Blaberus craniifer
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The death's head cockroach (Blaberus craniifer) is a species of cockroach belonging to the family Blaberidae. It is often confused with the discoid cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis, due to its similar appearance. It is distinguished by jet black cloak-like marking on its wings and a skull-shaped, amber/black marking on its pronotum. The name death's head comes from the markings on the top of the pronotum: "cranii", which is Latin for "of the head", and "fer", meaning "carry" or "carrier". Due to their unique appearance and certain characteristics, they make an easy to care for pet or display insect for entomologists and hobbyists.
B. craniifer is native to Mexico, the West Indies, and Central America. It has also been introduced into southern Florida in the United States. They can be found on forest floors, hiding in leaf matter and rotting wood. In their native habitats, B. craniifer will feed on any organic food source available, including leaf matter. In captivity, it is recommended they are provided foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, wet dog food and moist cereal. B. craniifer is potential prey for both invertebrates, such... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Calakmul Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
No species of the same family or order lives in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other insects.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Death’s Head Cockroach sighting in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 14th most-seen of the 27 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Death’s Head Cockroach in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–April and August–December, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Death’s Head Cockroach sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Death’s Head Cockroach sightings, Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Death’s Head Cockroach is recorded against all the insects logged in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
