DonaldJ Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Total n00b here... Captured this fine specimen this past July, and based upon size and nearly black color (topside), I determined she's one of our favorite pests, Blatta Orientalis. I say "she" because a few weeks after capture she dropped an ootheca. A week later another one, and kept dropping them every week or so until there was a total of six. Sadly, she expired shortly thereafter. There have been two hatchings thus far, with fewer surviving nymphs than expected. Rookie mistakes were made and drownings were frequent. Now that the mistakes have been corrected and habitats improved, their behavior will be studied. They are neither feeders nor pets. I want to keep them well nourished in a healthy environment and observe what they do. There is a lot of contradictory information online and I want to verify the facts for myself. Many hours were spent searching online for useful information, and it wasn't until I searched for "behavior blatta orientalis" that I discovered this fine forum. The only conclusion I can make at this time is "don't eat the brown Tic-Tac." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allpet Roaches Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Welcome! That's an uncommon species to begin one's journey of blattodean fascination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Hi! Blatta orientalis are one of my favorite looking "pest" roaches! Even though they are marked as pests, they can't really infest your home, they prefer very moist areas around human dwellings, like the sewers. They are like the american roaches, they don't breed in your house but they will wander inside looking for food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldJ Posted November 29, 2015 Author Share Posted November 29, 2015 Welcome! That's an uncommon species to begin one's journey of blattodean fascination. This is not something I had anticipated. The roach was a surprising discovery in my kitchen (2nd floor apartment) considering it's preferred habitat. It may have hitched a ride in the shipping material of recently installed windows, or it was a gift from the heavens. I suspect the latter. Anyhow, it's a harmless basic Big Black Bug and I decided to give it a good home. Returning it to the wild would have been a certain death sentence, what with birds, spiders, pesticides,etc. Given the social nature of these critters she was probably lonely, but her offspring seem to be having a good time. Only time will tell where this journey takes me. Thanks for the welcome... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldJ Posted November 29, 2015 Author Share Posted November 29, 2015 Hi! Blatta orientalis are one of my favorite looking "pest" roaches! Even though they are marked as pests, they can't really infest your home, they prefer very moist areas around human dwellings, like the sewers. They are like the american roaches, they don't breed in your house but they will wander inside looking for food. It's a fine looking bug...very basic. I like the fact that they're reasonably slow to mature and not as fecund as many other species. It would take years to develop a sustainable feeder colony, at which time I would have to find something to eat them, which would be bothersome. I've read that they're not supposed to be good climbers, but the nymphs I have are always climbing to the highest point of their habitat. Intriguing little critters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmonsaladsandwich Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 They're not good climbers in that they have trouble gripping smooth surfaces like glass. Doesn't mean they don't like to climb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldJ Posted December 2, 2015 Author Share Posted December 2, 2015 They're not good climbers in that they have trouble gripping smooth surfaces like glass. Doesn't mean they don't like to climb. Oh, these little guys really like to climb. They seek out the tallest structure in the habitat and play "king of the hill," with antennae flailing wildly. Some kind of dominance thing going on; very entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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