NATUR E WATCH
COMMON BANDED COCKROACH
Desmozosteria cincta
Ringed with a creamy-yellow stripe, this
cockroach is relatively small, at just 27mm in
length. It has a broad range across the arid
north of Australia in QLD and the NT. Have a
look around spinifex to catch sight of one
before it makes a run for it. Tjoritja/West
MacDonnell National Park near Alice
Springs is a good place to search.PRETTY BALTA
Balta verticalis
At just over 9mm in length, this is a small but
fi nely patterned cockroach found in the
rainforests of QLD. The wings are an intricate
mesh of red-brown and cream fading to
transparent at the sides. This nocturnal species
is attracted to sources of light.EASTERN MONTANE GREEN
COCKROACH
Polyzosteria viridissima
A jewel of a specimen, this emerald-green
cockroach is found across NSW. Alpine hikers are
often rewarded with views of it sunning itself on
low shrubs or snow gums. Take a walk in
Kosciuszko National Park and you may be lucky
enough to see this fl ash of green. Antagonise it
and it will squirt a foul-smelling fl uid at you.
GIANT BURROWING COCKROACH
Macropanesthia rhinoceros
This king of cockroaches can weigh up to 33g.
Its burrows may reach lengths of 1m, usually
under eucalyptus or acacia trees in the arid soils
of NSW and QLD. The bottom of the burrow acts
as both nursery and larder, and here females
attend their young. You may catch a male
wandering around in tropical QLD from
November to January when they go on the
lookout for females. Get too close and it may
try to deter you with a hissing sound.
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