# MASSIVE roach on Jeff Corwin!!!



## Aarantula (Jan 8, 2008)

I was watching Jeff Corwin on TV the other day and saw this MASSIVE roach that he found in a tree. He said it's the largest species in the world... was tan looking with black dots on it I think. I'm not sure of the name of it but I think it was blaburus gigas... or something? I have no idea when it comes to roach's but I just thought I'd mention it to you roach lovers out there!  

Anyone else see it???


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## maxident213 (Jan 8, 2008)

I haven't seen the show but it was probably _Blaberus giganteus_.  A fine roach, I keep about thirty of them in a big tank with my AGB millipedes. 

Freshly-molted _B. giganteus_ hanging out with millipede:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=6261
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=6262


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## Widowman10 (Jan 8, 2008)

maxident213 said:


> A fine roach, I keep about thirty of them in a big tank with my AGB millipedes.


i'm more of a spider guy, so pardon me for asking a possibly dumb question, but why do you keep roaches with millis?


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## maxident213 (Jan 8, 2008)

Widowman10 said:


> i'm more of a spider guy, so pardon me for asking a possibly dumb question, but why do you keep roaches with millis?


It just makes a nice display tank IMO, the two species have very similar care requirements and everyone seems to get along fine.  Some people are against mixed-species tanks but I haven't had any problems.  It's pretty cool to see a giant roach sitting next to a giant millipede, chowing down on some veggies.


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## Aarantula (Jan 8, 2008)

Oh no I must have the name wrong then... the roach he got was in (I think) Brazil and was MASSIVE!!! I swear to god it had to be at least 6-7" long and was able to fly! It kept flying around and he had to keep re-catching it! It really was remarkable and I'm super curious about the species. I'll do some hunting around online and see if I can find out what it was... :?


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## Xaranx (Jan 9, 2008)

I remember seeing this episode, don't remember the name of the roach, but I remember him pretending to eat it.


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## Widowman10 (Jan 9, 2008)

thank you maxident!


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## KyuZo (Jan 9, 2008)

Aarantula said:


> I'll do some hunting around online and see if I can find out what it was... :?


If you find out exactly what it is, please let us know, because you got me super curious too .


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## rosenkrieger (Jan 9, 2008)

Sounds like B. Giganteus to me. They come from south america, if i remember correctly, the males can fly, and they get up to 4"


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## squamata99 (Jan 9, 2008)

If it is the episode where he pretends to eat it, it was a Blaberus giganteus. Was around 4" long.


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## Matt K (Jan 9, 2008)

*Giant roaches:*

I hate to be a party pooper (not).... but here are some facts and observations:

1. The largest roach in the world lives in China and gets to not quite 5 inches long.

2. The second largest roach in the world (lengthwise) is _Megaloblatta longipinnis _at 4.25 to 4.5 inches long.  This roach lives in South America and was not the roach Mr Corwin saw.  More likely was _Megaloblatta blaberoides_ at just over 4 inches long.  It also could have been _Archimandrita tesselata_ which is very common in the area and can get 3 inches or so and looks just as huge.

3. _Blaberus giganteus_ top out at 3 1/4 to 3 and a third inches long IF you have a huge female. Three and a half would be a fluke but possible. Males are somewhat smaller.  This species has never been known to reach 4 inches, though they do look big....

4. No living roach has ever been known to reach 6 or 7 inches long in human history, though there is a fossil that was found that I recall was over 7 inches long....

5.  Please bear in mind that Jeff Corwins' knowledge ofthe animal kingdom is limited to what field experts tell him before he goes on camera.  To work on television you have to have a certain flair for the dramatic... the roach previously known as the worlds largest is chestnut brown.  The tannish with spots would be the Archimandrita sp., and Blaberus giganteus are normally not found on a tree, but inside caves, hollow tree trunks, or large crevices and do not have spots (just one).


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## Stylopidae (Jan 10, 2008)

Matt K said:


> I hate to be a party pooper (not).... but here are some facts and observations:
> 
> 1. The largest roach in the world lives in China and gets to not quite 5 inches long.


What?

Borneo is _not_ China. Geographically, you could make a case that it's close to China but it's much closer to Indonesia and Malaysia if I remember my geography correctly.


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## ftorres (Jan 10, 2008)

Hello,
I saw that show sometime ago, and I do think it was a B giganteus.

Not a pepered, but a B giganteus

ftorres.


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## Aarantula (Jan 11, 2008)

YEA, it was DEFINITLY the one that he pretended to eat!!! I gotta say, it looked alot bigger than 4" and he did say it was the largest in the world! I'm gonna see if I can find the episode on YouTube or something and post it here. 

By the way... he did get it out of a tree. Weather it was set up for the camera or not is anyones guess. :?


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## Nich (Jan 11, 2008)

I've seen the episode in Q., it was around 5"++ gauging that he is 5"10 and the surroundings. Im going to try and find the episode online and post it.


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## Matt K (Jan 13, 2008)

I misspoke earlier.  Borneo is correct, not China.  However, they were only slightly over 4 inches.  The previous *world record is 3.94 inches *of a female Megaloblatta blaberoides.


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## Aarantula (Jan 13, 2008)

*Well here it is!*

I found the episode with the massive roach I saw and it's alot bigger than 3.94 inches! I couldn't find an actual video of it but I did manage to find the EXACT episode it appears on... find and watch the episode and see the roach for yourself!!!

The Jeff Corwin Experience: Season 2
Episode #5 — Brazil: The Amazon Goin' Bananas
Jeff has finally made it to the most impressive river system in the world — the Amazon. Jeff has come to encounter the exotic and beautiful creatures of the basin, but he also plans to visit many of his colleagues who have made their life's work studying these unique creatures. Oh, and along the way he'll be partaking of a very exotic Brazilian cuisine, otherwise known as bananas.

I'll post a pic of it if I find it... I'm tellin you people it was HUGE!!!


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## Matt K (Jan 13, 2008)

I have contacted two members of the production team for that episode asking for a 'fact check'.  It may be a couple of days before I can get a response to post.

Aarantula:  You said "I found the episode with the massive roach I saw and it's alot bigger than 3.94 inches! I couldn't find an actual video of it but I did manage to find the EXACT episode it appears on..."

How do you know it's "alot bigger than 3.94 inches!" if you have no photo to analyze or post for public scrutiny for the facts and no web link to any video online or online content stating the episodes feature list?   Is this the "Exact Episode" or are you guessing?  How can you state it's size when you have no photo to look at yourself, just a memory of the episode you saw days ago?


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## Aarantula (Jan 13, 2008)

Hey Matt... no need to get crazy or hyper about it. I'm just saying that from what I saw on the episode when I saw it, it did in fact look larger than 3.94" and I'm sure if you see the episode you'd say the same. 

The reason for me posting this thread in the first place was not to cause any kind of "public scrutiny" or anything like that but to let the roach fans in on something that I saw that was quite amazing on a television program.

When I started this post I had no intentions of PROVING what I'd seen like someone claiming to have seen Bigfoot or the Jersey devil... just wanted to state what I'd seen and point people in the right direction of something fascinating.

And to answer your questions... 
1. "Is this the "Exact Episode" or are you guessing?" 
It is the EXACT episode, as I have seen it and my memory does serve me correct in my finding information on it.

2. "How can you state it's size when you have no photo to look at yourself, just a memory of the episode you saw days ago?"
Please see response to question number one for inquiry on my memory's ability to retain information... 

You're attack is not appreciated.


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## Matt K (Jan 13, 2008)

Oh grow up.  It's not an "attack", I just ask that you (or anyone) research the facts before you get carried away in an attempt to argue publicly that you are absolutely right and your perception and memory is absolutely accurate.

I research cockroaches, and have travelled the world seeking out and gathering data on giant arthropods, focusing on roaches.  I am currently associated with several entomologists, universities, and other experts in the field, so my resources are extensive.  I would not stand my ground if it were a tarantula, because that seems to be what you might keep and have experience with.  If what you saw was really that big, it would be *entomological news *by now, which it's not.  Maybe to you on _your_ TV it _looked_ that big, to you, but I can assure you it was not.  

The scientific data is available to all on the interent.  Don't take my word for it - search out the facts on the web.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jan 13, 2008)

People who make outrageous claims feel they are being attacked when you politely ask them to prove themselves. It's just the way it is...

If that's the episode I saw it was a B.giganteus and the max size on that species is 90mm, 10 short of the world record (100mm = 3.92"). The verified world record roach at 3.94" would make any greater size claim the same as a bigfoot claim (even that 'new giant cave species', I didn't see any proof, or even attempted proof at size in the articles about it, just a vague claim). If there really is a bigfoot I'd be excited to see a show about its discovery but there's just no proof.


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## dtknow (Jan 13, 2008)

I always hear of people talking of seeing roaches the size of their hand. Even a P. americana can look 3-4 inches if you are frightened or surprised. I was surprised myself upon receiving my giganteus when I measured them with a ruler and they came out to about 3.25 inches.

Mind you, they have a wingspan up to 6 inches which is quite impressive!


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## Mr. Mordax (Jan 18, 2008)

I saw that episode quite a while ago, but I remember the roach being impressively large and looking much like what I later came across in my hobbies as _B. giganteus_.  I thought that episode was awesome.  

Regardless of actual sizes, that roach looks pretty big when you see it on someone's face.  



Matt K said:


> Please bear in mind that Jeff Corwins' knowledge of the animal kingdom is limited to what field experts tell him before he goes on camera.


AHEM.  Mr. Corwin has two B.S. degrees, one in biology and one in anthropology, as well as a M.S. degree in wildlife conservation (his graduate work focused on bats and snakes).  He knows his stuff, but as his focus is herpatology, I'd understand if his arthropod knowledge was somewhat limited by comparison.


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## Hawkeye (Jan 21, 2008)

*Big Roach*

Looking for 4" Roaches? Guess you guys never been to Brooklyn.


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## dtknow (Jan 21, 2008)

I can assure you that whatever you are seeing(P. americana and B. orientalis most likely) are not 4 inches. A 4 inch roach would fill up the palm of your hand and not even B. giganteus can do that.


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## Mr. Mordax (Jan 21, 2008)

I think there might have been a touch of sarcasm there.


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## Black Widow88 (Jan 22, 2008)

You guys are making it sound as though it was 50ft long or something!  Well with all the talk about how huge it is I wanna see it! And I would like to see the episode too. Have you looked on YouTube?

I was going to search there now that the name of the show and the episode have been posted but due to the fact that I mentioned this I bet you $5.00 some one will beat me to it. 

Hope you find pics of the correct roach and find the full episode as I would like to see it.

Black Widow88


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## arachnocat (Jan 22, 2008)

I tried to get it on netflix, but season 2 isn't out on DVD yet :wall:


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## Black Widow88 (Jan 23, 2008)

Now I know what I want for my sweet 16.  Is the whole entire show about insects? Would like to know.

Black Widow88


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## Mr. Mordax (Jan 23, 2008)

It's about all kinds of random nature stuff.  If you're lucky, he finds some cool bugs where he's going.


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## Black Widow88 (Jan 23, 2008)

Awesome! I shall look on YouTube for some of his vids.

Black Widow88


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## Uglykid2 (Feb 8, 2008)

I got on the Animal Planet website and signed up for reminders for when particular episodes are going to be on. Look what's on tonight!

Here is the reminder you requested through Discovery.com. We hope you enjoy the program!

Friday, February, 8, 2008 at 05:00 PM ET on Animal Planet
*
The Jeff Corwin Experience
*
The Amazon - Goin' Bananas
*
Follow Jeff to the most impressive river system in the world, the Amazon. In Brazil, he encounters the exotic and beautiful creatures whose natural history can help to determine the health of the Amazon ecosystem.

I think this is the one with the giant roach for those of you who missed it...
It might be on at 1pm pacific time? I'm going home for lunch to set my DVR!


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## Mr. Mordax (Feb 8, 2008)

That's 2 PM Pacific.

Thanks for the reminder.  Lemme go turn on my TV . . .


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## Mr. Mordax (Feb 8, 2008)

Yeah, 1 PM was "Growing Up Zebra."


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## Mr. Mordax (Feb 8, 2008)

That was it!!  He said it -- _Blaberus giganteus_!

Probably a male, by the way it was flying.


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## Aarantula (Feb 8, 2008)

Yea I just saw it too! I even took a video of that part of the episode with my cell phone camera and it came out with great quality!!! I'm gonna try and post it!

I told you all, that was MUCH bigger than 4" !!!


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## Black Widow88 (Feb 8, 2008)

OMG!

Black Widow88


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