What are cockroaches for: 6 unexpected beneficial properties

Why are cockroaches needed ? Obviously, each of us has asked this question at least once. At the sight of these insects, many literally begin to panic. Every housewife does everything possible to get rid of these “monsters”.

Next, we will consider not only why cockroaches are needed, but also what negative consequences their complete disappearance could lead to.

Animal and nature lovers will find it interesting.

By the way, pay attention to the article on how to get rid of cockroaches.

What are cockroaches for?

Did you know that there are about 7,500 species of cockroaches in the world? Many of them serve as food for amphibians, birds, and even humans. Therefore, if you look at these insects from a different angle, the question “Why are cockroaches needed” will disappear by itself.

According to modern scientists, the extermination of cockroaches and cockroaches can negatively affect the lifestyle of about 10,000 species of animals, rodents, reptiles and birds.

It is worth considering that some creatures (for example, emerald cockroach wasps) simply cannot survive and will cease to exist.

Cockroaches living in the wild eat plant and animal debris. It turns out that decomposing remains release nitrogen. And when insects eat them, they introduce it into the soil along with feces.

Researchers say that if the soil lacks nitrogen, it will cause irreparable harm to vegetation and, as a result, animals.

An interesting fact is that of all cockroach representatives, only 1% live in people’s homes and cause harm to them. However, overall they are a very important link in the ecosystem.

Cockroaches are predators. Moth larvae and bedbug eggs can be eaten in a person's home.

Whiskered pests are considered omnivores, but different representatives of the cockroach order have their own diet. Most of them are herbivores, but many eat different foods: organic debris, leather goods, paper, etc. The latter include large sewer and red cockroaches.

Many of the species can destroy the eggs of others. At home, longhorned beetles eat the offspring of moths, as well as bedbugs, but this is not their main food. Pests do not prey on representatives of other species, but discover them by chance when they are looking for new sources of food and are experiencing a deficiency of nutrients. Moreover, adults are not touched.

They do not have the mechanisms necessary for attack (for example, they do not have powerful front legs, like some water bugs).

Cockroaches can eat bedbug eggs

Cockroach as a food resource

In some countries, cockroaches are a real delicacy. Interestingly, they contain 3 times more protein than chicken meat. Recently, more and more establishments have begun to appear in European countries where visitors can see cockroach dishes on the menu.

For example, in England, in restaurants, people often order Madagascar cockroaches fried in oil and seasoned with garlic and pepper. They are said to taste somewhat like bacon.

There are many farms in China where cockroaches are bred. They are not only delivered to various cafes and restaurants, but also canned. Insects are a real delicacy in countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and some countries in South America.

It follows from this that, at least in these regions, people do not have a question as to why cockroaches are needed.

Interesting fact

Nutritionists advise people who want to lose weight to eat cockroach pate. It contains a large amount of protein, while there are no fats.

What are horseflies needed for?

Is this really a dead-end question? Well, could there be any benefit from horse flies? Everyone knows that horseflies bite painfully, an itchy wound appears at the site of the bite, and part of the body may swell from an allergic reaction. In addition, horseflies can carry dangerous diseases, so why feel sorry for them?

As always, there are a few things to figure out. Let's start with the fact that not all horseflies bite. Like mosquitoes, horseflies' bloodsuckers are females, while males prefer to drink flower nectar and are completely harmless. However, people eliminate horse flies by creating traps for them, such as the H-Trap. This is done not so much for the sake of the people themselves, but for the sake of domestic animals, horses, cows and others. They suffer the most from bites, and the presence of such traps on farms is understandable.

But is there any benefit from horse flies? It turns out there is. They are an important link in natural food chains. Insectivorous birds feed on them; in addition, horseflies participate in plant pollination. If horseflies are destroyed in large quantities, the ecological balance will be disrupted.

Medicine from cockroaches

The situation today in China is actively breeding “cucaraches”, which are used in pharmaceuticals.

A special powder is made from them to treat hepatitis, burns and heart disease.

In addition, cheap protein and amino acids are produced from cockroaches. 1 kg of insects costs about $16, which is why the average annual income from a cockroach farm is $20-30 thousand.

In America, insect-based powder is used to feed aquarium fish. But in Russia, a healing tincture is made from black cockroaches. It is used for kidney diseases, tuberculosis, pleurisy, bronchitis and even for the treatment of cancer.

An interesting fact is that not so long ago the drug “Pulvistarakane” was sold in European pharmacies. Doctors prescribed it to patients suffering from lung and heart diseases.

Jamaican healers treat cancer and skin diseases with a paste made from cockroaches. And when it is necessary to get rid of worms, traditional healers cook insects along with sugar.

Medicinal properties

The first person to write about the benefits of cockroaches for humans was in the 19th century. journalist Lafcadio Hearn. He published his travel notes in the newspaper, where he mentioned anti-spasmodic tea from Prussians, which the residents of New Orleans (USA) have long prepared.

Medicinal properties

A few more healing properties of cockroaches and their benefits:

1. The chitin coating contains substances that can kill bacteria. Due to this, they are used in pharmaceuticals as natural antibiotics.
2. Cockroach syrup is used to treat gastroenteritis, an infectious disease that causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines.
3. In Chinese hospitals, doctors use cockroach powder ointment to treat burns.
4. A study by biological scientists has shown that cockroach brain contains a component that can destroy E. coli, pathogenic bacteria that cause diarrhea and other problems in the body.
5. The great Russian doctor Botkin, at the beginning of the 20th century, prepared drugs with a diuretic effect from cockroaches and used them in the treatment of kidney diseases.

Breeding ornamental insects

We found out why cockroaches are needed in nature, but why are they bred at home? Most often they breed Madagascar cockroaches, which, by the way, are the largest in the world.

They are unpretentious eaters and can live in terrariums. Their average length is 60-70 mm.

As a rule, insects serve as food for reptiles, tarantulas (see interesting facts about spiders), centipedes and other creatures. Interestingly, ashen cockroaches are fed to animals with diseased livers as a low-fat dietary product.

In ancient times, cockroaches were bred for gambling. You may have heard about cockroach racing, which was very popular in the Roman Empire, Egypt, Turkey and other countries.

Entertainment or professional sports “cockroach races”

Today this is one of the ways to diversify your leisure time. Moreover, such a service is offered both in specific cafes and at facilities where cockroach races can be held for corporate clients. There is also the possibility of traveling with the show: for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and other holidays.

At the same time, Madagascar cockroaches are used as the main participants in the races; the benefits of this event are questionable, but its purpose is different - entertainment.

Insects are mobile, hiss, and have an unusual appearance, which already attracts people's attention.

When they begin to move along special moves, they arouse even more interest. There is no need to fear for the life of cockroaches. They are completely safe, because the racing rules provide for the protection of insects from the risk of injury when moving along covered tracks, inside of which the shutters open/close.

Cockroach races are especially popular

Water requirements

A common method of controlling household pests is to cut off access to food and water. If everything is implemented correctly, then dealing with insects will not be difficult. After all, the life expectancy of cockroaches without water does not exceed 2.5–3 days.

In order to realize everything, the tightness of pipelines and taps is restored. After washing dishes and wet cleaning, all surfaces are thoroughly wiped. After all, to maintain normal life functions they require a minimal amount of fluid.

Since moisture constantly accumulates in basements, dealing with insects in such conditions is problematic. In this case, other methods are used.

Information about the diet of insects is necessary for people who breed exotic cockroaches. It is no less important for those who fight them. After all, their lifespan depends on the correct selection of products.

The whole truth about cockroaches: they have their own mission on Earth

Photo by Oriol Alamany/naturepl.com

Few representatives of the animal kingdom have a worse reputation than ordinary cockroaches. Reviewer

BBC Earth
has found that almost all of our beliefs about these insects are nothing more than urban myths.
Rep
.:
vile creature. Cockroaches are disgusting creatures that eat garbage, are not afraid of radiation and are able to survive in any conditions. If the world ends, only these nasty insects will remain on Earth. And in general: we would be better off without them.

Reality:

There are almost 5,000 species of cockroaches, of which only about 30 are capable of harming humans. It is they who cast a shadow on a group of insects that has an incredibly rich variety of forms. And by the way: radiation has a very harmful effect on cockroaches.

It is unlikely that anyone will like the sight of a cockroach running across the kitchen floor. The negative emotions we feel towards these creatures make us think that all cockroaches are equally repulsive.

However, George Beccaloni, curator of the exhibition of orthopteroid insects at the Natural History Museum in London, has a completely opposite opinion. He's on the side of the cockroaches.

“People are very prejudiced against this group of insects,” he says.

Less than 1% of the 4,800 species of cockroaches known to us can cause trouble for people, but we are not ready to change our attitude towards the other 99%. According to Beccaloni, this is a blatant injustice.

Source

Additionally

Before using a cockroach repellant, think about the importance of these insects. After all, even at home they bring certain benefits.

It is not difficult to understand what the appearance of cockroaches in the house means. To do this, you need to understand what attracts cockroaches.

1. Presence of organic debris, crumbs and food. If there are constantly leftover food on the kitchen table or in the sink, then the likelihood of cockroaches appearing is enormous.
2. Damaged pipeline. Insects are attracted not only to food, but also to water.

Getting rid of unwanted neighbors is easy. For this you will need:

• Chemicals: gels and sprays, aerosols and crayons.
• Folk remedies: baits and traps.
• Regular cleaning of the house.
• Regular removal of waste from your home.

Following these simple rules will help you get rid of pests.

Traditional methods

The fight against cockroaches is often carried out using traditional methods. Homemade traps have a good effect.

• Mix borax or boric acid with food. Flour, poison, egg, sugar are mixed, balls are molded from them. They are scattered in places where parasites are most concentrated.
• You can get rid of insects due to the fact that the smell of the insecticide is interrupted by the aroma of food. As soon as the cockroach touches the ball, it is already infected. Then he returns to the nest, infecting other individuals.
• If you don’t succeed in getting rid of parasites using the presented method, this will be a good preventative measure.

There is another method - boric acid and borax can be sprayed onto cardboard, placed on the table, floor, near the sink. This is the safest method for people. Over time, insects will adapt and it will be difficult to get rid of them using borax.

Pyrethrum powder gives a good effect. They are actually chamomile flowers that have been dried and crushed. You can get rid of insects using this product as follows: the powder is sprayed on the places where parasites were noticed. You may also be interested in an article that tells you how to get rid of Prussians in an apartment.

Important! A good effect will only occur if the pyrethrum is fresh. It is difficult to detect insects such as cockroaches in your home. If you stock up on bait and poison, you don’t have to do this

One poisoned cockroach can destroy a colony. If you are afraid for your food, you don’t have to use insecticides; you can use folk remedies. Borax, boric acid, and pyrethrum give a good effect. From purchased products you can use aerosols, gels, crayons

If you stock up on bait and poison, you don’t have to do this. One poisoned cockroach can destroy a colony. If you are afraid for your food, you don’t have to use insecticides; you can use folk remedies. Borax, boric acid, and pyrethrum give a good effect. From purchased products you can use aerosols, gels, crayons

It is difficult to detect insects such as cockroaches in your home. If you stock up on bait and poison, you don’t have to do this. One poisoned cockroach can destroy a colony. If you are afraid for your food, you don’t have to use insecticides; you can use folk remedies. Borax, boric acid, and pyrethrum give a good effect. You can use aerosols, gels, and crayons from purchased products.

Temperature method of influence

Cold fog

Exterminating the Prussians is not an easy task. To clean an apartment, it is sometimes necessary to carry out several treatments.

This takes time and requires certain financial costs, especially if professional exterminators get down to business. That's why a technology was invented that allows you to exterminate cockroaches at a time.

First, let's try to understand the concept of “cold fog”. We are talking about the use of aerosolized disinfectant solutions. This kind of treatment makes it possible to distribute the insecticide as evenly as possible throughout the infected room. Its drops will settle on all surfaces, including the ceiling.

An aerosol cloud is produced by a generator. It is a mobile, small-sized device. In the cloud it produces, insecticide particles are no larger than 80 microns in size. The temperature of the produced “fog” corresponds to the ambient temperature. That’s why the technology has such a name.

Advantages of the technology:

• The operation of the generator makes it possible to use various types of insecticides.
• Small droplets of the solution remain in the air for a long time, after which they settle evenly on the surface. Complete settlement occurs within four hours.
• The precipitate formed from the solution, after settling, can be observed not only on open, but even on almost inaccessible surfaces. In addition, the cloud covers the entire room.
• The aerosol does not harm the health of domestic animals and humans.
• The use of a generator makes it possible to significantly save insecticide and allows you to get rid of cockroaches without extra costs.

On a note! When a generator is used in a residential area, its operation significantly increases the humidity level. Therefore, it would not be superfluous to first protect from its effects those objects that are afraid of water. Perhaps this is the most important disadvantage of this method of controlling household pests.

Hot fog

This technology involves not only spraying, but also heating the solution produced by the generator.

We suggest you read: Which ointment for scabies is effective

The method consists of producing smaller particles of insecticide (from 5 to 30 microns in total). Such a cloud stays in the air much longer and completely settles only after 10 hours.

Rescue operations using cockroaches - a microchip, sensors and microphones were attached to the shell

Insects immediately received the name - more controllable cyborgs. They are launched with special micro equipment on their backs. Control is ensured by the ability to connect to the nervous system of mustachioed pests. Moreover, only large (exotic) individuals are used for such a mission. As a result, they turned into something similar to a biological robot.

providing access to hard-to-reach areas of complex configuration at various sites.

This method has disadvantages. First of all, they note a violation of ethical standards. Cockroaches are not animals, and so far no one is waging an obvious fight for their lives, but still the exploitation of living creatures, even such small ones, is a cruel idea. In addition, insects gradually cease to obey commands, because they simply do not react to the impulses sent.

Equipment for scientific experiments was attached to the body of some cockroaches

Food for other pets and residents of apartments and houses

Before introducing baleen insects into your diet, you should find out how cockroaches are beneficial for pets, people and other creatures. Pests have a lot of protein and other components in their bodies, so this is an excellent food supplement. When properly processed, even people (in Asian countries) consume insects. But there are also a number of creatures that regularly feed on cockroaches:

• birds;
• other insect predators, for example, wasps, spiders, mantises, centipedes;
• small primates;

• rodents;
• reptiles;
• small animals (hedgehogs, cats).

What do they eat?

Housewives who keep their apartments perfectly clean do not understand why the number of pests is constantly increasing. The main reason is that insects are not picky eaters. Therefore, they eat not only organic remains and food. Their diet includes plants and books, soap and leather goods.

Scientists note that domestic species quickly adapt. They do not require special nutrition. If they do not detect organic remains at night, they gnaw on the epidermis of a sleeping person.

If you are wondering whether a domestic cockroach can get into the ear, then otolaryngologists have noted such cases. Pests enter the auricle in search of shelter.

The only thing insects cannot do without is water. If you limit access to liquid, the fight against them will be more successful.

Size information

Among cockroaches there are both small and large individuals. The former usually live longer than the latter, since it has been scientifically proven that the largest animals at all times die out before the rest, this also applies to cockroaches.

By standard standards, some of the largest such insects are those living in Colombia, Cuba and Australia; on average they reach 5 cm in width and 10 cm in length. For Russian regions, there is no larger cockroach - the Prusak, which can also grow up to 10 cm, if conditions permit.

He is harmless, and is often destroyed only because he has nowhere to hide. But small representatives fall into crevices where they are difficult to notice, so they are able to reproduce for a long time, creating entire colonies. Here we can say with confidence that the Prussian, in comparison with them, is not the worst enemy.

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What are they afraid of?

Despite the vitality and adaptability of pests, there are some things that cockroaches are afraid of in an apartment. There are three factors that can make your home uncomfortable for cockroaches.

1. Strong odors. Cockroaches cannot tolerate chemical odors. That's why they run away from the house during renovations. If you paint, for example, a radiator with oil paint, pests will not want to stay in the room.
2. Temperature changes. This factor can be used in the cold season, when the heating season begins. Ventilate the apartment daily for 15-30 minutes. Pests will not like frosty air.
3. Bright light. Keep the curtains open during daylight hours. Screw bright light bulbs into chandeliers and sconces.

Cockroaches cannot tolerate the aroma of essential oils. They especially dislike anise, wormwood, mint, citrus fruits and pine needles. Light an aroma lamp with your favorite ether every day to prevent unwanted proximity.