Orange-Spotted Cockroach, Blaptica dubia

This is also a cockroach species that appears to bear “live young” – the females retain the eggs inside their body until they hatch. The resulting nymphs reach adult size (2 inches) in 3 – 4 months, at which time they moult into a sexual adult with wings. This kind of development is referred to as incomplete metamorphosis, with nymphs very similar appearance to adults except for lacking wings.

Their name comes from the lovely orange colouring they achieve at adulthood. Nymphs are a deep red colour, and adult Orange Headed Roaches are beautifully marked with a splash of orange on the pronotum (top of the head). They are considered to be one of the most beautiful of the roach species.

They are closely related to the cockroaches living in the Carboniferous coal forests 200 million years ago.

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