Australian Cockroach
Periplaneta australasiae
A large outdoor cockroach, despite its name probably not native to Australia. Common in gardens, mulch and around houses in warmer parts of the country.
- Size
- 30–35 mm
- Key marking
- Yellow streaks at wing bases
- Lives
- Gardens, mulch, roof voids
- Native?
- Probably not, despite the name
Questions about the Australian Cockroach
How to identify a Australian Cockroach
Identification
- Adults about 30–35 mm, reddish-brown.
- Bright yellow margin around the shield behind the head.
- Distinctive short yellow streaks at the base of each wing.
Where it lives
- Garden beds, mulch, leaf litter, tree bark and palms.
- Sub-floors, roof voids and glasshouses.
Behaviour
- Moves inside from gardens and roof spaces, particularly during warm, wet weather.
- Feeds on plant material as well as household scraps.
Why it matters
Often seen in homes in Queensland and northern NSW, especially after rain.
Easily confused with the American cockroach; the yellow wing streaks are the easiest tell.
Commonly confused with
American Cockroach
Periplaneta americana
One of the largest household cockroaches in Australia. Lives in drains, sewers and sub-floors and wanders inside on warm nights.
Smokybrown Cockroach
Periplaneta fuliginosa
A large, uniformly dark mahogany-brown cockroach that lives in trees, roof voids and gutters and is a strong flyer attracted to lights.
More questions about cockroaches
All cockroach questions →Other cockroach species
German Cockroach
Blattella germanica
A small, light-brown cockroach that lives and breeds indoors, mostly in kitchens and bathrooms. It reproduces faster than any other household cockroach and is the species most often behind persistent indoor infestations.
Oriental Cockroach
Blatta orientalis
A dark, glossy cockroach that prefers cool, damp places such as drains and basements. Less common in Australian homes than other large species.
Cockroach guides
The Australian Guide to Cockroaches
Everything an Australian household needs to know about cockroaches: which species you are seeing, why they are there, how they get in, the health implications, and how to prevent and manage them.
GuideHow to Pest-Proof Your Home
A practical, room-by-room approach to reducing pests without relying on chemicals: remove what attracts them, close the ways in, and make your property less comfortable for them.
GuideCommon Brisbane Household Pests
A Brisbane-specific overview of the pests residents meet most often, when they are active, and what the subtropical climate, storms, creeks and Queenslander homes mean for pest pressure.
Cockroaches by location
More about cockroaches
Cockroaches
Fast, flat-bodied insects that hide in warm, damp gaps and come out at night to feed. A few introduced species cause most household problems in Australia.
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Sources & further reading
- Australian Museum — insects and spiders — Australian Museum
- Queensland Museum — insects, spiders and animals of Queensland — Queensland Museum
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