**Turkish Cockroaches** (*Shelfordella lateralis*, often sold as the **Red Runner Cockroach** for pet food) are an introduced species of cockroach. The conflict is nuisance and potential for structural invasion: while they are primarily an **outdoor** species (unlike the German Cockroach), they are attracted to light and can enter homes, where they become a highly active, difficult-to-control nuisance, often breeding in crawl spaces, mulch, and outdoor debris. They are also known for rapid movement.
Taxonomy and Classification
Turkish Cockroaches belong to the order Blattodea. They undergo simple metamorphosis. They require warm, moist environments and are generally poor climbers on smooth, vertical surfaces, unlike the German cockroach.
Physical Description
Adult Cockroaches are medium-sized, 1/2 to 1 inch long.
- **Appearance (Key ID):** The **male is fully winged** and light brown, often mistaken for a large water bug or beetle, and is an active flyer. The **female is wingless** or has very small, rounded wings and is darker brown/black.
- **Behavior (Key ID):** Primarily nocturnal and highly active (fast-running). The males are attracted to lights and often fly into homes at night.
- **Conflict:** Indoor nuisance and outdoor breeding in landscaping materials.
Distribution and Habitat
Native to the Middle East, they are invasive in the warmer regions of the U.S. (especially the Southwest). Their primary habitat is outdoors, nesting in garden mulch, compost piles, landscape beds, and water meter boxes.
Behavior and Conflict
The conflict is dominated by the outdoor-to-indoor migration.
- **Light Attraction:** Unlike many roaches, the winged males are strongly attracted to porch lights and interior lights, causing them to enter homes actively.
- **Breeding:** They can achieve massive populations in favorable outdoor environments (e.g., highly irrigated or heavily mulched gardens), leading to continuous pressure on nearby structures.
Management and Prevention
Control is integrated pest management (IPM), emphasizing outdoor exclusion and harborage reduction.
- **Sealing:** Seal all cracks, pipe entries, and gaps around the foundation and ground-level windows.
- **Lighting:** Use non-attractive yellow “bug lights” on porches and entrances.
- Remove excess mulch, leaf litter, and wood debris from around the foundation of the home.
- Ensure adequate drainage to reduce damp soil near the structure.
- Apply an exterior barrier spray and dust wall voids to target the roaches as they try to enter from the outdoor breeding sites.
Conservation and Research
Turkish Cockroaches are managed as an invasive structural nuisance. Research focuses on their effectiveness as feeder insects for the pet trade and managing their escape potential from breeding facilities.