Wood Roaches
Description
Wood
roaches are similar in appearance to the household
cockroaches, but they live exclusively outdoors. An
adult wood roach measures between three-quarters and
1.25 inches in length. They live in rotted logs,
tree stumps, hollow trees and under the loose bark
of dead trees and firewood. Wood roaches prefer to
eat decaying organic matter and are attracted to
light, whereas most roaches run from the light.
In a lifetime, females can produce 30 egg
capsules, each containing up to 32 eggs. Eggs hatch
approximately one month after being laid and
maturation can take up to 9 months. Unlike other
species, wood roaches are not likely to flee when
approached.
Habitat
Native to
North America, wood roaches live outdoors in moist
woodland areas, including woodpiles, mulch, under
the loose bark of trees, branches or decaying logs.
These roaches need an environment that is
consistently moist, so they don’t survive long nor
breed indoors. The female wood roach uses this
outdoor environment to her advantage, depositing egg
capsules behind the loose bark of dead trees, fallen
logs or stumps, safe from the prying eyes of hungry
predators.
These particular roaches aren’t
prone to infest houses like other cockroaches, but
you may see them inside your home occasionally. They
could find their way in via a bundle of firewood.
The males are drawn to lights at night, so they may
crawl into your home through a window frame or other
opening. When they are indoors, it’s a temporary
situation, typically a few weeks in the spring.
The wood cockroach eats decaying
organic matter such as rotting trees and leaf
litter. They don’t eat your home’s structure or
furniture. They are merely a nuisance should they
find their way into your house.