American and brownbanded cockroach oviposition substrate preference and associated behaviors

Cockroach oviposition site preference and decision-making have been previously studied, but there has yet to be a standardized method for testing and comparing preferences across multiple species. There is also limited information and quantification of the behaviors that constitute the decision-making process for cockroach oviposition. In this experiment, we seek to better understand the steps leading to selecting a suitable oviposition site when given choices of substrates. To do so, we placed a single gravid Periplaneta americana (L.) (Blattodea: Blattidae) female in a container with various substrates found in (carpet, XPS foam insulation, painted wood, unpainted wood, and paperboard). We allowed each female 36 hours to oviposit, recording the oviposition selection process using a video camera. Recorded behaviors were analyzed and ethograms of the behaviors and oviposition process were created. Preliminary results before the addition of video monitoring show a preference for outdoor materials for easy-to-move, manipulate, or dig-in/chew materials such as sand and soil over difficult ones such as gravel across species. Preliminary results before the addition of video monitoring show a preference for easy-to climb upon, make digging motions/ chew, or otherwise manipulate materials in indoor substrates for Styrofoam by P. americana and wood or paper by S. longipalpa.