Therea olegrandjeani “question mark cockroach”

Therea olegrandjeani – the question mark cockroach with the unmistakable pattern

Therea olegrandjeani, affectionately known in the hobby as the question mark cockroach, is probably one of the most striking and interesting cockroach species. It owes its German name to the striking pattern on its elytra, which is strongly reminiscent of a question mark. This unique pattern makes it a real eye-catcher in the terrarium and a popular species among collectors and lovers of exotic insects.

The question mark cockroach originally comes from India, where it lives in dry to slightly humid regions. In the terrarium, it requires temperatures between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius and a humidity of around 60 to 70 percent. A loose substrate of soil, leaf humus and white rotten wood creates an ideal microclimate and offers the animals opportunities to burrow. As this is a rather ground-dwelling species, the terrarium should offer sufficient floor space and hiding places such as pieces of bark, cork boards and leaves.

The question mark cockroach is mainly active at dusk and at night. During the day, it spends most of its time buried or under foliage and only emerges when the light intensity decreases. It is peaceful, calm and stress-resistant when kept, making it a suitable species for beginners. In terms of diet, it is uncomplicated and readily accepts a mixture of fresh fruit and vegetables, dry leaves, white rotten wood and protein-rich additions such as fish food flakes or dried insects.

An exciting peculiarity of this species is its ability to play dead when in danger. It remains motionless until it feels safe – a behavior that protects it from predators in the wild. Breeding in a terrarium is generally problem-free if the climatic conditions are right. The female lays oothecae, from which the young hatch after a few weeks. These do not yet show question mark markings and only develop these when they moult into adults.

Therea olegrandjeani “question mark cockroach” is therefore not only a fascinating animal to observe, but also a real exotic that enriches any terrarium keeping with its special appearance and calm nature.