Western wood cockroach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parcoblatta americana |
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| Scientific classification | |
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| Phylum: | |
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Ectobiidae
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| Genus: |
Parcoblatta
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| Species: |
P. americana
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| Binomial name | |
| Parcoblatta americana (Scudder, 1900) or
(Scudder, 1901) |
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The Parcoblatta americana, also known as the western wood cockroach, is a type of cockroach found in Mexico and the western parts of the United States. These insects are often found living outdoors.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
Western wood cockroaches can vary a lot in their size and color. This is probably because of the environment they live in, especially how dry it is.
Male Cockroaches
Male western wood cockroaches have full-sized wing covers and wings. This means they can fly! They also have a small tuft of hairs on the back of their middle body section.
Their color can range from a shiny dark brown or black to a pale yellowish or slightly reddish tan. Their wing covers are see-through, and their simple eye spots (called ocelli) are a yellowish tan.
Female Cockroaches
Female western wood cockroaches have very small wing covers that look like little pads on their sides. They do not have hind wings, so they cannot fly.
Their color can be a shiny reddish orange or brown, sometimes darker on their back. They can also be a shiny dark brown or even black. Their simple eye spots are usually tan.
How Big Are They?
In 1917, a scientist named Morgan Hebard measured some of these cockroaches. Here are some average sizes:
| Male | Female | |
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| Body length | 12.0–14.8 mm (0.47–0.58 in) | 8.8–13.3 mm (0.35–0.52 in) |
| Wing cover length | 13.6–15.2 mm (0.54–0.60 in) | 1.4–2.4 mm (0.055–0.094 in) |
As you can see, males are generally longer, especially their wing covers.
Where Do They Live?
You can find western wood cockroaches in Mexico and the western United States. This includes states like Oregon, California, Nevada, and Arizona. They have even been seen in homes in Washington state.
Their Homes and Habits
Both male and female western wood cockroaches have been found living in the nests of harvester ants. They stay in these nests during the day. At night, they come out to eat bits of food and other things that collect around the ant nest.
Young western wood cockroaches, called nymphs, have been found in the homes of pack rats in California. These cockroaches have also been seen eating apples that were high up off the ground.
A study in California's Santa Monica Mountains found that these cockroaches were common but only in certain areas. They lived in different types of environments, including chaparral (a type of shrubland), grasslands, oak forests, and areas with California sagebrush. Adult cockroaches were usually seen in early to mid-summer.
Female cockroaches and nymphs live on the ground. They hide under rocks, inside rotting wood, and in ant nests. Adult males live separately from the females and nymphs. They are often attracted to lights at night and sometimes sit on chaparral plants.
