In the central part of Russia, you can find black, red (Prussian) and American cockroaches in human homes. They can cause significant damage, contaminating food and damaging wooden, leather, and textile interior items. Sexually mature individuals carry pathogens of intestinal diseases on their paws, chitinous cover and in the body. To successfully fight insects, you need to know the features of their structure, physiology, and lifestyle. How long do red cockroaches and their black relatives live? How to speed up the death of insects? How to use this knowledge to increase the effectiveness of extermination efforts?
What determines the lifespan of cockroaches?
The lifespan of adult cockroaches depends on external conditions - the availability of food and water, comfortable air temperature, and the absence of aggressive factors.
Insects are characterized by high tolerance. For example, they are able to survive in a wide range of temperatures - from 0°C to 50°C. The high resistance of cockroaches to external aggressive factors, including chemicals, significantly complicates the task of exterminating insects. Gradually, individuals become more adapted, developing protective mechanisms to new insecticides in the process of evolution, and it becomes almost impossible to cope with them. Anyone who has at least once tried to clear an apartment of Prussians on their own has encountered a typical situation: after using store-bought chemicals, the insects disappeared, but reappeared after a few weeks. Many insecticides that were effective in the past no longer have an effect on the lifespan of cockroaches.
In the article we will look at how long Prussians live under favorable conditions, in the absence of food and water, when exposed to critical temperatures and other aggressive factors.
Features of development
Cockroach-like pests differ from other insects in that larvae and small individuals emerge from the ootheca. There is no pupal stage in this chain.
The life cycle includes several stages:
- A dense capsule is formed on the female’s belly, into which she lays eggs. Over time, the size of the leathery sac increases.
- The female sheds the ootheca after 14–28 days. Small white cockroaches are selected from the leathery sac. Their body length is 3–4 mm. Some species of longhorned beetles carry an ootheca throughout their entire life. Such cockroaches live longer without food and water.
- The transformation into an adult cockroach occurs in several stages (from 6 to 10 molts). During this period, the shade of the chitinous cover changes. This period takes 2–3 months in summer, 6–7 months in winter. The lifespan of the domestic barbel is 12 months or more.
- How many years arthropod pests live is influenced by external factors, the availability of food and water, etc. For example, insects live without air for several hours. A cockroach lives without a head for at least 7 days.
conclusions
Let's summarize how long cockroaches live at home:
- natural death of a cockroach occurs after 9-30 months;
- if you deprive a cockroach of food and water, it will die in 3-70 days;
- With the help of cold you can destroy the Prussians in 1 minute.
Many users are concerned about the question: how long will it take to notice the effect of independent extermination measures? If the number of cockroaches is low, it will take about 2 months to completely eradicate them. If insects have massively infested a multi-story building, it is better to immediately prepare for a long and difficult fight. The effect of disinfestation in this case will be achieved after monthly treatments for 3-6 months.
The easiest way to instantly kill a cockroach is to order professional treatment of the room using the cold or hot fog method from SES Dez Group. What is the advantage of this approach?
- The insecticide is sprayed in the form of small drops and penetrates into all hard-to-reach areas where insects hide.
- The prolonged effect of the drug protects against repeated invasion of cockroaches for up to 40 days and destroys young individuals that appeared after treatment.
- If necessary, service specialists will carry out repeated disinsection free of charge.
- Processing one apartment takes 1.5-2 hours.
- Certified insecticides are safe for humans and pets and have been proven effective against cockroaches in tests.
For detailed information, contact the consultant of SES "Des Group" by phone or email.
Calculator
How long does a cockroach live without food?
The first thing that interests housewives is how long domestic red cockroaches live without food. Since arthropod pests are cold-blooded creatures, they do not require energy to maintain an acceptable body temperature. Insects have a slower metabolism. In order for Prussians to remain active for 14 days, they need to consume the food once. Without food, red and black longhorned beetles live for 35–70 days (it all depends on the species). Therefore, it is possible to determine how long a domestic cockroach lives without food by taking into account the species.
When determining how long cockroaches live without food, the temperature regime is also taken into account. If this indicator is relatively low, then the number of insects is significantly reduced. Having figured out how long a cockroach can live without food, housewives understand how important it is to remove crumbs and organic debris from the table and trash can.
Stages of life
All cockroaches develop in an incomplete cycle, that is, they do not have the stage of turning a larva into a pupa. Females lay eggs in an ooteca (a special capsule at the end of the abdomen) and carry it with them. The eggs develop in it, then the female either drops the “children”, like, for example, red cockroaches, or carries them with her until they are fully born, like a Prussian.
Small parasites are “born” as almost transparent, white nymphs, after which their chitin darkens and hardens. This process can last up to two months at warm and favorable temperatures. The lifespan of an adult is approximately 20-30 weeks.
There are also long-livers, for example, the black domestic cockroach, which lives up to several years. In principle, if you have such parasites in your home, then in about a couple of months they can build a colony of hundreds of fellow tribesmen. Females live much longer than males and are very fertile.
The eggs are formed and laid in a kind of capsule
Can cockroaches live without water?
Many housewives know how long domestic cockroaches live without food. Without water, cockroaches can live much shorter lives. After all, arthropod pests require moisture to start and maintain vital processes. Water promotes the development of internal organs and improves metabolism. Although longhorned beetles are cold-blooded organisms, they cannot do without moisture. Knowing how many days cockroaches live without water, it is easier to choose effective methods of controlling arthropod pests.
The effectiveness of insecticidal preparations is reduced if insects have access to water. In order to get rid of a large population of longhorned beetles, it is necessary to block access to moisture in the shower and kitchen for 7–8 days. This period of time is enough for arthropod pests to leave the apartment or die.
How do cockroaches survive in unfavorable conditions?
Difficult periods can occur for everyone, including domestic Prussians. In this case, life expectancy becomes an order of magnitude shorter. In extreme conditions they survive, but only for a certain period.
How to get rid of black cockroaches forever read the article here.
A tropical climate or life in southern latitudes allows insects not to be afraid of temperature changes. But in the middle zone they are often forced to endure inconveniences, for example, when the heating is turned off. If the temperature is reduced to -5, the insects die immediately, although this will require risking the entire heating system.
Help: As you know, even radiation does not kill pests. In reality this is not the case. The dose of radiation that an insect can withstand is 15 times greater than that of a human, and yet it is not infinite. If an insect is irradiated for a long time or strongly, it will also die.
Cockroaches without a head
No less interesting is how long domestic headless cockroaches live. Scientists have found that the arthropod pest can live without a head for 9 days. Especially for this purpose, American scientists conducted various experiments and studies. Since the nervous and circulatory systems are connected to the brain only conditionally, the loss of the head will not significantly affect the condition of the insect. Once the head is cut off, the neck vessels are carefully sealed. At the same time, the circulatory system continues to function without disturbances.
Since the respiratory system of an arthropod pest is not connected to the head, its absence has minimal impact on the state of the insect’s body. Small tracheas and spiracles are used to enrich the body with oxygen, which is why a headless cockroach lives for about a week. Since suffocation does not provoke decapitation, this method is not suitable for destruction. Therefore, information about how long a cockroach can live without a head should be taken into account, but it should not be used during the extermination process.
The lifespan of a headless cockroach also depends on the conditions in which the arthropod pest lives. If the room is warm, this period increases.
Who lives in your kitchen?
two species live near us : black and red . Not to say that they are very different from each other in habits and diet:
- eat human food from the table;
- suffer the same infections;
- live in large colonies;
- reproduce using oothecae, that is, capsules for storing eggs;
- they look disgusting.
The last point is so relevant that some people feel disgusted even when viewing photographs with parasites.
Interesting. There is a real war between these species for our kitchens. It consists of eating the eggs of competitors. Moreover, red cockroaches clearly have the upper hand - black ones are becoming less and less common to people.
Appearance and dimensions
Our most popular red Prussians rarely grow more than 3 centimeters . The reason is not that they die quickly due to competition with other species, but that they die quickly due to numerous insecticides used by humans.
If not for them, the size of these insects could reach 3.5-4 cm . But even if you completely exclude all poisons from cockroach life, they still couldn’t grow any more - by nature their metabolism is too slow, which does not allow their body to grow.
Black pests, which are becoming less and less common, are much larger. An elderly insect can grow its body up to 8 centimeters , which is a serious indicator even for some tropical species.
But they don’t have much chance of mass distribution in the future - red-haired competitors eat their offspring , they reproduce too quickly . In addition, black cockroaches are more sensitive to poisons.
Reference. The larva (nymph) immediately after birth measures about 3 mm in length. This indicator is typical for all house varieties.
What is the chitinous layer?
This is a kind of shell that protects against adverse external influences. Almost all insects have it, and it provides good security, but only by the standards of the microcosm. Not a single cockroach can withstand a blow from a slipper, even if it has three layers of chitin. Its main functions:
- blocking harmful substances;
- protection of internal organs from the jaws of competitors;
- salvation from heat and cold.
But there is one circumstance that makes this shell deadly not only for each individual individual, but also for the entire colony as a whole - it is quite sticky. When an insect crawls over a layer of insecticide, for example, Mashenka chalk, the poison particles will definitely stick to the body. This will end with the entire population becoming infected, which will lead to its extinction.
Do cockroaches have wings?
Eat! can also some functions They occupy approximately two-thirds of the body in the rear part. The insect just doesn’t flap them like that; most of the time these wings (by the way, very nasty in appearance) are located under a durable chitinous shield, which is raised if necessary.
But cockroaches do not develop wings right away. Immediately after birth, the nymph (larva) has soft chitin that is easily crushed. Over time, the cockroach molts and grows . Its shell hardens, but in place of some plates in the back of the body . This happens around the 10th week of life, and under favorable conditions even earlier.
So, there are wings, that's it. But can cockroaches fly and why does it need wings? Yes they can. But we don’t have such ones, the sky is the province of tropical species, and even then not all. The Prussians we are used to can do this :
- glide through the air to escape danger;
- make big jumps, similar to flights, closer to food and water;
- attract representatives of the opposite sex as part of mating games;
- fly into the air during battles with competitors.
But this happens rarely. He needs relatively little food and water, the cockroach does not need light, and he does not find himself in serious danger every day. In addition, from a threat it is easier for him to “sneak” into a small crack than to fly - this is not entirely natural for the Prussians.
Life expectancy of red cockroaches
How long cockroaches, popularly called “red” or “Prussians,” live, provided that they do not experience problems with food, depends largely on the air temperature in the place where they live. The most optimal temperature is around twenty degrees. Taking into account the larval stage of life, in a comfortable environment cockroaches are able to live for a year, leaving decent offspring during their existence.
Lifespan of black cockroaches
Effect of temperature on insects
Temperature influences the activity of barbels. Arthropod pests are attracted to warmth, which is why they move into apartments and country houses. Insects are active if the temperature varies in the range of +2 - +28 degrees. It’s always warm in living quarters, which is why Prussians settle next to people.
To reduce the life expectancy of cockroaches, it is necessary to reduce the temperature in the apartment to -5 degrees. Within half an hour, the vital functions of the barbels slow down and stop completely. If the temperature drops to -10 - -15 degrees, then the death of the Prussians occurs much faster.
High temperature also has an impact on the life processes of arthropod pests. If you raise the temperature to 28–30 degrees, the barbel will begin to lose moisture, which is difficult for them to do without. Therefore, some housewives use boiling water to fight.
How to prevent insects
Cockroaches can appear in the house for various reasons. They run from neighboring apartments, enter the apartment with products or equipment purchased in the store, and crawl along risers from basements and boiler rooms.
The life cycle of insects is closely related to water, food and external temperature, so to reduce the likelihood of cockroaches you need to:
- Use tightly closed containers for storing food and do not leave them in the open;
- cover the ventilation holes with nets, treat cracks and crevices;
- use a trash can with a sealed lid and take out the trash daily;
- water the flowers in the first half of the day so that the liquid from the trays has time to evaporate before the evening;
- wash dishes immediately after use, carefully removing any remaining food and grease from the sink;
- Wipe kitchen surfaces and plumbing fixtures dry, and make sure that no water drips from the taps.
In addition, it is important to regularly clean and ventilate the room. In unsanitary conditions, insects multiply faster, so keeping your apartment clean is the best preventive measure against cockroaches.
Proven remedies
Considering that the average lifespan of longhorned beetles is 6 months, their population in an apartment or country house is rapidly increasing. To prevent such an outcome, it is necessary to destroy arthropod pests.
Among the means used for the fight are:
- Insecticidal drugs. They are sold in agricultural and specialty stores. These drugs include aerosols, tablets, gels and powders. They differ in composition, properties and effectiveness.
- Boric acid. This component is used when preparing baits at home. Boric acid is mixed with egg yolk, boiled potatoes or sugar. Sometimes vegetable or baby oil is added to the mixture, which has an attractive aroma.
- Compositions that have a pungent odor. So, housewives use vinegar or essential oils. They are introduced into water, which is used to clean surfaces in the apartment.
The lifespan of cockroach-like insects depends on the conditions in the apartment and the availability of food and water. If you consider how long an insect lives without water or organic matter, it is easier to destroy it.
The most common types of cockroaches and their lifespan
In this article I would like to highlight 3 types of cockroaches, which are one of the most common, while only 2 species live within our territorial borders:
- A red-haired cockroach or a Russian cockroach - perhaps most apartment residents are familiar with these nosy reddish or brown scoundrels. Prussians live on the second floor and above, deftly moving through ventilation airlocks, thanks to which they are able to crawl into almost any apartment. The average lifespan of red cockroaches is approximately 10 months, provided that the insect is in a favorable environment and has access to water and food.
- Black or basement cockroach - their main distinguishing feature is their black color, more massive body and the fact that they live only in basements and not above the first floor. The lifespan of black cockroaches is somewhat shorter than their red relatives; on average, they live about 8 months.
- American cockroach - this species is practically not found in our latitudes, but compared to the first two it has significant differences. First of all, American cockroaches are much larger, and on average they live for about 2-3 years.
Head: is it needed or not?
No matter how strange and wild it may sound, but yes, a cockroach can live without a head. Just like the head itself without it. Of course, it is difficult to believe in this simply because everyone knows what happens to a person if he is beheaded. But with cockroaches the situation is much different.
American scientists confirmed this. They carefully decapitated the cockroach, sealed the joint between the body and head with wax, and then placed the body and head in a special solution. And what a surprise the scientists were when, in addition to the body, the head also lived! It is quite simple to explain this in human language.
A cockroach's body systems are different from those of humans. For example, their circulatory system is open without capillaries, so if you tear the head away from the body, the vessels will simply become clogged with coagulated blood and continue to function.
In order to breathe, a person still needs a head, because it contains a nose and a mouth. But for a cockroach this is not necessary. His body is dotted with a huge number of tracheas, through which he breathes. The head does not take part in this process.
A cockroach can even live without a head, but not for long
Factors influencing the life of cockroaches
Life expectancy is influenced by environmental conditions and how cockroaches live: temperature, amount of water and food.
The answer to the question of how long cockroaches live without food may surprise many, because they can easily survive for a long time without food:
- “red” individuals – 40-50 days;
- black – up to 70.
This is explained by the structure of the body. Insects are cold-blooded, so they do not need energy to warm their bodies, and if there is a lack of food, they simply wait for a more favorable moment to feed. Therefore, the period of how many days cockroaches live without food can be so long.
Cockroach and food
Interesting!
The only thing that can kill a cockroach during prolonged fasting is infection by mold or other microorganisms.
Temperature conditions are of great importance for life: optimally +20ºС and above, but they cannot withstand the cold: already at -1 ºС the parasites die, which is often used in the fight against cockroaches, using freezing of the room.
Gender and life expectancy
Whether it will surprise you or not, depending on what gender an insect belongs to, its lifespan varies significantly. Thus, female cockroaches usually live slightly longer than males, performing the most important role - breeding offspring. If we relate gender to the type of cockroach, the difference in life expectancy will be as follows:
- Prussians - the male lives on average about 8-9 months, while the female lives up to 10-12 months;
- black cockroaches - males can live 7-8 months, but the average life expectancy of a female is approximately 8-10 months;
- American cockroach - they are real long-livers, because the average lifespan of a male is approximately 2 years, but the female is able to overcome the barrier of 3 years and even live up to 4 years.
Description of the insect
It is perhaps difficult to find a person who does not know what an ordinary domestic cockroach looks like. Even if fate saved someone from personal acquaintance with these insects, then, probably, everyone in childhood read the fairy tale “The Cockroach” or watched a cartoon based on it.
So, what does an ordinary domestic cockroach look like and what is it like? First of all, a cockroach is an insect belonging to the order Cockroach. In addition to it, termites also belong to the same order, and in total there are more than 7570 species. Moreover, there are more than 4,640 species of real cockroaches alone.
The world's largest cockroaches live in Colombia and reach a length of 97 mm and a width of 45 mm. These giants crawl faster than all insects - at a speed of over 4 km/h.
Three hundred million years ago, cockroaches already lived on our planet. They crawled among the giant horsetails and mosses of the Carboniferous period, and now some of these unimaginably ancient creatures live alongside people.
During the day they hide in cracks, and at night they crawl out for food - bread crumbs, kitchen waste, not necessarily fresh. For lack of anything better, they can chew a dry rag, shoe polish, or drink ink. Their intestines, like those of their termite relatives, contain protozoa that help them digest this non-nutritive food.
Types of cockroaches
The most common “tenants” in human housing are the red cockroach (Prusak) and the black cockroach, the population of which had greatly thinned out by the beginning of the 21st century.
Red cockroach
Also known as Prusak. This insect received its second name because in Russia it was considered to come from Prussia, which is not at all true. In fact, the homeland of red cockroaches is not Germany or even Europe, but... southern Asia. It was from there that this insect came to European countries in the 18th century and, having chosen human dwellings as its habitat, began to actively reproduce, so much so that it soon supplanted its main “competitor” - the black cockroach.
The body length of an adult is from 1 to 1.6 cm. Both males and females of this species have very well developed wings, thanks to which cockroaches can glide, although they cannot truly fly.
The body of males is narrower than that of females, and the wings of males do not cover the last segments of the abdomen. The color of the red cockroach, strictly speaking, is not entirely red, but rather brownish in a variety of shades, sometimes they can even be almost black.
Prussians are omnivores: in addition to the “traditional” cockroach food - the remains of human food, they can eat paper, leather, textiles, wood glue, and will not even refuse ordinary soap if they do not come across any other food. But their most favorite delicacies are bread, pastries, as well as sugar and various sweets. The cockroach does not disdain meat or porridge, but he does not like fruit too much, although he eats them if there is nothing else available, and the freshness and quality of the fruit does not bother him too much.
Black beetle
Nowadays it is not such a frequent visitor to our homes, but in the past it was very common. Noticeably larger than the red cockroach: the length of an adult insect can be from 2 to 8 cm. The color is either black-brown or tar-brown with a pronounced metallic sheen. The males of this species have longer wings than the females, but black cockroaches cannot fly or even glide. But they run very fast. So quickly that before you have time to look back, there is no trace of him.
THIS IS INTERESTING! In Germany and the Czech Republic, black cockroaches are called “Swabians”, since they believe that these insects were brought from Swabia, an area in southern Germany.
