Name: Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, Hissing Roach, Hisser

Scientific Name: Gromphadorhina portentosa

African Names: Kadradraka (Malagasy)

Length: 2 to 3 inches

Weight: Up to 0.8 oz

Life Span: Up to 5 years

Description: Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are shiny brown and oval shaped. They have orange markings on their abdomen. They have antenna. The male cockroaches have horns.

Habitat: They live on forest floors and hide among leaf litter, logs, and other organic material.

Countries found in: Madagascar

Babies: The gestation period is at least 60 days. The females carry the eggs and give birth to up to 60 live roach nymphs. The nymphs are 1/4 to 1/2 inch long and remain near their mother for about 6 months.

Food: Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are herbivores and eat vegetable and fruit material.

Group Name: Colony

Habits: They are nocturnal and scavange for their meals consisting of vegetable and fruit material. Male cockroaches determine dominance by ramming each other with their horns and hissing. Hissing is also used as part of the mating ritual and as an alarm to other cockroaches.

Predators: Birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and other insects.

Interesting Facts: The Madagascar Hissing Cockroach is one of the largest species of cockroach.
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach are wingless cockroaches.
They can scale smooth glass.
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach produce their hissing noise by forcing gas through the breathing pores found on their abdomen. They are the only known insects that can do this.
Cockroaches can die from dehydration.