Green cockroach?

[xhexdx]

Hey guys,

I tried a search, found nothing about what I was looking for. Hopefully it hasn't been discussed here too much so I don't get flamed for asking.

I know there is a species of green roach that live in Florida, but I don't know their scientific name, nor do I know enough about where to collect them to get a colony going. If anyone has a colony or info on where I can get a few of these to begin with, I would appreciate it. Also, scientific name would be good, too.

Here's a image I googled of one:

Is Panchlora nivea correct?

Thanks again.

--Joe

 

[alupihan]

yes Panchlora nivea/ green banana roach. i think they also have those in cuba.

 

[xhexdx]

Also, does anyone know where I can find a list of established (legal) roach species in Florida?

 

[kupo969]

Also, does anyone know where I can find a list of established (legal) roach species in Florida?

Yep, I e-mailed this guy from www.bugsincyberspace.com because he is the man for info on roaches and I wanted to know what roach I was finding in my home.

Here's his e-mail to me:

Hi,



Well, Florida probably doesn’t want any roaches, but these are the species that are established there:



Panchlora nivea (green banana roach)

Hemiblabera tenebricosa (broad keys roach)

Blaberus craniifer (deaths head)

Blaberus discoidalis (discoids)

Eurycotis floridana (florida skunk roach)

Periplaneta americana (white eye american roaches)

 

[Endagr8]

Good luck starting a colony. Those are MUCH prettier than dubia or lats IMO.

 

[xhexdx]

Good luck starting a colony. Those are MUCH prettier than dubia or lats IMO.

Thanks. Trying to work a deal right now.

 

[Pro_bug_catcher]

If I remember what I read right, the down side is they fly. But they are a lot nicer.

 

[RoachGirlRen]

Yes, if you do manage to catch this species, be mindful of the fact that they fly - proficiently. They are fairly skittish in general, so make sure you have a decent amount of decor in there for them to hide amongst to decrease their (literal) flightiness. A container with a lid that can be partially opened (ie. a storage bin with a split lid) may be a godsend in reducing fly-aways. Adults like to climb and juvies to burrow, so I'd provide subtrate with leaf litter and cork bark for the juvenilles, as well as some climbing surfaces (bark, plants, egg crate, whatever) for the adults. Adults are VERY good climbers, BTW, and I've heard of them mastering even vasline barriers - so make sure your lid is tight fitting with small ventillation holes.

Post pics if you catch any! I looked all over for these guys when I was in Florida, they're a really gorgeous species.

 

[kupo969]

Post pics if you catch any! I looked all over for these guys when I was in Florida, they're a really gorgeous species.

Yeah, they really are. I've only found one and it didn't fly or try to at all, dunno why.

 

[Rochelle]

James Tuttle sometimes has these. Also called "green banana roaches."

 

[rm90]

Hello~ Sorry to bump an old topic.

Did you manage to get your hand on these? Having any luck?

Cheers
;P

 

[Galapoheros]

I had a bunch of these in my wood pile. I'm sure a bunch are there now. Nymphs can't climb but, as mentioned, the adults are very quick to take advantage of any lids opening and fly, hit the ground or anything else and run! I used them as feeders while I had them. But they will surprise you with a long very sharp spike on the back of their legs, they will stick it to you when you hold them, it actually kind of hurts.

 

[Matt K]

I have a colony of a couple thousand, and they only fly at night. During the day they are fairly easy to deal with. There is no "decor", just a few inches of loose substrate. I feed them to small lizards and geckos and have never had any problems catching them or feeding them out.... from my perspective all this talk of them being skittish and flying everywhere is just a bunch of hype that puts a poor light on them. But like I said, night time would be not the best time to open thier container....

 

[OxDionysus]

Do they have an odor and can they climb glass?

 

[burmish101]

Adults could I suppose but babies seem very reluctant to. I've only had them for 2 days though, thanks Matt)

 

[Matt K]

Adults are good climbers but cannot and wont attempt to climb over Vaseline. Babies have a strong preference for hiding in the substrate. If you leave thier container open at night, then they may get curious and fly out to get to where they want to go, which is normally near a window, other light source, or to a food item.... Fortunately they cannot infest a home as they cannot tolerate really dry conditions for any length of time (a day or three at best).
I have found them under a potted plant in my bug room before though

and p.s. - They do not have any odor, which I consider a plus.....

 

[Galapoheros]

Hi Matt, has one stuck it to you yet while trying to hold it in a firm way? I had one that actually drew blood, ...I had to put pressure on my finger but I got some blood to surface from the stab. I had several in a small container and the climbing adults would take advantage every time I took the top off. With a large container, probably not such a problem.

 

[Matt K]

No, I have never had that experience, and I would go so far as to say you may have had a fluke and the chances of that happening again are close to zero. I have grabbed them pretty firmly, loosely, and any other way without anything like that happening over a number of years.

I keep them in various containers ranging from 1 gallon jars to 10 gallon tanks.
Here are some pics:

The loose substrate is teaming with nymphs. A 10 gallon tank culture will eat a banana overnight, or a half apple. Most of them stay about 1/2" below the top of the substrate. I just wipe some aside and grab them up then pitch them into the appropriate lizard cage, T container, or scorp container.

Same thing with Pseudomops septentrionalis:

 

[Galapoheros]

I must have thin skin then, it happened more than it didn't happen when I would pick them up. I ended up feeding them all to some mantids I had.