WorldAustralia has strict biosecurity controls at its borders to protect its agriculture and horticulture sectors and native wildlife from pest infestations. Those smuggling in undeclared or illegal animal, insect or plant material can be fined thousands of dollars.The haul of Madagascar hissing cockroaches and dubia cockroaches was seized in MayThe Associated Press · Posted: Jun 05, 2026 4:57 AM EDT | Last Updated: 36 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.This image supplied by Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water shows, Madagascar hissing cockroaches and dubia cockroaches, seized from a commercial breeder at Bathurst, Australia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water/The Associated Press)More than 100,000 live cockroaches illegal to keep in Australia were confiscated from a single breeder in the country's largest-ever seizure of exotic invertebrates, officials said Friday.The haul of Madagascar hissing cockroaches and dubia cockroaches, worth 200,000 Australian dollars ($198,000 CDN), was seized in May from a commercial breeder in the city of Bathurst in New South Wales state, according to Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water.The Madagascar hissing species is one of the world's biggest cockroaches, measuring two to three inches in length. Photos released by the department showed a shiny, brown invertebrate larger than a person's finger.It's much bigger than the country's common Australian cockroach, which measures between 0.9 and 1.4 inches long. Cockroaches flourish in Australia due to its sub-tropical climates and the country is home to hundreds of species.This image supplied by Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water shows, a staff member holding a Madagascar hissing cockroach seized from a commercial breeder at Bathurst, Australia, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water/The Associated Press)Bathurst snake catcher Stefanie Lesser told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the larger exotic species were likely being sold as as a cost-effective reptile food because their large size meant fewer insects were needed. Officials urged pet owners to seek out crickets or wood roaches to feed their lizards instead.Both Madagascar hissing and dubia cockroaches are illegal to import into Australia. They can't be legally kept, bred or sold no matter how they were obtained, the department said in a statement.WATCH | Are these bug myths true? :Are these bug myths true?September 14, 2025|Duration 3:06Bugs are fascinating, but they also inspire some of the strangest myths and rumours.