Surinam cockroach - Pycnoscelus surinamensis

Family Blaberidae

This page contains pictures and information about the Surinam Cockroaches that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.

We sometimes find this dark brown cockroach wandering on grass during day time and night time. They are active at night. They are uniformly mahogany brown to dark brown without any pattern. They could be abundant outdoors in tree holes and wood logs. They prefers moist, dark and warm area.



Surinam Cockroach is the only cockroach known to reproduce parthenogentically, i.e., females produce females without the males.

If we check under rocks in the garden where the adults are found then the nymphs are usually there as well, particularly if we rake thru' the soil and look for shiny shapes.

The nymphs are burrowers and are shiny black with the last few abdominal segments matt. They also have almost hidden cerci.

This is an introduced species.