Green Banana Cockroach

Usually, if you find a bright green cockroach it means it has just molted and will shortly, as the air dries its carapace, turn the expected brown. The green banana cockroach (Panchlora nivea), however, is always green as an adult, freshly molted or otherwise. (Nymphs/juveniles are brown.) The “nivea” in its name means “snowy” —…

Australian Cockroach

This juvenile male Australian cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae) is probably one molt shy of being a handsome adult like this one. He’s quite peeved that I’ve caught him in a clear plastic drink cup, so I could get him out of my kitchen and back into the world, where he is one of the many vitally…