Bug Identifier
Oriental cockroach (likely adult and nymph)
Community identification

Oriental cockroach (likely adult and nymph)

Blatta orientalis

Order & Family
Blattodea, Blattidae
Size
Adults are about 18–30 mm long; nymphs are smaller and wingless, as shown by the specimen on the right.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Damp, cool, sheltered places such as basements, drains, crawl spaces, and areas around leaking plumbing; commonly found indoors near ground level.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous scavengers that feed on food scraps, starches, decaying organic matter, and occasionally animal material.

Behavior Patterns

Mostly nocturnal, moisture-dependent, and poor climbers; they hide in cracks by day and forage at night. Females produce egg cases, and nymphs develop through several molts.

Risks & Benefits

They can contaminate food and surfaces and may mechanically spread microbes; shed skins and droppings can aggravate allergies or asthma. They provide limited ecological value as decomposers outdoors.