Madagascan hissing cockroach

These beasties come from the island of Madagascar (bet you didn’t guess that). They live on the forest floor eating all the dead matter that the forest produces. Life’s natural recycler.  They produce a hissing noise as a self defence mechanism and during fights. The noise is produced from their breathing holes in the side of their body (called spiricales) when they push the air out. They can grow up to 7.5 cm long and can live till they are 5 years old. Each female can have 60 young at one time.