Brown Cockroach vs Japanese Whirligig Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Brown Cockroach Japanese Whirligig Beetle
Scientific Name Periplaneta brunnea Gyrinus japonicus
Order Blattodea Coleoptera
Family Blattidae Gyrinidae
Size 25-35 mm 5-8 mm
Habitat Underground Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Pantropical, southeastern United States Japan, Korea, China
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Brown Cockroach

A glossy reddish-brown cockroach often confused with the American cockroach. It is slightly smaller with a more uniform color.

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Did You Know?

It glues its egg cases to surfaces rather than dropping them, unlike the American cockroach.

Japanese Whirligig Beetle

A common whirligig beetle in East Asia found on still and slow-flowing water surfaces. It forms large social groups especially in autumn.

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Did You Know?

It uses the Marangoni effect, exploiting surface tension gradients to propel itself rapidly across water.