Scientific Name: Gromphadorhina Portentosa.
Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are shiny brown and oval shaped insects. They are one of the world’s largest cockroaches reaching, two to three inches at maturity. They do not have wings and they have a single pair of antennae. Males have large horns which they use in aggressive encounters.
They live on the island of Madagascar on the forest floor which is full of leaf litter and debris. Cockroaches are more active at night when they venture out to scavenge for food. They primarily eat fallen fruit or plant material.
There are three reasons why these cockroaches hiss: when the males fight for their territory; when mating; and as an alarm to other insects when there is a disturbance. Unlike other insects which rub their body parts together to make a hissing sound, these cockroaches hiss by releasing air from their abdominal spiracles.
When reproducing, the female creates a cocoon like egg case and carries the eggs inside her body. They then bear up to sixty live nymph roaches. Nymphs undergo six molts before reaching the adult stage. Hissing Cockroaches usually live two to five years in the wild.
They have little mites that live on them which help keep them clean. Don’t worry! The mites won’t crawl on humans. They are unable to live because of the oils on our skin.