Common name : Black cockroach
Scientific name : Platyzosteria novaeseelandiae
Family : Blattidae
Native to : New Zealand
Interesting fact : The black stink roach releases a foul-smelling defensive secretion which acts as a deterrent to nearby predators.
Not more than 20 mm in length, this wingless species of cockroach is found in leaf litter, rotten wood barks and stones. They are nocturnal creatures that lay hidden during the day and are active in the night. Their diet is comprised of decaying plant matter. The female lays eggs in egg cases, which look like kidney beans. Each case contains multiple eggs which, when hatched, are known as ‘nymphs’.
