German Cockroach vs Woodlouse Cockroach

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute German Cockroach Woodlouse Cockroach
Scientific Name Blattella germanica Prosoplecta semperi
Order Blattodea Blattodea
Family Ectobiidae Ectobiidae
Size 13-16 mm 5-8mm
Habitat Indoors Forests
Diet Omnivores Predators
Regions Worldwide Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

German Cockroach

The most common indoor cockroach worldwide. A single pair can produce over 300,000 offspring in one year. Has developed resistance to many common insecticides.

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Did You Know?

German cockroaches evolved to hate glucose — populations in certain areas developed an aversion to sweet-tasting baits, causing them to avoid poisoned traps entirely.

Woodlouse Cockroach

A tiny rounded cockroach that strongly resembles a ladybird beetle with its domed shape and red-orange coloring with black spots. It is a harmless forest floor species. Its mimicry deters predators.

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Did You Know?

It so closely resembles a ladybird that even entomologists can be fooled until they look at it under magnification.