Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches - Ernesto & Friends

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are invertebrates native to the African island of Madagascar. They are a shiny light to dark brown and oval shaped, although some large males can be quite long. They lack wings unlike most of their counterparts and have a single pair of antennae. Males have horns on the tops of their heads while females’ heads are smooth. The sizes of the horns can range in males from quite large and protruding to smaller and rounded. They are mostly used in fights between males; males with larger horns usually win more fights, but the males with smaller horns make up for losing by being more fertile. Winning males also hiss more, which may be part of a colonial hierarchy.

Hissing is also part of the cockroach's mating ritual, and can be used as an effective alarm cry. Most insects that make noise do so by rubbing their body parts together or by employing vibrating membranes. Madagascar hissing cockroaches, however, exhale air through their breathing holes. This audible use of the respiratory system is far more common in vertebrates. Like 99% of all cockroach species, these insects are not pests and do not inhabit human dwellings. They live on forest floors where they hide amongst detritus (dead plant matter) and feed on mostly rotting fruit or plant material.

The Madagascar Hissing Cockroach even begins its life in an unusual manner. Females create a cocoon-like egg case called an ootheca and carry their eggs (and neonatal nymphs) inside their bodies. They then bear living young—as many as 60 nymph roaches.

Sarett Nature Center has had our Madagascar Hissing Cockroach colony for quite a long time, with the population going up and down over the years. We have purchased mated pairs of adults when we noticed the population dwindling and have also had a number of individuals donated from local breeders, some of them being pregnant females to help upkeep the population. When the population becomes too high, some smaller individuals may be used as feeder insects for other animals. They make great ambassadors as they are mild mannered and quite large for showing students the parts of an insect.