The Turkestan cockroach (Blatta lateralis) is an invasive species originally from Central Asia that has rapidly established itself throughout the American Southwest, including Arizona. It is now one of the most common outdoor cockroach species in the Phoenix metro area and is actively displacing the oriental cockroach in many locations. Males are reddish-brown with cream-colored markings along the wing margins and are capable fliers; females are dark brown to black with short wings and a cream-colored pattern on the abdomen. Turkestan cockroaches are primarily outdoor pests that live in leaf litter, compost, mulch, irrigation boxes, water meter boxes, and cracks in concrete. They enter homes through gaps around plumbing and under doors, particularly at night when males are attracted to lights.