The common shining cockroach (Drymaplaneta communis) is a cockroach native to south-east Australia.Rentz, D.C.F. 1996. Grasshopper Country. The abundant orthopteroid insects of Australia. p56. UNSW Press. It feeds on organic matter and is often found under the bark of eucalypt trees. During the late 1990s and 2000s, this cockroach appears to have had a population explosion in Sydney and Melbourne and is commonly found inside houses.Walker, K. (2007) common shining cockroach (Drymaplaneta communis) Pest and Diseases Image Library. PaDIL" This population increase likely coincides with an extended dry period, where many suburban gardeners added mulch to their gardens which provided a habitat for the common shining cockroach.Binnie, C. (2009) Cockroaches rampant in Melbourne's western suburbs, Herald Sun. Accessed 2014-02-15 Despite commonly being found inside houses, the common shining cockroach does not pose the same health risk as introduced cockroaches.Common Shining Cockroach (Drymaplaneta communis), Oz Animals. Accessed 2014-02-15Aussie cockies more guests than pests, 2 February 2008 The Age
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