American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

aka “waterbug”, “palmettobug”

Identification

• The American cockroach is not native to North America and is believed to have been introduced in the 1600s from Africa
• One of the larger structure-infesting cockroaches: between 34 and 53 mm
• Coloration is reddish brown with a light brown/yellow band at the edge of the pronotum (shield directly behind head)
• Both the male and female have wings, but are poor fliers

Habitat and Behaviour

• Prefer warm and moist environments
• Generally introduced into structures with packaging or shipments
• Found oftentimes on lower floors in structures, e.g. basements, sewage systems, utility pipes, steam tunnels, etc.
• Feed on a variety of foods, with a preference for fermenting products
• Nocturnal—mainly active at night

Lifecycle

• Gradual metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult)
• Nymphs are smaller versions of the adults,  and will go through several molts until fully grown
• Female deposits egg capsule (ootheca) within a few hours or days after its formation
• A typical female produces an average of 9 to 14 oothecae in her lifetime, with each ootheca containing between 14 and 16 eggs
• Lifecycle from egg to adult is dependent on temperature, and averages 600 days
• The average lifespan of adults is 15 months, with females living longer than males