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Cockroaches and Termites of Zihuatanejo

ORDER BLATTODEA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Cockroaches and Termites (Order Blattodea)

-Typical Cockroachs and Termites (Superfamily Blattoidea)

-Family Pseudophyllodromiidae

-Tribe Supellini

-Genus Supella

-Brown-banded Cockroach (Supella longipalpa)


The brown-banded cockroach, as its name suggests, has two light brown bands across their dark brown bodies. Brown-banded cockroaches are one of the smaller species of cockroach likely to be found in homes and apartments.

Brown-banded Cockroach

Supella longipalpa

Diet

  • Supella longipalpa is an omnivorous scavenger that feeds on a wide variety of organic materials.

  • It readily consumes starchy foods and food residues and can also feed on materials such as starch-based glues, pastes, paper products and fabrics.

Range

  • Supella longipalpa is a nearly cosmopolitan cockroach that is now established in warm regions on most inhabited continents. It is generally considered to have originated in northern Africa and has been widely dispersed through human activity.

  • It occurs throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, including Mexico.

  • The species occurs in the Zihuatanejo region, where the warm climate and abundance of human buildings provide favourable conditions for this largely domestic cockroach.

  • In Zihuatanejo it is most likely to be encountered inside residences, hotels and other buildings rather than in natural vegetation.

Habitat

  • Supella longipalpa is strongly associated with human buildings and is particularly well adapted to warm, relatively dry indoor environments.

  • Unlike cockroach species that concentrate around sinks and other damp areas, it can thrive in bedrooms, living areas, closets, furniture and upper portions of buildings.

  • In Zihuatanejo, the warm climate allows buildings to provide suitable conditions throughout much of the year.

  • Adults and nymphs commonly hide behind picture frames, inside furniture, in cupboards and closets, near electrical fixtures and appliances, and along ceilings or upper walls.

  • Females attach their egg cases to protected surfaces, including furniture and other concealed locations, which can facilitate their movement between buildings.

Description

  • Supella longipalpa is a small cockroach, with adults generally about 10–14 mm long.

  • The body is tan, yellowish brown or light brown, with two characteristic lighter transverse bands across the wings and abdomen.

  • The bands are particularly conspicuous in nymphs and may be partly obscured by the wings in adults.

  • Males are more slender and have wings that extend beyond or approximately to the end of the abdomen, whereas females are broader and have shorter wings that do not completely cover the abdomen.

  • Nymphs are smaller and wingless, with the contrasting banding generally more apparent than in adults.

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