Identification

Length: From 30 to 40mm. Rust red to brown in colour. A yellow stripe on the edge of the thorax. Wings longer than the body.

Living Areas

Dark, warm and very damp corners: pet shops, sewers, garbage chutes. Searches for warm moist head with mouldy residues. Active in dark places.

Feeding

Adult: feeds on any organic materials, with a preference for mouldy products including the excrement of other animals.
Larvae: same food as the adults.

Nuisances

Eats thin packaging made of paper or plastic. Stains packaging with excrement. Carries mould, bacteria, viruses and some intestinal worms responsible for certain illnesses.

Life Cycle

The ootheca may contain up to 18 eggs. The egg incubation period is between 30 to 60 days. The complete life cycle of the American beetle is between 6 to 12 months, but sometimes up to 15.