Megaloblatta is a genus of cockroaches in the family Ectobiidae. It includes the largest living species of cockroach, Megaloblatta longipennis, which can grow to 11.4 centimetres (4.5 in) in length and have a wingspan of up to 22 centimetres (8.7 in).
The largest cockroach fossil ever found contains a 3.5 inch and now extinct roach species that crawled the earth around 55 million years before the dinosaurs came into existence. This puts this species as existing during the Carboniferous period 300 million years ago.
The giant burrowing cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) is also known as the rhinoceros cockroach, and Queensland giant cockroach. These cockroaches are native to Australia and mostly found in tropical and subtropical parts of Queensland.
Oriental cockroaches are considered dangerous.
The australian cockroach is brown with a yellow line around its head and is often confused with the american cockroach. However, this australian cockroach is smaller with a body length between 23-35 mm long.
Final thoughts. Cockroaches are one of the most common insects around Australia, and in extremely rare circumstances they are known to bite humans.
Cockroach Poison – Are cockroaches in Australia dangerous? Cockroaches are not poisonous, however, they do carry and transmit disease. Cockroaches can emerge from places such as sewers and drains, compost and rubbish bins.
The World Health Organization also advises against crushing them, for reasons of hygiene. According to the body, which classes cockroaches as “unhygienic scavengers in human settlements”, squashing them can spread bacteria into the environment that can lead to asthma, allergies and illnesses.
Roaches are typically not aggressive pests and tend to flee rather than fight when faced with a predator. There have been rare instances, however, where roach bites did occur, most often when humans were sleeping or pets were too weak or debilitated to brush them off.
Cockroaches are not likely to bite living humans, except perhaps in cases of extreme infestations where cockroach population are large, especially when food becomes limited. In most situations, cockroaches would not bite humans if there are other food sources such as in garbage cans or exposed food.
Although many adult cockroaches have wings, most species do not fly. Adult American and Australian cockroaches will fly, but only in warmer weather.
Australian cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae)
Females produce up to 20 egg cases, each containing up to 24 eggs. Development takes 6-12 months and adults live for 4-8 months.
Australian cockroaches can carry Salmonella and other germs. You certainly do not want these insects to love your cooking and to colonize your home. They can also damage plants when cool temperatures force them into a confined space such as a nursery.
The largest cockroach farm is near Xichang, Sichuan, southwestern China, where it breeds six billion cockroaches a year.
American cockroaches can grow to be 1.5-2 inches long, or about the size of a cucumber slice. Giant burrowing cockroaches are around 3.5 inches long, or the size of an avocado.
Waterbugs are Bigger.
Waterbugs are bigger—sometimes much bigger than domestic cockroaches. The American cockroach/waterbug for example, can grow over two inches long. While the tiny German cockroach (a domestic roach) rarely grows larger than the surface of a penny.
If you touch a cockroach, you risk becoming infected with some serious diseases, including bacteria that cause dysentery. According to the World Health Organization, cockroaches commonly transmit these diseases to humans: Salmonellosis.
Cockroaches in food can cause second-hand poisoning
If you consume this poison second-hand through a cockroach, you could be in danger. The more so if you consume the entire pest by accident. Keep an eye out for poisoning symptoms such as dizziness, confusion, lack of concentration, and stomach pain.
Most roaches will be killed by vacuuming, but it's a good idea to change the vac- uum cleaner bag often and dispose of it in a double garbage bag. KEEP THEM OUT. Place screens (insect mesh) in windows. Vacuum (or sweep), then sponge mop kitchen floor every week.
Does Killing a Cockroach Attract More? Yes, killing a cockroach can attract more to the area! There is an acid released by cockroaches when they die that can be smelled from a distance and attracts more of them to the area.
But it seems that stepping on a cockroach isn't as harmless as one might think. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that crushing a cockroach releases a harmful bacterium into the environment. The bacteria can cause asthma attacks, as well as allergies when inhaled.
The Australian Cockroach is one of the larger types of cockroaches. It is very dark brown and has yellow markings on the pronotum & forewings. Because this cockroach prefers to eat plants, you will often find them in greenhouses and under bark and leaves in gardens.
There are around 4,000 species of cockroaches worldwide and about 450 species in Australia, but very few are pests. The three main types of cockroaches commonly found in homes and businesses in Australia include the German cockroach, Australian cockroach and American cockroach.
The German cockroach is considered to be the worst species of cockroach for many reasons. Their long, dark antenna and light brown to tan coloration make them difficult to spot scuttling around in dark, cluttered areas of a home.