Central American Giant Cave Cockroach/Brazilian Giant Cockroach/Caribbean Giant Cockroach/Trinidad Cave Cockroach

ANIMAL:
Central American Giant Cave Cockroach/Brazilian Giant Cockroach/Caribbean Giant Cockroach/Trinidad Cave Cockroach Blaberus giganteus

Type of Animal:
Cockroach

Habitat:
Forests, humid damp caves, tree hollows, moist humid rock cracks, rock crevices, damp spaces under loose tree bark, dark damp houses, humid moist poorly ventilated decomposing logs,

Location(s):
Mexico, Central America, N South America, & Caribbean

Appearance:
Lightly built w/ flattened tan to brown black-marked body, black head, very large cockroach, nymphs scalier/darker than adults, only adults have wings

Food/Diet:
Decaying plant matter, guano, fruit, seeds, carrion, sweets, meat, starch, greens, vegetables, rotting wood

Status in Wild:
Stable

Conservation:
Not applicable

Lifestyle:
Colonies range from 12-500 cockroaches

Additional Info:

Called:
Male
Female
Young: Nymph
Group: Colony

Weight:
Male: 0.3 oz
Female: 0.9 oz

Gestation:
2 months 

Life Span:
20-24 months

Width:
Male: 0.5 in
Female: 1-1.5 in

Body Length:
Male: 3 in
Female: 3.5-4 in

Main predators are mammals, birds, amphibians, lizards, turtles, arachnids, ants, parasitic wasps, & large beetles.
 
Play important role as decomposers/scavengers.
 
Active at night (nocturnal).
 
Nymphs undergo 7-8 molts before maturity at 7-8 months old, adults never molt.
 
Though they have wings, they seldom fly. Males fly more than females & even spread wings to attract females.
 
Prior to mating, females emit explosive sex pheromones, initiating long courtship ritual in which male raises wings at right angle to abdomen, then trembling his abdomen. Pair then joins in end-to-end position for several hours.
 
When mating complete, female pregnant for life, usually dying after nymphs born. Female retains eggs in compartmentalized case (ootheca). Just before hatching, she expels ootheca, allowing nymphs to crawl out of eggs. Ootheca is 1st meal these roaches have.
 
Males live longer than females.
 
Nymphs stay under loose substrate until maturity.
 
Besides 4 main names, also called Brazilian Cockroach & Trinidad Giant Cockroach.
 
Often found among bat colonies, due to love of bat guano.
 
Flat bodies allow them to squeeze into tight spaces.
 
For “seeing” & feeling, they use leg bristles/antennae.

Fun Fact(s):
They’re very common lab animals.
 
Like all insects, they don’t have lungs, instead taking air in through spiracles.
 
Sometimes kept as pets.
 
Like other roaches, best defense is to hide/run, but they’ll emit foul smell if those don’t work.