Broad Wood Cockroach vs Deathwatch Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Broad Wood Cockroach | Deathwatch Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Parcoblatta lata | Xestobium rufovillosum |
| Order | Blattodea | Coleoptera |
| Family | Ectobiidae | Ptinidae |
| Size | 13-18 mm | 5-9 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Southeastern United States | Europe |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Broad Wood Cockroach
A distinctive flat, broadly shaped wood cockroach from the southeastern United States. Females have a wider body than most Parcoblatta species.
Did You Know?
Its unusually broad and flat body shape allows it to squeeze into extremely narrow crevices under bark.
Deathwatch Beetle
A small, mottled brown wood-boring beetle that creates a distinctive tapping sound by banging its head against tunnel walls. Larvae can take years to develop in old timber.
Did You Know?
Its eerie tapping in quiet rooms at night was historically associated with impending death, giving the beetle its macabre common name.