Cockroaches and Termites

Order Blattodea

The Cockroaches and Termites (Order Blattodea) includes 160 species across 12 families and 53 genera in our directory.

About Cockroaches and Termites

Blattodea includes ~4,600 cockroach species and ~3,000 termite species. Only about 30 cockroach species are associated with human habitats - less than 1% of all species.

Economic Impact

Termites cause $5-30 billion in damage to structures in the U.S. annually. They damage approximately 600,000 American homes each year, with average repair costs of $3,000-$17,000. A subterranean termite colony can consume one pound of wood per day.

Ecological Role

Termites contribute ~40% of soil arthropod biomass globally, far exceeding ants at ~10%. Cockroaches are ancient insects dating back 320 million years and are critical decomposers in tropical forest ecosystems, recycling leaf litter and dead wood.

Families in Blattodea (12)

Species in Blattodea (160)

Arenivaga tonkawa

Corydiidae

Arenivaga tonkawa, the tonkawa sand cockroach, is a species of cockroach in the family Corydiidae. It is found in Central America and North America.

Australian Cockroach

Validiblatta australasiae

Blattidae

Identification: Adult has pronotum outlined in yellow with black/brown center marking ("sideways 8"). Differs from other Periplaneta spp. in having a yellow vitta along basal outside edge of forewing: Immatures are considerably more ornate than in ot

Boll's Sandroach

Arenivaga bolliana

Corydiidae

Arenivaga bolliana, known generally as the "Boll's sand cockroach", is a species of cockroaches in the family Corydiidae. It is found in North America.

Brown Cockroach

Validiblatta brunnea

Blattidae

Identification: dark brown to reddish brown, with pale brown markings on the pronotum; wings cover the tip of the abdomen in both sexes; closely resembles P. americana , distinguished by the short supraanal plate (epiproct) and short, blunt cerci on

Calcaritermes nearcticus

Kalotermitidae

Identification: As with most Calcaritermes species, workers, presoldiers and some nymphs and soldiers can be differentiated from a small “rasp” near the end of the pronotum. Soldiers may be differentiated from sympatric Cryptotermes species due to th

Coastal Florida Dampwood Termite

Neotermes jouteli

Kalotermitidae

Neotermes jouteli is a species of Neotropical termite in the family Kalotermitidae which is native to South Florida and surrounding West Indian nations. N. jouteli is the largest species of termite in Florida with soldiers reaching a maximum length o

Cryptocercus clevelandi

Cryptocercidae

Cryptocercus clevelandi is a species of cockroach in the family Cryptocercidae. It is found in North America.

Death's Head Cockroach

Blaberus craniifer

Blaberidae

Identification: The largest cockroach in North America. Adult: Very large. Tegmina black, occasionally with brown markings near the center. Pronotum spot with distinctive "death's head" face. Nymph: Difficult to distinguish from other Blaberus when y

Desert Wood Cockroach

Parcoblatta desertae

Ectobiidae

Parcoblatta desertae, the desert wood cockroach or desert cockroach, is a species of Parcoblatta endemic to the United States state of Texas.

Dusky Cockroach

Ectobius lapponicus

Ectobiidae

earliest record in our area: NH 1984 (Chandler 1985)

Eastern Subterranean Termite

Reticulitermes flavipes

Heterotermitidae

Reticulitermes flavipes, the eastern subterranean termite is the most common termite found in North America. These termites are the most economically important wood destroying insects in the United States and are classified as pests. They feed on cel

Florida Beetle Cockroach

Plectoptera poeyi

Ectobiidae

Plectoptera poeyi, known generally as the Florida beetle roach or Florida beetle cockroach, is a species of cockroach in the family Ectobiidae. It is found in the Caribbean and North America.

Florida Woods Cockroach

Eurycotis floridana

Blattidae

Identification: Large, red-brown to almost black, broader than most roaches, often with yellow markings along the edge of the thorax. Adults do not have functional wings. see the family page to compare with similar species. Adults are recognized by

Forest Cockroach

Ectobius sylvestris

Ectobiidae

Ectobius sylvestris, known generally as the forest cockroach or lesser cockroach, is a species of cockroach in the family Ectobiidae. It is found in Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China) and North America.

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Incisitermes schwarzi

Kalotermitidae

Identification: Alates are among the largest in Florida, in similar size with Neotermes . They differ from the placement of the median veins, which is closer to the radial in Neotermes and midway between the radial and cubitus for I. schwarzi . The f

Luridiblatta trivittata

Ectobiidae

Identification: Adults are small and possibly flightless, female wings highly reduced, male wings are somewhat short and do not cover abdomen. Females are often found carrying oothecae, (egg cases) as demonstrated by this individual: Known from dry h

Pale Bordered Field Cockroach

Pseudomops septentrionalis

Ectobiidae

Not attracted to lights . This is not true. They frequently come to lights. [Kyhl Austin]

Plectoptera picta

Ectobiidae

The tegmina barely overlap, presenting more the appearance of beetle elytra than dictyopteroid tegmina. The resemblance is so close that the collector (a coleopterist) of the most recently collected specimen presumed that he had collected a small hyd

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Pterotermes occidentis

Kalotermitidae

Identification: See: Kalotermitidae Largest Kalotermid of its region. Alates posses large circular black eyes, the ocelli are white, prominent and raised, right above eye. Compared to other Kalotermids of the region, the pronotum is more or less flat

Smoky Brown Cockroach

Validiblatta fuliginosa

Blattidae

Identification: has no pattern on pronotum. Late instars can be very difficult to differentiate from Blatta orientalis , particularly older specimens that have developed a dark brown hue rather than the typical pure black coloration. Ootheca dark bro

Spotted Mediterranean Cockroach

Ectobius pallidus

Ectobiidae

Identification: Both sexes fully winged. Pronotal disc pale yellowish brown with margin transparent, marked with reddish brown spots. Male dorsal abdominal glandular depression oval, slightly transverse, hind margin not reaching middle of tergite 7 e

Surinam Cockroach

Pycnoscelus surinamensis

Blaberidae

Identification: Adults with pale leading edge on the dark brown to black pronotum. Wings olive-green to brown, entirely cover the abdomen, (except on particularly well fed or very gravid individuals): Nymphs typically dark brown in coloration and hav

Tenuirostritermes cinereus

Termitidae

Tenuirostritermes cinereus is a species of termite in the family Termitidae. It is found in Central America and North America.

Uhler's Wood Cockroach

Parcoblatta uhleriana

Ectobiidae

Parcoblatta uhleriana, the Uhler's wood cockroach, is a species of Parcoblatta native to the United States and Canada. It is a forest species also found in disturbed and urban environments. The male of the species flies freely, while the female does

Western Drywood Termite

Incisitermes minor

Kalotermitidae

Incisitermes minor is a species of termite in the family Kalotermitidae known commonly as the western drywood termite. It is native to western North America, including the western United States and northern Mexico. It has been found in many other par