Bush Cockroach
Polyzosteria limbata
Most people think of cockroaches as disease-carrying, urban pests. The reality in Australia is that none of the 400 or so native species is a pest. They live in the bush, forests and woodlands, grasslands and coastal heaths. In fact, they live almost everywhere except in our houses. They are an important part of the food web in many natural habitats, being eaten by invertebrates as well as mammals, frogs and reptiles. Most native cockroach species are nocturnal (like the introduced pest species), but the Bush Cockroach is active during the day. It lives in trees and feeds on pollen, bark and leaf material. To repel predators, the Bush Cockroach produces a pungent smell.
Distribution:
Throughout eastern Australia.
Habitat:
Forests and woodlands, heath.
Status:
Common
Size:
Up to 3.5 cm. |
