Death's Head Cockroach vs Turkestan Cockroach
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Death's Head Cockroach | Turkestan Cockroach |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Blaberus craniifer | Shelfordella lateralis |
| Order | Blattodea | Blattodea |
| Family | Blaberidae | Blattidae |
| Size | 50-75mm | 20-30 mm |
| Habitat | Caves | Underground |
| Diet | Fruit Feeders | Omnivores |
| Regions | Central America, South America | Asia, North America, Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Death's Head Cockroach
A large cockroach with a distinctive skull-like marking on its pronotum. It is a popular feeder insect and pet species. When disturbed it can produce a loud hissing sound by expelling air.
Did You Know?
The dark marking on its thorax closely resembles a human skull or vampire face, inspiring its morbid common name.
Turkestan Cockroach
A medium-sized cockroach originally from Central Asia that is rapidly displacing the oriental cockroach in many urban areas. Males are slender with tan wings while females are dark and wingless.
Did You Know?
The Turkestan cockroach has become the most common outdoor cockroach in the southwestern United States, having largely outcompeted the oriental cockroach in just a few decades.