July, 2007

Pale-bordered Field Cockroach

Here in the South, we have no dearth of cockroaches. However, many people are unaware that there are quite a number of different species and not all are household pests. The pale-bordered field cockroach (Pseudomops septentrionalis) rarely enters homes and does so only unintentionally, usually attracted to lights. This strikingly-marked insect is a mere 3/4 of an inch long, making it rather small by roach standards. It is quite common in gardens and fields in our area and is active during the day, rather than nocturnal, like our more maligned cockroach species. It flies frequently, and can often be found crawling about on plants as it searches for food. As with most roaches, it is a scavenger and so performs an important role of cleaning up dead organisms, waste materials, and other debris.