20110608-0050U Cockroach White Just Moulted.jpg Spittlebug Nymph's FoamThumbnailsTwo-spined Spider's Egg Sac
Cockroach White Just Moulted
Scientific Name: Parellipsidion latipenne
Location: Braithwaite Park, Hamilton, NZ
Date Photographed: 08/06/2011
Image Number: 20110608-0050

When cockroaches moult they create a soft new exoskeleton underneath their hard, brown-colored one. The new exoskeleton is soft and lacks pigmentation, making the cockroach appear entirely white. After the old exoskeleton has been shed, the new white one hardens and turns brown over the next few hours.