A shiny brown Madagascar hissing cockroach on a log. — Photo: Almabes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

Gromphadorhina portentosa

A large, wingless cockroach from Madagascar that hisses by pushing air out of its breathing holes.

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About the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

Madagascar hissing cockroaches are among the largest cockroaches, 2 to 4 inches long. They are shiny brown and oval, with no wings, and males have large horn-like bumps. They live in rotting logs and leaf litter on the island of Madagascar, and at night they look for fruit and plant material to eat. They can even climb smooth glass.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Gromphadorhina portentosa^[1]
Size: 2 to 4 inches long.^[1]
Diet: Mainly fruit and plant material.^[1]
Habitat: Rotting logs, leaf litter and other debris.^[1]
Where it lives: Madagascar.^[1]
Group life: Nocturnal.^[1]
Conservation status: Common; not endangered. Not assessed by the IUCN.^[1]

Fun facts

It's believed to be the only insect that hisses.^[1]
Hissing cockroaches can climb smooth glass.^[1]
Males have horn-like bumps on their heads.^[1]

Vocabulary

spiracle: A small breathing hole on the side of an insect's body.
antennae: A pair of long feelers on an insect's head used to touch and smell.
leaf litter: Fallen leaves on the forest floor.
insect: A small animal with six legs and a body in three parts: head, thorax and abdomen.
nocturnal: Active mainly at night.

See it in person

San Francisco Zoo & GardensSan Francisco, California · InvertebratesSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
Oakland ZooOakland, California · Children's ZooSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. “Madagascar Hissing Cockroach.” https://www.sfzoo.org/madagascar-hissing-cockroach/ (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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