(Australian Cockroach)
This species is slightly smaller than the American with a pronounced yellow margin on the pronotum, P. australasiae is found in similar conditions to that of P. americana. They also like warm, humid environments and are often found in kitchens, restaurants, bakeries and food storage areas. Ideally they prefer to be in warmer areas than P. americana but will survive in slightly cooler areas. It is also common on imported items such as bananas
Adult: 30-35mm long; colour, light brown with ivory-yellow circular band enclosing large, distinct, bilobed black spot; yellow submarginal stripe at base of forewings. life span : 4-6 months, lives in drier places like inside cupboards, storerooms
Nymphs: The nymphs of all species are similar in appearance to the adult but smaller. Immediately after hatching or moulting the nymphs are white, but the cuticle soon darkens to the normal colour. The nymphs take nearly 1 year to develop to adulthood. Like other large cockroaches, they will readily feed on book covers and paper products. Nymphs are brightly marked with distinct splotches of yellow on the dorsal side of the thorax and abdomen.
Nymphs emerging from an oothecae
P. australasiae is very similar in appearance to P. americana except for a lateral pale yellow stripe on the each of the forewings which is about a third of the length of the wings and of course the yellow margin around the pronotum. They are also slightly smaller, 27 - 33 mm long. They prefer temperatures which are warm, 30oC (86 F).
The female lays an ootheca about 10 - 11 mm long which contains about 22 - 24 eggs in two rows of 11 or 12 which take about 40 days to hatch, but only 60 percent of this number usually hatch. Once hatched (see above) the nymphs moult 6 - 12 times depending on food, temperature and humidity. Females produce ootheca 20 days after maturation; produces 20-30 ootheca at 10 day intervals
