Desert wood cockroach facts for kids

The Parcoblatta desertae, also known as the desert wood cockroach or desert cockroach, is a type of cockroach. It lives only in the state of Texas in the United States.

About the Desert Wood Cockroach

What They Look Like

Male desert wood cockroaches have full-sized outer wings and inner wings that work well for flying. Their outer wings are called tegmina. Female desert wood cockroaches have much shorter outer wings that only reach partway down their body. Their inner wings are very small and don't work for flying.

Males are usually a dull, light yellowish-brown color. Their eyes are dark brown. Their outer wings are a bit see-through and yellowish-brown. Their inner wings look clear like glass.

Female cockroaches can have different colors. Some are a dull yellowish-orange on their head, the plate behind their head (called the pronotum), and the underside of their body. Their outer wings are also a dull yellowish color. Other females are more brightly colored. Their head and the plates on their back can be a reddish-brown color. Their body might be shiny blackish-brown. Their outer wings are mostly a see-through reddish-brown.

How Big Are They?

Scientists measured several desert wood cockroaches to find out their average size.

• Males are about 11 to 14 millimeters long (about 0.4 to 0.5 inches).
• Females are a bit smaller, about 9.5 to 11.6 millimeters long (about 0.3 to 0.4 inches).
• The outer wings of males are much longer than those of females. Male outer wings are about 11 to 14.5 millimeters long. Female outer wings are only about 3 to 3.5 millimeters long.

How to Tell Them Apart

It can be tricky to tell different types of cockroaches apart, but scientists look for specific features.

For male desert wood cockroaches, their back is smooth and doesn't have any special bumps or grooves. This is a feature they share with only one other type of Parcoblatta cockroach, called Parcoblatta bolliana. You can tell them apart because P. desertae males have a pale head. They also have clear grooves on the plate behind their head. The space between their large compound eyes is much wider than the space between their smaller simple eyes. In contrast, P. bolliana males have a dark head and very clear grooves on their pronotum. The space between their compound eyes is not wider than the space between their simple eyes.

For female desert wood cockroaches, they look most similar to Parcoblatta uhleriana females. Both types of females have wings, but their outer wings are very short. You can tell P. desertae females apart because they are usually pale-colored. Their outer wings are long and somewhat triangular. The edges of a plate at the end of their body form a wide, weak triangle. P. uhleriana females are reddish-brown to very dark. Their outer wings are more rounded and triangular. The edges of the plate at the end of their body curve inward slightly.

Where They Live

The desert wood cockroach is found only in the state of Texas in the United States. They live in the central, south-central, and western parts of Texas.

Scientists have found these cockroaches in several places, including the Chisos Mountains and Shovel Mountain. They have also been found near the Nueces River and in towns like Fort Davis and Sabinal.

These cockroaches live in desert and semi-desert areas, especially in mountains. They have been found on the ground in dry creek beds, often in areas with scrub, pine, and juniper trees. They are rarely seen on the open desert floor. One cockroach was found under a large rock in the desert. Hiding under rocks is a common way for desert animals to stay safe from the hot sun and extreme weather.