Page 54 - Florida Pest Control Examinations

ORIENTAL COCKROACH ORIENTAL COCKROACH ADULTS
FEMALE male female

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
EGG CAPSULE ORIENTAL COCKROACH
MALE

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
1.Antenna- long, hairlike 6.Pronotum ORIENTAL COCKROACH
2.Eyes- 2 7.Petiole- none
3.Head 8.Abdomen- broad 1 6 8
4.Legs- 6 9.Color-reddish to black
5.Wings- wings cover 1/2 of abdomen 10.Other-armor plated look,
also known as water bug
Life Cycle
The female produces about eight egg capsules in a lifetime with each
containing 16 eggs. She deposits this capsule within 30 hours after its
produced. The nymphs emerge and go through 7-10 molts before becoming 4
adults. There is usually only about one generation per year, which can take
well over 500 days to complete. The adults will live about a year. Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

ORIENTAL COCKROACH (Blatta orientalis) Actual size 1 1/4”

Oriental cockroaches are usually black to dark brown, and are fairly large but smaller than the
American cockroach at about 1¼ inches in body length. They can become numerous in damp,
secluded areas such as crawl spaces, basements, and drains, and are occasionally called “water
bugs” by mistake. The oriental cockroach is often found in a bathtub because it lacks sticky pads on
its feet and cannot climb the smooth sides. Oriental cockroaches are also found outside near water
sources or in the garage, being quite adept at living outdoors. These roaches are quite common
in the sewers, and may come into houses through the drains. If the crawl space under a house is
damp, it becomes an excellent breeding location for these roaches. The Oriental cockroach has a
bad odor that people associate with cockroaches. They will eat any human or pet food, garbage, or
other organic materials.

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