Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

NOTE: Education Animals are “behind-the-scenes” animals & only appear to the public during Educational events. This includes scheduled events or programs such as daily animal mingles, private onsite programs, and zoo reaches. For more information, please reach out to edureservations@lvzoo.org.

Physical Description

The Madagascar hissing cockroach is a reddish-brown or black, oval-shaped insect that is wingless and has a pair of antennae. They can grow to be 2-4 inches long. Males have large horns, noticeable humps, and bushier antennae than the females

Predators

Predators they may encounter include arachnids, reptiles, and smaller mammals.

Lifespan

They have an average lifespan of 2-5 years.

Reproduction

Males will compete for females by battling and hissing. After mating, the female creates a cocoon-like egg case called an ootheca and use this to carry their eggs inside of their body. They hatch after about 60 days and dozens of nymphs will be born.

Fun Facts

• Males will use their large horns to battle each other in aggressive displays.
• This species live in large colonies and will hiss to warn the rest of the colony of any potential threats.

Conservation Messaging

In our Reptile and Amphibian (RAD) center you will find many different reptiles and amphibians including venomous and poisonous species of snakes and frogs. Many of these animals fall victim to habitat loss in the wild. Many of the species here are found in South American habitats which are subjected to deforestation, damming of rivers, water pollution, and poor agricultural and management practices.