About 25 species have achieved worldwide distribution, a result of their propensity to live with people. An Asian species began to cause concern in the United States when it appeared in large numbers in florida in the late 1980's. Unlike the common German cockroach that everyone recognizes running into the corners when you turn on a light suddenly, the Asian species is attracted to light. They can be winged or wingless, but even the winged species of cockroaches do not always fly. The species of cockroaches inhabit diverse but individually restricted habitats, including leaf litter, bromeliads, the splash zone of waterfalls, and bat caves.
Cockroaches are miscellaneous insects, aboriginal in the sense that the young resemble the adults.
Cockroaches are primarily nocturnal, so they are sensitive to light. Their antennae and sensory bristles enable them to detect tiny amounts of food and moisture. The sensory structures extending posteriorly from the abdomen, or cerci, are able to sense minute air movements. A cockroach's life cycle is very unique. Courtship patterns vary with species.