Family BLABERIDAE

Most people are repulsed by cockroaches inside the home, and not without due cause, as they are disease carriers of the highest order.

Outside the home, gardeners also often come across cockroaches under rocks, logs and in mulch. Unfortunately these roaches are undeservedly tarred with the same brush as their indoors cousins and usually end up under a well placed boot.

Australia has in excess of 400 native roaches and very few could ever be considered pests. Most pest species are imported, the Australian Cockroach and couple of others being the exception.

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Frequently mistaken for rodents, bandicoots are small, omnivorous marsupials, found throughout Australia.

Once extremely common in suburban backyards, land clearing removed their natural habitat and refuges, and for many years there was a drastic decline in the population and distribution. In recent times there has been a small resurgence, and once again they seem to be a presence in coastal areas of NSW.

Bandicoots are able to live in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from rainforests to wet and dry woodlands and coastal heath land. They are seldom seen during the day and mainly forage at night.

The long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta) is the most common and widespread throughout NSW, particularly in coastal areas and either side of the Great Dividing Range. This species is also the most common in the Sydney area. They are perhaps best known for the conical snout-shaped divots they leave in suburban lawns. These holes are sometimes blamed on rabbits.

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