Hello all, I think I found a roach

Vulgaris

Vulgaris

Fifth Instar
Hello all! I'm new here.

I've never been disgusted by roaches (probably because I've never had to deal with them in my home), but I've never really been interested in them either.

Today January 2nd, I found what I think is a roach. It was found outside (temp was 39 F) underneath a rotten board in the mud. I thought roaches liked dryer places...

anyway, it is about 1 Cm long and half of it is a dull orange and the other half is black. I live in central Pennsylvania. What do you think? Sorry if this is the wrong place to post it. I was not sure where to post it since I don't even know if it is a roach or not

Thanks!! :)

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Thank you very much!!!!

Do you think its possible to rear it? I read up on them thanks to your ID and it sounds like they need a lot of moisture.

Also, is it female due to those ovipositor looking things?

 
Vulgaris said:
Thank you very much!!!!Do you think its possible to rear it? I read up on them thanks to your ID and it sounds like they need a lot of moisture.

Also, is it female due to those ovipositor looking things?
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Roaches do not have ovipositors. Those things on the end are called cerci, which you can think of as an antennae like appendage.

 
Well guys, I raised this roach to adulthood and she turned out to be a female oriental roach. Identified by the folks at bugguide.net

I released her into my corn snake cage, where she can feed on scraps and clean up. if only i had a male...

 
Vulgaris said:
Well guys, I raised this roach to adulthood and she turned out to be a female oriental roach. Identified by the folks at bugguide.netI released her into my corn snake cage, where she can feed on scraps and clean up. if only i had a male...
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Can you post a photo of the adult? Parcoblatta females look similar to oriental roach females but are much smaller. If it really was an oriental, that species reproduces through parthenogenesis as well as bisexually so all you needed was one female. Parcoblatta are unlikely to reproduce without males.

 
Ill try to get a good one later (if i can find her)

I was thinking she was kind of tiny for an oriental. About 1 Cm (maybe smaller) is her size right now. I think she is an adult, but I am not completely sure

As for the how two females would produce offspring. I am assuming you mean they can change their sex? Thats so weird.

 
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Here are the pics. I managed to find her.

Although she is not doing too well. maybe i will not release her back into the snake cage. She has fallen into the water dish last week, and i took her out when i saw. she was motionless, i thought she was dead. but when i came home from school that day she was fine.

Since then, she is really sluggish and does not move normally. I think she is actually drying up in there and not getting enough water.

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Welcome! Your roach isn't an adult yet, notice how her wing buds are still small and out to the side? Both female Parcoblatta and Orientals have wings which go down a few abdominal segments. We can sex it for sure if you post an upside down pic showing the end of the abdomen.

By the way, I love your username!

 
Well I placed her in a small plastic container with moist paper and she revived fully. I guess I will not be releasing her back into the snake cage like I wanted because she almost dried up and died.

That would be great if we could get a sex and species of this roach. Hmmm.. Thats cool that it is not an adult yet. it fooled me!

lol my username is a species of yellowjacket; means 'common' in Latin B)

 
The roach in your photo is a subadult, most likely a male Parcoblatta species. A subadult male B.orientalis would look different and be larger.

In parthenogenesis the eggs develop without fertilization, there's no sex change involved.

 
cool! I'm glad you say he is probably a male because I want one with wings (for some reason I am obsessed with insect wings)

Thanks for explainng the egg thing to me. Thats strange. I know a lot of female insects can lay eggs without mating, but these eggs always develop into males due to the fact that they are not fertilized.

Want me to try to get a shot of his underside?

I've been looking absolutely everywhere for more roaches of any kind to keep. I hardly ever see any roaches here in PA. I'm sure the fact that its still winter does not help ;)

I thought I could trust bugguide... I'm dissapointed

 
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