American Cockroach
The American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana), is the largest species of common cockroach and is often considered a pest. It sometimes goes by the name “waterbug.” None of the members of the Periplaneta genus are endemic to the Americas, despite the ‘americana’ in its name. Periplaneta americana was actually introduced to the United States from Africa as long ago as 1625 or earlier.
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- American Cockroach (female)
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- American Cockroach (female)
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American Cockroaches
(Male versus Female)
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- Egg Case (Ootheca) from an American Cockroach
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- Australian Cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae) (Bath, ME; 10/17/2025) (a very rare visitor/hitchhiker to Maine; prefers/requires tropical and subtropical climates — warm, damp places outdoors or sometimes inside structures with those same conditions, e.g. greenhouses) (similar to the American cockroach; same genus)
Additional Information:
- American Cockroaches (Penn State)
- American Cockroach (Virginia Cooperative Extension)
- Australian Cockroach (very rare in Maine but very similar to the American cockroach; same genus) (NC State Extension)