Turkestan Cockroach From Middle East Confirmed Breeding in South Korea

Scientists at Pusan National University and Gyeongsang National University have documented the first confirmed establishment of a non-native cockroach species on South Korean soil. The insect, known as the Turkestan cockroach, was found living and breeding near Gamman Port in Busan, according to a study the researchers published in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management in September 2026.

What the surveys found

The research team ran field observations and baited trapping around the port area across five surveys between November 2025 and June 2026, using vinegar-soaked tissue and beer-moistened oatmeal as attractants. They recorded all developmental stages of the insect, including adults, nymphs and oothecae (egg cases), which the study's authors say indicates successful, ongoing reproduction rather than a one-off arrival.

According to the study, yellowish males were abundant in early June 2026 and females were observed by mid-June. Adults concentrated on retaining walls, while nymphs were found in wood debris and moist refuges; the population also used sewers and garbage and food-waste areas near the port.

Identifying the species

South Korean outlets, the published study and the English-language Wikipedia entry refer to the insect primarily as Periplaneta lateralis, while the University of California's Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program lists its scientific name as Blatta lateralis. Wikipedia lists Blatta lateralis and Shelfordella lateralis, among other names, as synonyms for the same species, meaning sources disagree on which name is primary even though they describe the same insect. All sources agree on its common name, the Turkestan cockroach, also called the red runner cockroach.

Local reporting describes the insect as roughly 3 centimeters long with a dark reddish body, distinguishable from native cockroach species by pale bands at both ends. Wikipedia adds that males are reddish-brown and slender with long wings that allow flight, while females are darker with cream-colored markings and short, non-functional wings.

• Native range: an area spanning the Middle East, Central Asia and northern Africa, per Wikipedia
• Time to reach adulthood: about 220 days, per the Korean field study
• Reproductive output: a single female can produce roughly 350 nymphs, per the same study
• Adult size: approximately 3 centimeters, dark reddish in color

How it likely reached Busan

Researchers say the species most likely entered South Korea through maritime shipping containers passing through the port, which handles large volumes of mobile cargo. Local reporting also cited mild local winters, with average temperatures of 3.6 to 5.8 degrees Celsius, as a likely factor helping the insect survive and establish itself outdoors.

Why researchers are concerned

Lee Sang-bin, a professor in the Department of Life Sciences who led the Busan investigation, said the species shows "very rapidly increasing population numbers" and warned that the port's large volume of moving containers creates a risk of the insect spreading to other regions.

In the United States, the Turkestan cockroach was first detected in 1978 near the former Sharpe Army Depot in California and later found at Fort Bliss in Texas. It has since spread across the southwestern United States and has been displacing the previously dominant oriental cockroach in urban habitats there, according to Wikipedia and the UC Statewide IPM Program. The UC program describes it as both a nuisance pest and a potential public health concern because it can carry disease-causing organisms, though it does not specify which pathogens or confirm any illness linked to the species.

Official and scientific response

Busan's Infectious Disease Management Division said it would strengthen quarantine monitoring and pest-control measures across city districts and advised international travelers to inspect their belongings after trips to reduce the chance of introducing further invasive species. The published study's authors recommend continued monitoring of the insect's distribution, integrated pest management that avoids indiscriminate pesticide use, and further investigation into how it may be moving inland, including through legal and illegal trade in insects used as reptile feed.

The study's authors describe the Busan find as the first report of an established non-native cockroach species in Korea, and they say containment at the local level, combined with sustained surveillance, is the priority before any wider spread can be assessed.