Stats

Lifespan

1-2 yrs

Size

Large

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Nocturnal

Social

Gregarious

Biome

Tropical forest

Range

Africa

Movement

Running

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Speed

Status

Common

About

A large, fast-running insect that thrives in warm, damp corners of human buildings. Despite its name, it likely originated in tropical Africa and spread worldwide aboard sailing ships.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Blattodea

Family

Blattidae

Genus

Periplaneta

Species

Periplaneta americana