Cockroaches and Termites
02 Jun 2025
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Cockroaches and Termites
Latin: Blattodea — Relevance to Fly Fishing:
Blattodea encompasses cockroaches and termites, insects with flattened bodies that play various ecological roles.
Where you can find Cockroaches and Termites
On this map you see where there were observations of Cockroaches and Termites around the world. This will give you an idea of the global distribution of this class. Note that a class can have many different families, and thousands of species.
Diversity and distribution
The insect class Blattodea consists of over 4,000 species. While these insects are not as diverse as some other insect classes, they can still be found in a wide range of habitats around the world. The Blattodea class is divided into several families and numerous genera, with termites belonging to the family Termitidae and cockroaches belonging to multiple families, including Blattidae, Blaberidae, and Blattellidae.
Relevance to fly fishing
Blattodea insects are typically not considered a primary food source for fish and are not commonly associated with fly fishing. But there can be certain situations where their presence might be relevant. For example, termites and cockroaches may end up in the water due to heavy rains, flooding, or being blown into the water by strong winds. In such cases, fish may opportunistically feed on these insects, making them a potential target for fly fishers.
Blattodea-inspired flies
Though Blattodea insects are not a primary focus in fly fishing, there is a pattern with multiple variations with is the termite pattern. Particularly winged reproductive termites can sometimes be found near water, especially during their nuptial flights. In areas where termites are prevalent, fly fishers may use termite patterns, often tied with brown or tan materials.
Blattodea-inspired flies are not commonly used in fly fishing, and their effectiveness can be highly situational. However, in cases where Blattodea insects are prevalent and other fly patterns are not producing results, incorporating these less conventional patterns may provide a unique opportunity!
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