Malteser Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Hello everyone! This will be my first post here, if this is the wrong part of the forum, I'm sorry. So I'm not really in the roaches tbh, but this afternoon I saw a big (aprox 2 x 3.5 cm) what I thought was a bug or some kind of moth. I caught it in a jar, and started Googling (and that's how I ended up here). I'm 99% sure it's a Gyna bisannulata / Patchwork Cockroach. I live in Malta which is quite close to Africa, but not close at all to these countries where it is suppose to live http://www.roachcrossing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/gbisannulatamap.png (Malta is the dot between Libya and Italy). So what do guys you think? Have they moved all the way up here or does my neighbour have an escaped pet roache? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanislas Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Interesting! Although I think it's unlikely that it has traveled that far on it's own. Let alone that it managed to cross the desert and the sea. More likely one of you neighbors is the culprit... Do you have a picture of the roach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Probably an escaped pet roach, if it is indeed G.bisannulata. Can you get a picture of the roach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All About Arthropods Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Woah, this would be the craziest thing I've heard of since joining the roach hobby if it were true! But, like the others said, we'd need a pic to confirm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malteser Posted August 5, 2017 Author Share Posted August 5, 2017 Thanks a lot for being so engaging! So, after taking a picture and having a closer look at all the details, I'm not so sure anymore. What do you think? https://cdn-05.minfil.org/X7fdfbc9ba/f89113d0-1501976936/Sk_rmavbild_2017-08-06_kl._01.44.41.png 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 1 hour ago, Malteser said: Thanks a lot for being so engaging! So, after taking a picture and having a closer look at all the details, I'm not so sure anymore. What do you think? https://cdn-05.minfil.org/X7fdfbc9ba/f89113d0-1501976936/Sk_rmavbild_2017-08-06_kl._01.44.41.png That is actually a Polyphaga male, probably Polyphaga aegyptiaca, which fits your range a lot better than any Gyna. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 Yeah, according to this site, they can be found both in Italy and Libya, so you are right in their range really. I even found a few sources saying P.aegyptiaca can be found on the Maltese islands. Nice find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malteser Posted August 6, 2017 Author Share Posted August 6, 2017 Yes, that's the one for sure Thanks a lot! How did you find it? Do you know all the species or? When I was trying to find out I started out searching for "black cockrach" and the patchwork roach came up. It had similar pattern/texture on the wings as the one I found, as well as the white line on the head. Found some more information here as well, which also confirms Malta is their natural habitat http://www.maltawildplants.com/!faunafungi/maltawildlife.php?species=Polyphaga aegyptiaca 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 This particular species is actually common in culture, and I have a colony myself, so that's how I am familiar with this species. Just got lucky lol! They are pretty similar looking species, I can definitely see how one could confuse the two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dactylus Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 On 8/5/2017 at 6:49 PM, Malteser said: Thanks a lot for being so engaging! So, after taking a picture and having a closer look at all the details, I'm not so sure anymore. What do you think? https://cdn-05.minfil.org/X7fdfbc9ba/f89113d0-1501976936/Sk_rmavbild_2017-08-06_kl._01.44.41.png Thanks for the photo! That is a very cool find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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