# Blatta Lateralis



## azgrower12 (Apr 1, 2009)

do you know how i can identify Blatta Lateralis because i live here in phoenix Arizona and i saw some roaches (nymphs) that look alot like Blatta Lateralis nymphs on the internet.  is there any tell tale mark or distinction that i could use to be able to use to find out whether those are Blatta Lateralis. they are very fast if that means anything and they can't climb. 



also is it possible for those roaches to like escape and colonize your house my dad is very paranoid about one escaping and breeding.


thanks so much 
Matt


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## vvx (Apr 1, 2009)

B. lateralis are one of the more likely to infest. It really depends on the climate where you are. When I think of Arizona I think "damn hot" but I've never been there. In a hot climate they certainly could infest, it would just be a matter of humidity & food. I've read about infestations in southern california.


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## gvfarns (Apr 1, 2009)

Try and nab a picture of them.  It's more likely that it's Blatella germanica, which kind of looks similar, but Blatta lateralis has established itself in some very warm parts of the country, so it could have been a wild population.

Blatta lateralis requires a lot of heat to breed, so they would probably prefer to live outside your house than in.  In most parts of the country infestation is a non-issue, but not necessarily so where you are.


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## DFox (Apr 1, 2009)

In my experience B. lateralis egg cases are pretty sensitive to humidity and if they don't have enough they will easily dessicate. If you're looking for some, look in an area where you know there is always humidity for them to lay egg cases.


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## azgrower12 (Apr 1, 2009)

well i know its not Blatella germanica because it doesnt have those two lines that go down its body but in terms of infestations they live right across the street so i guess infestation might be high   

ill try to get a picture ill ask my aunt 

but there's no way i could tell if its the roach im looking for


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## blix (Apr 1, 2009)

azgrower12 said:


> do you know how i can identify Blatta Lateralis because i live here in phoenix Arizona and i saw some roaches (nymphs) that look alot like Blatta Lateralis nymphs on the internet.  is there any tell tale mark or distinction that i could use to be able to use to find out whether those are Blatta Lateralis. they are very fast if that means anything and they can't climb.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



If your dad has the final say, and refuses to let you have that specie, just go for Blaptica dubia. He can't possible have anything against those great feeders.


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## gvfarns (Apr 1, 2009)

Still waiting on a pic.  Go take one if you can, I'd like to see 'em.


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## burmish101 (Apr 1, 2009)

B. germanica climbs glass, rules those out. Look for colony pics of lateralis im sure google or the search here might turn something up. Its always cool to see pics of roach bins


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## azgrower12 (Apr 2, 2009)

well i dont have a cam right now for pics but ill try to borrow one asap 

but do you think it would be a safe idea to start a colony of Blatta Lateralis that i got from the park and feed my t


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## kc7wdg (Apr 2, 2009)

from google images...


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## gvfarns (Apr 3, 2009)

azgrower12 said:


> well i dont have a cam right now for pics but ill try to borrow one asap
> 
> but do you think it would be a safe idea to start a colony of Blatta Lateralis that i got from the park and feed my t


I would suggest you don't feed the first generation if you do.  Maybe not the second either to be safe (from disease and pesticide problems..wild roaches tend to get into that stuff).

Actually you'd be better off just buying them.  They aren't that expensive, and this time of year you don't need to mail them overnight.  It's really annoying to wait around for a colony to grow.

The Bug Pros (www.thebugpros.com) just came back into business and they sell them pretty cheap.  Also Aaron Pauling.

Just a bit ago neither Aaron nor the bug pros had them available so there was an acute shortage, it seemed.  But that seems to be remedying itself.  They grow and reproduce quickly, a major advantage over other types of roaches.


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## azgrower12 (Apr 4, 2009)

well here are some pics


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## gvfarns (Apr 5, 2009)

Yup.  Those look like Blatta lateralis to me.

By the way that google images image is mine.  I took it the first day I got lateralis.  Unfortunately there are no males in the picture, but you get the idea.


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## azgrower12 (Apr 5, 2009)

but thats weird though cause every time i go to the the park to see them do there thing i never see a mature male or female its always the ones you see in my pics y is that


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## codykrr (Apr 5, 2009)

im not going to hijack this thread very much i just wAnted to know if its true that mature male blatta lateralis can fly. i found a web site claiming they do. and another claming they dont. im looking to get some and just dont want a flying roach. thanks.


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## skips (Apr 6, 2009)

codykrr said:


> im not going to hijack this thread very much i just wAnted to know if its true that mature male blatta lateralis can fly. i found a web site claiming they do. and another claming they dont. im looking to get some and just dont want a flying roach. thanks.


They definitely do fly short distances.  I've seen mine do it several times.  I doubt they can fly for long though.


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## gvfarns (Apr 6, 2009)

I've done a lot of messing with lateralis and never seen a male fly.  I have dropped them and they sort of flutter down like a leaf would, but they can't fly up at all from what I've seen.

Still, I keep a lid on them, just in case.


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## gvfarns (Apr 6, 2009)

azgrower12 said:


> but thats weird though cause every time i go to the the park to see them do there thing i never see a mature male or female its always the ones you see in my pics y is that


Maybe mature lateralis have a different habitat.  Since we keep them in bins we never notice it.  

Anyway just collect a bunch and some will mature into males, others into females and you will have the beginning of a colony.

Only mind the pesticide and parasite possibilities...


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## azgrower12 (Apr 10, 2009)

also is it possible if i were to grab an egg case instead of the males and females and not have any parasites just curious :?


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## gvfarns (Apr 18, 2009)

That should work.  Keep it warm and a little moist and it should hatch out to like 30 babies.  They grow pretty fast, and you seem patient about it, so it's not a bad idea.


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## azgrower12 (Apr 19, 2009)

well yahh im not in a crazy rush though yahh i guess ill try that out 
thanks so much gvfarms for helping me out i really apreciate it 

though srry to bug (get it it's a pun) how long would it take for it to become mature from a egg case


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## codykrr (Apr 19, 2009)

from whay ive read..about 4 months. also should i use bug barrier...my entire T collection refuses dubias now....s i have to get something else. and another thing....say i open the lid, none will fly out?


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## Endagr8 (Apr 19, 2009)

codykrr said:


> from whay ive read..about 4 months. also should i use bug barrier...my entire T collection refuses dubias now....s i have to get something else. and another thing....say i open the lid, none will fly out?


From what I've read, they're a non-climbing species, so no bug barrier is needed as long as the surface of your container isn't too roughed up. A lid is always a good idea though, as gvfarns said; it's better to be safe than sorry. I've watched some of my MM dubias fly upwards and slam into the lid of their container, I wouldn't be surprised if lats did the same occasionally. A LID IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA IMO.


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## burmish101 (Apr 19, 2009)

Very young babies can walk right up plastic so id use vaseline and a lid, just to be sure.


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## jmiller (Apr 19, 2009)

codykrr said:


> also should i use bug barrier...my entire T collection refuses dubias now....s i have to get something else. and another thing....say i open the lid, none will fly out?



I never have seen any try to fly out of the bin.  

I use packing tape around the top just in case any make it to the top but for the most part they do not climb.  The really small babies can walk on the side but I have never seen them all the way at the top.  Bug barrier could be used as a precaution.

I use a lid to help with humidity.


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