COMMON NAME: SCIENTIFIC NAME: CLASS/ORDER/FAMILY: METAMORPHOSIS:

Pennsylvania wood cockroach Parcoblatta pensylvanica (DeGeer) Insecta/Blattodea/Blattellidae Simple

INTRODUCTION. The Pennsylvania wood cockroach is found in the southern states and northward through the midwestern and northeastern states and into Canada.  It is apparently a native species.

RECOGNITION. Adult males about 7/8-1 1/8in (22-30 mm) long whereas, adult females about 1/2-3/4in 13-20 mm) long.  Color chestnut brown with pronotal shield and forewings edged in white.  Male fully winged and a good flier whereas, females wings reduced, covering only about half the abdomen, and functionless for flight.

     Nymphal instars light reddish brown to reddish brown; cerci slender and short, at most barely visible dorsally.

     Ootheca or egg capsule yellowish brown; length about 1/2in (11-13 mm), with length more than 3 times width; subdivisional furrows extending entire width; strongly bowed or arched; and with about 16-18 eggs on each side.

HABITS. The Pennsylvania wood cockroach is an outdoor species which can only rarely survive indoors.  Outdoors they are usually found under the loose bark of dead trees, in treeholes, and in woodpiles.  However, they have been found under cedar-shake shingles and siding, and in gutters.

     Both sexes can be or are typically brought in with firewood.  Males are good fliers and are attracted to light, so they often enter at night via cracks and crevices through which light penetrates to the outside.  If not brought in, females must crawl in because they have functionless wings.  This species rarely breeds or survives indoors.  Inside, males are usually inactive during the day unless distrubed, but fly about light at night.

     They are reported to prefer sweets as food.

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