Harlequin cockroach
The harlequin cockroach wears a bold black and yellow pattern, like a jester's costume. It cannot fly at all, because its wings are just two tiny flaps. Some people even keep it as a pet because it looks so striking.
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Fun facts
When it is scared, it gives off a strong smell that some people say is like almonds, cherries, pears or bananas.
Ships and trade carried it to warm places all around the world.
Females are usually bigger and chunkier than males.
Nobody knows for sure where it first came from, but it was probably tropical Asia.
Most asked questions about Harlequin cockroach
?Can the harlequin cockroach fly?
No. Both males and females have only tiny wing flaps and cannot fly.
?How big is a harlequin cockroach?
About 20 to 27 millimetres long, about as long as a grape is wide twice over.
?Do harlequin cockroaches smell?
When they feel in danger, they make a fruity or almond-like smell to put off enemies.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Neostylopyga rhombifolia
- Group
- Cockroaches and termites
- Family
- Blattidae
- Classification
- Insecta > Blattodea > Blattidae
- Lives on
- Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Oceania
- Also known as
- Harlequin roach
Where the facts come from
- Neostylopyga rhombifolia (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by Carla.antonini. CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. The round sticker of this bug is cut from the same picture.
If we got something wrong, sorry, we are bug fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
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