What kind of cockroach is this?
August 16, 2012 1:20 PM   Subscribe

Please help me identify this cockroach species.

I see these little guys with some regularity around Northern California, usually on sidewalks, driveways, or other paved areas, and yesterday one of them was kind enough to hold still for a photo. They look very much like juvenile German cockroaches, but those have two dark stripes down their backs, whereas mine has a third stripe running up the middle, so I'm wondering if it's a different species?

They're about 1/2" long, maybe less. I only see them looking like this, never in their winged adult form, and only outdoors; to the best of my knowledge, none of the buildings I've seen them near have cockroach problems inside.
posted by prize bull octorok to Science & Nature (2 answers total)
 
Best answer: You've found a lovely specimen of a Phyllodromica (Luridiblatta) trivittata. I think it's actually an adult; they have short wings.

You're right, it's not a German cockroach, they're from the Mediterranean. They don't really live in buildings there, so that goes with what you're saying about not finding them indoors.
posted by Specklet at 2:27 PM on August 16, 2012 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: Hey that's it! I'd been wondering about this for a long time but hadn't found this species in any previous Googling attempts. Thanks!
posted by prize bull octorok at 2:56 PM on August 16, 2012


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