Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Blattodea
Family: Blattidae
Genus: Periplaneta
Species: Periplaneta americana
Binomial name
Periplaneta
Americana (Linnaeus 1758).
CHARACTERISTICS/HABITAT
American cockroach adults are 1 and
½ inches long (38mm). They are reddish-brown and have a yellowish margin on the
body region behind the head. Immature cockroaches resemble adults except that
they are wingless.
American cockroaches generally like in
moist areas, but can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. They
prefer warm temperatures around 29 degrees Celsius (84Af) and do not tolerate
cold temperatures. In residential areas, these cockroaches live in basements
and sewers and may move outdoors into yards during warm weather. These
cockroaches are common in basements, crawl spaces, cracks and crevices of
porches, foundations, and walkways adjacent to buildings. They feed on a wide
variety of plant and animal material. The American cockroach is a scavenger
that feeds on decaying organic matter and variety of other foods. It is
particularly fond of fermenting foods.