Biology and Behavior of Panchlora irrorata, a Cockroach Adventive on Bananas (Blattaria: Blaberidae)

Abstract

Panchlora irrorata Hebard extrudes its ootheca during formation and then transfers the ootheca into a brood sac where the embryos develop. Eight females produced 1 or 2 oothecae during adulthood. The average number of eggs per ootheca was 31 ± 4.7 (N = 7). Living nymphs hatched from eggs in 1 ootheca produced by a female which had mated 63 days earlier. Nymphs matured in 196 ± 18 days (9 males) and 207 ± 14 days (13 females). Adults survived for 108 ± 16 days (7 males) and 130 ± 16 days (7 females). The male of P. irrorata courts the female by rocking his body sideways in a series of brief oscillations. Just prior to copulation the male rushes behind the female, where he assumes a linear position in which they are opposed tail to tail; from this position the male rapidly backs up to the female to make genital connection. Copulation lasts from 20 to 25 minutes.