How to Identify a Male Hissing Cockroach

Hissing cockroaches can make ideal pets.

Madagascar hissing cockroaches are native only to the island of Madagascar, located off the east coast of Africa. Because of their docile nature and large size, these cockroaches are common in the pet world and also in classrooms. Madagascar hissing cockroaches can be 2 to 4 inches long and weigh up to 1 oz. Males and females look very much alike, although there are a few key differences that make them sexually dimorphic.

Things You'll Need

• Hand lens

Instructions

1. Study the prothorax and look for tubercles (bumps) on the top at about the same distance back as the first pair of legs. Cockroaches are insects; they have a head, thorax and the abdomen. The prothorax is the anterior part of the thorax, the black part on the hissing cockroach at the front. The head is hidden underneath this body segment. A male's tubercles are pronounced, while a female's tubercles are not as visible and give her prothorax a smooth, rounded look. Some people may think these are eyes, but the cockroach's eyes are on its head.

2. Look at the antennae. A male's antennae have a fuzzy, bumpy look to them and appear thicker than a female's, especially close to the head. Use a dissecting scope or hand lens for a better look. A female's antennae are smooth.

3. Hold the cockroach and look at the last ventral segment on the abdomen. A female's last segment is wide, while a male's is very small.

References

• Ramapo College: Sexing Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches
• Oklahoma State University Extension; Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches Information and Care; Phil Mulder, Extension Entomologist