Uhler's Wood Cockroaches - Parcoblatta uhleriana

Disclaimer: I can only attest to how the species I keep respond under the conditions I keep them. Even the best care under a certain set of parameters may be met with failure under others.

For any questions or to mention anything I have wrong or have missed, email me at rockinroachesandmore@gmail.com!

Summary

A special little roach, this species is native the North America! The genus it belongs to has 12 species, all considered native North American wood cockroaches. This identification is a tentative one, as I'm basing it off of a handful of adult males (which narrows it down, but whom still look nearly identical to three other species to a layman, like me) and a few adult females. I am not a taxonomist, and I have no way of knowing if my entire colony is of the same species, or if there's a handful of P.virginica thrown in there, for example. This species does not infest, as it has some serious humidity requirements and feeds more on leaflitter and rotting wood than trash, but may venture inside once in a while, a la the occasional isopod or wolf spider. I've found my specimens exclusively in damp leaflitter, often under or around rotting wood or by water. The species itself is easy to keep if you keep it supplied with water and leaflitter, reproduces fairly quickly and often, and produces some lovely reddish, almost amber males with see-through wings. A very small species, I've had to resort to keeping them in a (thoroughly cleaned) cheese puff container, simply for the screw-on lid, as though the females and nymphs can be foiled from escape by the application of some petroleum jelly, the males can and will flutter to freedom through the narrowest of gaps. Overall, there's really no reason not to keep this species, as once set up they're fairly self-sufficient. That being said, they are, as I've been often told (with bemusement), "just a little brown roach?" But all life has beauty, and what is more beautiful than a lovely little roach species living right under our noses?

Feeding

The Uhler's Wood roach is fed much less in the traditional sense than other species are. I will occasionally drop in some zucchini slices, but more than anything, their upkeep includes topping off their leaflitter and keeping it damp. They don't seem overly fond of fruit, and will only occasionally nibble at vegetables. Even cat food is ignored until it molds and must be removed. This makes them either the easiest roach to keep, or the most difficult, depending on how much decomposing leaflitter one has at their disposal. I've heard they will take the regular food roaches are offered, but I have seen no evidence they prefer that over good ol' rotting detritus.

Environment

This roach simply does not care what temperature you keep it at. If you're comfortable, so are they. That being said, mine do well in the room I keep almost all my roaches in, which is kept at 80°F (26.7°C), with an approx. humidity of 60%. The species reportedly prefers 65°-85°F, but can withstand short experiences above that (as evidenced by an accidental night at 90°F). Theoretically, they can withstand temperatures even cooler than this: they do survive outside from Florida to Ontario, after all. Some keepers opt to provide their roaches with secondary heat sources, but for this species, I truly believe it isn't necessary. Temperature is often the variable preventing infestation of exotic roach species, but for our polite native wood roaches, it's their moisture requirements holding them firmly in check.

This species requires damp substrate. The Uhler's Wood roach can survive periods of dryness, but they are found in very wet microhabitats in the wild, and have flourished under those same conditions in my care. Giving them fairly wet and fairly dry corners of their enclosure will ensure that the colony will self-regulate, and spend time where they are most comfortable.

Light is a non-issue for this species. They don't require - or want - additional sources beyond a room light, though they don't seem to mind indirect sunlight from a window. Ensure the enclosure is never in direct sunlight!

Enclosure

This species seems to tolerate crowding, and is rather small even at full size to boot. A smallish enclosure (with a tight fitting lit) will work just fine for them. Crowding does not seem to suppress breeding. They may also be kept just as easily in a Rubbermaid bin, or any largeish plastic container of a similar size, though that's not as pretty. A tight-fitting lid is necessary, as this species' males will absolutely fly out otherwise. As substrate, the options are flexible. These roaches will generally do well, probably better than otherwise, on regular outdoors soil, though I strongly suggest laying it out in a 1in thick layer and baking it at around 400°F for 20 minutes, or until totally dry, first, to prevent taking home unwanted hitchhikers or disease. I also strongly suggest you take extreme care to select soil that has not had fertilizer, insecticide, or any strong chemical applied, as the roaches, often detrivores in the wild, will nibble on most anything you put in their tank, including the substrate. Otherwise, coconut coir or (if the only option, for it's unsustainably harvested) peat moss will hold moisture and work well. Just dampen it first, to prevent particulate matter from covering everything (and making you sneeze!) when you put it in the tank.

Once you have your substrate, it's on to the décor. I do not suggest egg flats: they will wilt and then mold in the humidity of this species' enclosure. If it's an option, I suggest pieces of bark, rotting wood (wood roaches, after all), and lots of leaflitter: these keep humidity well in the lower layers, and this species enjoys being able to hide. It doesn't need to be cork bark, just something appropriately sized you find outside and either forget in the back of a closet for a few months to dry out, or send through the oven at the aforementioned 400°F for 20min or so. The more the better, and a 10-gallon tank can hold more than you think.

In addition to the purely utilitarian purpose of giving the roaches a hide, the contents of the tank can make it nice to look at, too. A well-set up roach tank full of handsome little guys is simply nice to look at. To this purpose, I often use plastic fake plants. I get them more than half-off at Michael's seasonally, and they really add something. Before putting them in the tank, always wash them thoroughly. I use Dawn dish soap and warm water, let them soak for a while, then give them a good scrub, let 'em dry, and throw them in the tank to arrange. Leaflitter is the easiest means to ensure the nymphs have somewhere humid to hide out, and can be gathered in most places from the outdoors. Hardwood leaves, such as oak, are preferred, but maple, ginkgo and the like will do.

Overall, the care of this species is more akin to isopods than other roaches. Make sure they don't dry out too bad!

Other Information

• Adult size is about 1in.
• Oviparous
• Winged! Males fly readily and often, females are wingless.
• Climbs.

An adult male Uhler's Wood roach and either a female or immature nymph.

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