Anyone know what this bug is?
September 2, 2011 1:49 PM Subscribe
Anyone know what this bug is? A pic is here - found in Oxford UK today.
links to pics of other named specimens will be helpful,
Cheers
links to pics of other named specimens will be helpful,
Cheers
Definitely looks like a roach. If I had to guess which kind, I'd say American, although it's a bit small.
posted by oinopaponton at 2:08 PM on September 2, 2011
posted by oinopaponton at 2:08 PM on September 2, 2011
I also thought it was a roach.
posted by brilliantine at 2:11 PM on September 2, 2011
posted by brilliantine at 2:11 PM on September 2, 2011
Pretty sure that's a roach. (don't click this link to images.)
posted by jabberjaw at 2:14 PM on September 2, 2011
posted by jabberjaw at 2:14 PM on September 2, 2011
Hard to tell w/out a clearer picture, but it does look a dead, dessicated roach.
Now I've got a question for you - are you the Johnny Dee?
posted by ryanshepard at 2:21 PM on September 2, 2011
Now I've got a question for you - are you the Johnny Dee?
posted by ryanshepard at 2:21 PM on September 2, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks every one for your input.
[I'm not the Johnny Dee, but I have linked to that song before in a different forum :)]
posted by dash_slot- at 2:39 PM on September 2, 2011
[I'm not the Johnny Dee, but I have linked to that song before in a different forum :)]
posted by dash_slot- at 2:39 PM on September 2, 2011
Sorry, that does look roachy, with its very flat back and those long antennae. Did you get a good look at it? Were its legs hairy? (Cockroaches' legs are.)
There are two common(ish) pest species of cockroach in the UK, as I understand it: the Oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis, and the German cockroach, Blatella germanica. The German cockroach is the smaller, and your insect looks to be tiny by cockroach standards, so I guess it's more likely to be German (or juvenile, I suppose.)
My insect book says we also have American cockroaches in the UK. I didn't want to know that.
I was told once by a person in the know, and I choose to believe, that they are very rarely found in people's homes in Britain, preferring the steady year-round warmth of institutions. Did you find it in one of the colleges?
Sorry, no photo links other than the photos in the Wikipedia articles, because I do not want nightmares. I'm sure Google Images can help you out.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 2:48 PM on September 2, 2011
There are two common(ish) pest species of cockroach in the UK, as I understand it: the Oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis, and the German cockroach, Blatella germanica. The German cockroach is the smaller, and your insect looks to be tiny by cockroach standards, so I guess it's more likely to be German (or juvenile, I suppose.)
My insect book says we also have American cockroaches in the UK. I didn't want to know that.
I was told once by a person in the know, and I choose to believe, that they are very rarely found in people's homes in Britain, preferring the steady year-round warmth of institutions. Did you find it in one of the colleges?
Sorry, no photo links other than the photos in the Wikipedia articles, because I do not want nightmares. I'm sure Google Images can help you out.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 2:48 PM on September 2, 2011
Definitely a cockroach, most likely American. (I've seen thousands of the bastards in my life, so I'm pretty sure.)
posted by frobozz at 3:07 PM on September 2, 2011
posted by frobozz at 3:07 PM on September 2, 2011
So, is this kind of roach rare in the UK? What do you guys have for roaches?
posted by mulligan at 3:26 PM on September 2, 2011
posted by mulligan at 3:26 PM on September 2, 2011
@mulligan: mostly, we have "no roaches" for roaches, which I find a very satisfactory state of affairs.
I have had woodlice, silverfish, carpet beetles, cat fleas from a previous owner's cat, and some horrifyingly large spiders try to share various houses and flats with me in the UK, but cockroaches I only encountered at university. Which was more than enough, thanks.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 3:39 PM on September 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
I have had woodlice, silverfish, carpet beetles, cat fleas from a previous owner's cat, and some horrifyingly large spiders try to share various houses and flats with me in the UK, but cockroaches I only encountered at university. Which was more than enough, thanks.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 3:39 PM on September 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
That's very small for an American cockroach (Periplaneta americana). Definitely looks like a member of the roach family though.
posted by sevenyearlurk at 3:58 PM on September 2, 2011
posted by sevenyearlurk at 3:58 PM on September 2, 2011
It's a cockroach for sure, size says German if anything like full-grown. Can't rule out young Oriental or American as the picture isn't in focus. All three are quite plausible, even the American in the south of the UK, and especially in central Oxford where there are a high number of transient foreign tourists and visitors plus their luggage.
posted by cromagnon at 4:36 PM on September 2, 2011
posted by cromagnon at 4:36 PM on September 2, 2011
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posted by Jehan at 1:53 PM on September 2, 2011