There are more than 4600 species of cockroaches in the world, and very few of them will infest our houses. Most species of roaches, including palmetto bugs, will live outdoors and do not infest homes due to the particular habitat of these bugs.
Megaloblatta Longipennis is a dark brown to black roach with a flat oval body that measures between 3.5 to 4 inches in length and about 1.75 inches in width. It has two sets of flight-capable wings with a span of 8 inches. Megaloblatta longipennis live outdoors and is mainly found in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and other similar habitats.
Infestation with roaches is a big problem in the US. Small roaches are the usual culprits in the majority of cases. On the other hand, big roaches including, Megaloblatta longipennis, do not infest home and loves to live in the wild.
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Megaloblatta Longipennis, Characteristic & Identification
The Megaloblatta Longipennis belongs to the family Ectobiidae. Interestingly, The family Ectobiidae contain some of the most common roaches, including the German cockroach and the Wood Cockroach. However, identifying a Megaloblatta longipennis is not difficult at all.
Appearance
Megaloblatta longipennis is a dark brown to matt black roach with a rough and flat oval body. It has two antennas and three pairs of thick and short spikey legs. The head resembles a flat disc.
Size
Megaloblatta longipennis measures between 3.5 to 4 inches in length and 1.75 inches in width. Although the longest ever was reported to be 4.5 inches.
Wings
Megaloblatta longipennis has two sets of long overlapping wings more extensive than the body. Moreover, unlike other roaches, they have rough wings with impressions like a fingerprint. The wings have a span of up to 8 inches, making it a flight-capable roach.
Bite
Megaloblatta longipennis has never been reported to bite a human.
Identification Points
The physical appearance of megaloblatta Longipennis makes it unique among roaches; therefore, identifying it is not a difficult task. However following features will help identification easy,
- A small body with very large wings.
- Wings are rough with impression resembling a fingerprint.
- Low mass to size ratio.
- Head resembling a circular disc.
Habitat and Distribution
Megaloblatta Longipennis never infest homes. They prefer to live in the wild and feed on rotten plant leaves and herbs. However, in some countries like Peru, they often visit a green backyard.
Megaloblatta Longipennis are usually found in South American countries with tropical and subtropical climates like Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. Certain areas of Texas that border with Mexico are also known to have Megaloblatta Longipennis.
Life Cycle of Megaloblatta Longipennis
Megaloblatta have a life span of 2 years from the egg stage till their death. However, the female megaloblatta have a little longer life than the males by up to 3 months.
Once the female mate, she usually starts laying eggs after 28 days. Eggs are covered in a capsule called ootheca. Each ootheca from the megaloblatta contains approximately 15 individual eggs.
The eggs hatch after 45 days, and the roach reaches adult life, with the next eight months undergoing a series of 6 moltings before transforming into adults. (Reference)
Defense Mechanism of Megaloblatta
The primary defense mechanism of Megaloblatta is stridulation. It’s a prevalent defense mechanism used by many insects. In stridulation, the Megaloblatta will flap its wings at a very high frequency to create a robust vibrating sound to keep the prey away.
The stridulating insects are less likely to be preyed upon than insects unable to stridulate.
Additional Read!
