Which order comprises cockroaches with tegmina, oothecae, omnivorous habits, and is a common urban pest?

Which order comprises cockroaches with tegmina, oothecae, omnivorous habits, and is a common urban pest?

• A. Grylloblattodea
• B. Dermaptera
• C. Blattodea
• D. Isoptera

Answer: (C)

Tegmina and oothecae point to cockroaches. The leathery front wings (tegmina) that roaches keep over their bodies, plus the egg cases (oothecae) many species produce, are classic cockroach traits. Their omnivorous diet—eating a wide range of foods found in homes and urban settings—explains why they are such common urban pests. In modern classifications, cockroaches belong to Blattodea, the group that includes both roaches and termites; the key here is the combination of wing form, egg protection, and feeding habits that aligns with cockroaches rather than other insects. The other options describe insects with different wing structures or life histories, which don’t match as well.

Tegmina and oothecae point to cockroaches. The leathery front wings (tegmina) that roaches keep over their bodies, plus the egg cases (oothecae) many species produce, are classic cockroach traits. Their omnivorous diet—eating a wide range of foods found in homes and urban settings—explains why they are such common urban pests. In modern classifications, cockroaches belong to Blattodea, the group that includes both roaches and termites; the key here is the combination of wing form, egg protection, and feeding habits that aligns with cockroaches rather than other insects. The other options describe insects with different wing structures or life histories, which don’t match as well.