Cockroach
Hi wm in arizona,
This is a Cockroach, and we believe it is the Surinam Cockroach, Pycnoscelus surinamensis, even though BugGuide does not report the species from Arizona. It is reported in Texas and Florida as well as other southern states. According to BugGuide, the Surinam Cockroach: “Reproduces through parthenogenesis in the US, where no males are found. It has two sexes in some parts of the world (Europe and Indo-Malaysia), though. Unlike many roaches, the egg capsule is retained inside the female’s abdomen until young are ready to emerge. Usually described as giving birth to live young, however Modern Pest Services site below seems to show that the egg capsule is ejected from the female.“
Surinam Cockroach
rss
I like This
