PL – Polski DE – Deutsch
Science · literature

Literature library

Selected works on cockroaches – from classic keys and monographs of the Polish fauna to recent research and databases. Items marked “open access” can be read for free.

33 items

Cockroaches of Poland and Central Europe

Faunistics, keys, catalogues and new records.

  1. Bazyluk W. (1977) . Blattodea et Mantodea. Karaczany i modliszki (Insecta) . Fauna Polski 6, PWN, Warszawa

    The standard monograph on the cockroaches and mantises of Poland. PL open access

  2. Bazyluk W. (1956) . Karaczany – Blattodea; Modliszki – Mantodea . Klucze do oznaczania owadów Polski, PTE, Warszawa

    The classic Polish identification key. PL

  3. Żurawlew P., Grobelny S., Orzechowski R., Radzikowski P., Rutkowski T. (2022) . New data on the distribution of cockroaches (Blattodea) and earwigs (Dermaptera) in Poland . Fragmenta Faunistica 65(1): 11–24 · DOI 10.3161/00159301FF2022.65.1.011

    The most recent distribution data for 6 cockroach species in Poland (145 localities, 1957–2021). EN open access

  4. Żurawlew P., Vlk R., Kapusta B., Radzikowski P., Grabowski M. (2024) . Ectobius vittiventris (Costa, 1847) – pierwsze stwierdzenie w Polsce / first record in Poland . Fragmenta Faunistica 67(2): 113–119 · DOI 10.3161/00159301FF2024.67.2.113

    The first confirmed (also by DNA) record of this spreading species in Poland. EN open access

  5. Liana A. (2002) . Prostoskrzydłe (Orthoptera s.l.) . Czerwona lista zwierząt ginących i zagrożonych w Polsce, s. 115–121

    Red-list chapter that also covers cockroaches; lists 16 species in Poland, about 6 of them in natural habitats. PL open access

  6. Kočárek P., Holuša J., Vidlička Ľ. (2005) . Blattaria, Mantodea, Orthoptera & Dermaptera of the Czech and Slovak Republics. Illustrated key . Kabourek, Zlín

    The most practical modern key for the region next to Poland. CZ/EN

  7. Vidlička Ľ. (2001) . Blattaria – šváby; Mantodea – modlivky (Insecta: Orthopteroidea) . Fauna Slovenska, Veda, Bratislava

    The Slovak fauna volume – a close counterpart of Bazyluk’s monograph. SK

  8. Bohn H. (2004) . The Blattoptera fauna of Switzerland and the adjacent regions of France, Italy and Austria I. The species of the sylvestris-group of Ectobius . Spixiana 27: 253–285

    Revision of the Ectobius sylvestris group – relevant to Polish Ectobius. EN open access

  9. Baur H., Landau Lüscher I., Müller G. et al. (2004) . Taxonomie der Bernstein-Waldschabe Ectobius vittiventris (A. Costa, 1847) und ihre Verbreitung in der Schweiz . Revue suisse de Zoologie 111(2): 395–424

    Taxonomy and biology of Ectobius vittiventris (adult season, probably a 2-year life cycle). DE open access

  10. Bohn H., Chládek F. (2011) . Revision of the maculata-group of Phyllodromica: species from Central Europe . Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 69(1): 3–54 · DOI 10.3897/asp.69.e31735

    Revision of the Phyllodromica maculata group, which includes the species recorded in Poland. EN open access

  11. Husemann M. et al. (2021) . Verbreitung der Bernstein-Waldschabe Ectobius vittiventris (A. Costa, 1847) in Deutschland mit dem Erstnachweis für Niedersachsen . Articulata 36: 9–22

    Northward spread of Ectobius vittiventris through Germany – context for the Polish record. DE open access

  12. Köhler G., Bohn H. (2011) . Rote Liste der Wildschaben (Blattoptera) Deutschlands . Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt 70(3): 609–625

    The German red list of wild cockroaches. DE open access

  13. Heller K.-G., Bohn H., Haas F., Willemse F., de Jong Y. (2016) . Fauna Europaea: Orthopteroid orders . Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e8905

    The data paper behind the Fauna Europaea checklist, including European cockroaches. EN open access

  14. Prostoskrzydłe (Orthoptera) Polski . Karaczany – opisy gatunków

    Polish species accounts with Polish names and occurrence notes. PL open access

Systematics and biology

Core monographs and papers on the relationships of cockroaches and termites.

  1. Bell W.J., Roth L.M., Nalepa C.A. (2007) . Cockroaches: Ecology, Behavior, and Natural History . Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore

    The standard overview of cockroach biology and behaviour. EN

  2. Bell W.J., Adiyodi K.G. (red.) (1982) . The American Cockroach . Chapman and Hall, London

    The classic monograph on the biology and physiology of the American cockroach. EN

  3. Roth L.M. (2003) . Systematics and phylogeny of cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattaria) . Oriental Insects 37: 1–186 · DOI 10.1080/00305316.2003.10417344

    Roth’s summary of the higher classification of cockroaches. EN

  4. Inward D., Beccaloni G., Eggleton P. (2007) . Death of an order: a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study confirms that termites are eusocial cockroaches . Biology Letters 3(3): 331–335

    Landmark paper: termites are social cockroaches. EN open access

  5. Djernæs M., Klass K.-D., Picker M.D., Damgaard J. (2012) . Phylogeny of cockroaches (Insecta, Dictyoptera, Blattodea), with placement of aberrant taxa and exploration of out-group sampling . Systematic Entomology 37(1): 65–83 · DOI 10.1111/j.1365-3113.2011.00598.x

    A major multi-gene phylogeny of cockroach families. EN

  6. Evangelista D.A. et al. (2019) . An integrative phylogenomic approach illuminates the evolutionary history of cockroaches and termites (Blattodea) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B 286: 20182076 · DOI 10.1098/rspb.2018.2076

    The current phylogenomic backbone of cockroaches and termites (about 2,370 genes). EN open access

  7. Wipfler B. et al. (2019) . Evolutionary history of Polyneoptera and its implications for our understanding of early winged insects . PNAS 116(8): 3024–3029 · DOI 10.1073/pnas.1817794116

    Where cockroaches sit within Polyneoptera. EN

Husbandry

Books, studies and reliable websites on keeping cockroaches.

  1. McMonigle O. (2017) . For the Love of Cockroaches: Husbandry, Biology, and History of Pet and Feeder Blattodea . Coachwhip Publications

    The most comprehensive cockroach husbandry book, with species accounts. EN

  2. McMonigle O., Willis R. (2000) . Allpet Roaches: Care and Identification Handbook for the Pet and Feeder Cockroaches

    A short older handbook: food, enclosures, breeding, species. EN

  3. Wu H., Hu X.P., Appel A.G. (2017) . Temperature-dependent development and thermal sensitivity of Blaptica dubia (Blattodea: Blaberidae) . Journal of Economic Entomology 110(2) · DOI 10.1093/jee/tow278

    How temperature affects the development of Blaptica dubia: 7 nymphal instars, development at 20–30 °C. EN

  4. Wu H. (2013) . Biology of Blaptica dubia (Blattodea: Blaberidae) . praca magisterska / MSc thesis, Auburn University

    A free full text on the biology of the most popular feeder cockroach. EN open access

  5. Amateur Entomologists’ Society . Cockroach caresheet

    A care sheet from the UK entomological society. EN open access

  6. Kandilian K. . Roach Crossing – cockroach husbandry guide

    Practical notes from a specialist breeder keeping over 100 species. EN open access

Databases and tools

Taxonomic catalogues, occurrence data and repositories with free full texts.

  1. Beccaloni G.W. (2014–) . Cockroach Species File Online

    The world taxonomic catalogue of cockroaches – the primary source for names. EN open access

  2. iNaturalist . Blattodea – przewodnik / guide

    Citizen-science records and help with identification from photos. EN open access

  3. BioLib.cz . Karty taksonów karaczanów / cockroach taxon profiles

    A Czech taxonomic database with photos and names in many languages, including Polish. CZ/EN open access

  4. BioMap . Bibliografia i dane o występowaniu (Bazyluk, Liana i inni)

    Polish database of literature and records – older cockroach works. PL/EN open access

  5. RCIN . Repozytorium Cyfrowe Instytutów Naukowych PAN

    Free full texts of “Fragmenta Faunistica”, “Fauna Polski” and more. PL/EN open access

  6. IOP PAN Kraków . Gatunki obce w Polsce – Blattella germanica

    The official alien-species profile of the German cockroach in Poland. PL/EN open access

Know an important work that is missing? Let me know and I will add it.