Giant Burrowing Cockroach

Macropanesthia rhinoceros or the Giant Burrowing Cockroach

These north-Queensland natives are the biggest cockroaches in the world! These insects really are giants (compared to other cockroaches), growing up to 80,000 micrometres (that's 8 centimetres) and weighing up to 35,000,000,000 nanograms (about 35 grams). Like a lot of cockroaches, the female Giant Burrowing Cockroach gives birth to up to 30 live young. The babies will stay in the burrow with their mum until they're old enough to venture out on their own. Being burrowers, these cockroaches have lost the need for flight and so they do not have wings.

Giant burrowing cockroach can be great, low maintenance pets. They can live for up to 10 years, and love to eat dry gum leaves. They are a far cry from the pesky introduced cockroaches that can be seen scurrying under the fridge when you turn your kitchen light on at night. Burrowing cockroaches are slow-moving, and would prefer to eat leaves in your yard rather than your left over pizza. Although these roaches are gigantic by today's standards, they're dwarfs compared to the insects that were around during the reign of the dinosaurs.

Did you know...

• These insects really are giants (compared to other cockroaches), growing up to 80,000 micrometres (that's 8 centimetres) and weighing up to 35,000,000,000 nanograms (about 35 grams).
• Being burrowers, these cockroaches have lost the need for flight and so they do not have wings.
• Like a lot of cockroaches, the female Giant Burrowing Cockroach gives birth to up to 30 live young.
• Although these roaches are giant by today's standards, they're dwarves compared to the insects that were around during the reign of the dinosaurs. The higher oxygen content in the air enabled insects to grow much, much larger, with some dragonflies having wingspans of up to 76 cm!

Giant Burrowing Cockroach

Australian Centipedes

Chilopoda and the Australian Centipedes

Contrary to popular belief (and indeed their own name!), centipedes don't necessarily have 100 legs. Unlike millipedes, centipedes have only 1 pair of legs per body segment, whereas millipedes have 2 pairs. Centipedes are carnivorous, feeding on a variety of small animals (including frogs and lizards!), but mainly insects. They catch their prey using their powerful jaws located at the front of the head. The last pair of legs in many centipedes is usually strong and brightly coloured, and although they look quite dangerous they are only used to grasp prey or wave in the air as a defensive display.

Australian Centipedes can be found in a variety of habitats, but prefer moist, dark areas that are protected from the weather. They can often be found under rocks and logs, in leaf litter and under the bark of trees. Adult centipedes usually spend the winter months in a sheltered spot, coming out in spring to lay eggs. Eggs are generally laid in the soil, although there are some species that give birth to live young. Small Australian Centipedes are quite common in backyards. The larger species can give a painful, but not life-threatening, bite.

Did you know...

• Contrary to popular belief (and indeed their own name!), centipedes don't necessarily have 100 legs.
• Unlike millipedes, centipedes have only 1 pair of legs per body segment (millipedes have 2 pairs per segment).
• Australian Centipedes are carnivorous, feeding on a variety of small animals (including frogs and lizards!), but mainly insects.
• Larger Australian Centipedes can give a painful, but not life-threatening, bite.
• The last pair of legs in many centipedes are usually strong and brightly coloured. Although these legs look quite dangerous, the centipede bites with its powerful jaws.

Australian Centipedes