Pest Library

Characteristics

The Florida woods cockroach is also known for its other names, such as Florida stink roach, skunk cockroach, and palmetto bug. They are known for their large size that can range from 1 1/5 to 1 3/5 inch long and up to 1 inch wide. They can be found having a reddish brown hue or they can be entirely black. They do not have hind wings, but have an armor platted skin instead.

Habitat

Like the name suggests, this particular cockroach lives in Florida, but it can also be found in other areas such as in coastal Alabaman, Mississippi, and parts of Georgia.

This cockroach commonly inhabits storage areas, shelter boxes, greenhouses, leaf litter, wood piles, mulch, and so on. It does not normally invade homes because they do not fly and they are slow. But, this cockroach can still be transported and may even create their own small colonies indoors. When they are indoors, they will stay in moist areas, such as on bathrooms and leaky pipes.

Behavior

These cockroaches are slow moving. Their slow movement may be because of their large size or because they do not feel the urgency to move to fast. They also produce a foul-smelling fluid when predators are around. When these roaches are confined in small containers, they can produce this foul-smelling liquid that may eventually kill them afterwards.

Food

This cockroach feeds on dead plants, animal matter, fungi, worms, insects, soil microbes, molds, mosses, and so on. It is disadvantageous for these roaches to stay indoors because of their feeding habits since they may not be able to survive if they do so.

Life Cycle

The Florida cockroach can produce oothecas that contain an average of 20 to 24 eggs inside. This egg case is usually attached to the mother until the time the mother drops it. It takes 48 days for the eggs to hatch. After that, the nymphs will require seven molting for at least 100 to 120 days before they become adults.They may live to up to a year after reachingadulthood.

Other Information and Tips

The Florida cockroach creates a defensive secretion to defend itself from potential predators. They are even known to exhibit control of their secretion and can spray it long distances. When these cockroaches infest an area, their growing musty odor will show them off. Insect sprays may not be as effective as baits and granules because they are normally outdoors. Make sure to protect your home and your premises from them by using baits to control these roaches.

Photo: Florida Woods Cockroach (Eurycotis floridana) by Mike Leffler, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / resized from original