Smoky Brown Cockroach

Periplaneta fuliginosa

Appearance

Image of Smoky Brown Cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa) | Rentokil Pest Control Australia
  • 28-44 mm long
  • Shining dark brown in colour
  • Wings longer than the body in male; only just overlap abdomen in female
  • Runs (may fly at very high temperatures)

Lifecycle

  • Females deposit the ootheca (egg case) containing 22-26 eggs a day after production
  • Nymphs take between 6-12 months to develop into adults
  • The noticeable difference between nymphs and adults, apart from size, is the lack of wings in the young

Habits

  • Lives in tree hollows, under bark, under floors, and enters buildings at night
  • Nocturnal (hides during the day in cracks and crevices or any other dark warm places)
  • Has a habit of entering houses and contaminating food with excrement, regurgitated salivary fluid and potentially harmful bacteria