Cockroaches - species, lifestyle, habitat and behavior

Cockroaches, or cockroaches, (lat. Blattoptera, or Blattodea) are an order of insects from the superorder Cockroach.

Cockroaches reproduce quickly and adapt to any living conditions, which is why they managed to survive many cataclysms on the planet, and they appeared in ancient times. Having undergone changes in appearance and lifestyle, they managed to survive to this day. Today they live everywhere, even in cold climates, where they have learned to coexist with humans in living quarters.

Cockroaches in houses and apartments

These guests are extremely undesirable in houses and apartments, as they carry dangerous diseases. Their appearance and the growing number of individuals in the population frighten people and make them want to get rid of cockroaches in the apartment as soon as possible.

Everyone has encountered these creatures at least once in their lives, but people know very little about them. In fact, only a few species of cockroaches can cohabit with humans, and their habits, reproduction and lifestyle are very interesting, and even if the insects inevitably die, knowledge about their characteristics will allow you to choose the most effective methods of control.

The best treat

These insects are often bred to feed fish, reptiles, and spiders. They multiply quickly, eat everything, don’t get sick, and completely survive. Cockroaches are loved by certain types of scorpions, cats, hedgehogs, hamsters, large lizards, frogs, chickens and even ants (they disassemble dead individuals into pieces).

But the most promising direction is cockroaches as a source of protein. In terms of the content of this nutritional component, they are 3 times higher than chicken. In China, they love fried crunchies sprinkled with sugar.

The main synanthropic species of cockroaches

The diversity of cockroaches includes several thousand species and varieties, but only a few of them are able to live in apartment conditions, and even fewer are resistant to methods of combating them.

Adapting or escaping to another place, they continue to live next to a person, use his home and eat leftover food.

Favorable factors for cockroaches living in residential premises:

• constant air temperature about +25 degrees;
• high humidity, dampness;
• darkened places in the home: behind furniture, baseboards, in cracks; it is especially comfortable for insects to live behind the refrigerator;
• availability of food and water.

If these pests have settled in such a room, it will be very difficult to remove them. Tropical conditions in the house allow insects to actively reproduce, increasing their offspring tens and even hundreds of times annually.

Habitats

Scientists believe that cockroaches appeared on the planet long before dinosaurs. The insects managed to survive the giants and wait for humans to appear. Since then, little bugs have chosen human housing, because it is nourishing, warm and cozy.

The main criterion for the life of Prussians is food and moisture. Therefore, they settle in the bathroom or kitchen, hide in a cupboard, under a ventilation grill, behind a sink, or a refrigerator.

Cockroach “dwellings” are detected by numerous feces, remains after molting, and the presence of larvae. If barbels allow themselves to run around the apartment during the daytime, then there are too many of them.

Shape and body structure of a cockroach

Cockroaches are insects from the order Cockroaches. They all have a similar body structure: an oval-shaped and flat abdomen, a pair of antennae and three pairs of legs with spines and developed muscles. The eyes are located on the sides of the head and see in all directions. Vision in some species is atrophied. Individuals of synanthropic pests do not fly; in rare cases, males can make short flights or dive from a height, softening the fall by spreading their wings. Thin and mesh wings are hidden under dense elytra; in some individuals the flying apparatus is small or completely absent. Pests have powerful jaws - this feature allows them to eat any solid food.

The abdomen is segmented and can consist of 8-10 parts, each of which has its own nerve nodes, for this reason the insect is able to control the body even without a head. The outermost segment of the abdomen has outgrowths - cerci. They testify to the ancient origin of these living creatures. The structural features of the legs allow you to move freely along vertical planes and quickly change the direction of movement.

The prehensile foot of a cockroach under a microscope

Prusak cockroach - an ordinary red cockroach

Most often, red cockroaches - Prussians - live next to humans. Their population in the wild is several times smaller than at home. The Prusak is the smallest of all synanthropic insects, the total length of the insect is no more than 10-15 mm. They move very quickly, making them difficult to catch. The wings are well developed, slightly longer than the body, however, Prussians do not fly. They can be identified by their characteristic red color and dark brown stripes along the body. Another distinctive feature is their long whiskers, which help them navigate in space and find food and water. The body is covered with a chitinous shell, which protects it from light blows.

Red domestic cockroach - Prusak

In Russia, the red pest is called German - this is due to its supposed place of origin. However, in Germany it is called Russian for a similar reason. Even in Russia, such cockroaches are called Stasiks. Currently, Prussians are widespread everywhere. They choose dark and warm places to live with a sufficient amount of food and water; most often they settle in the kitchen and bathroom, near sinks and in cabinets.

For what reasons do they appear?

The Prussian cockroach chooses human housing for habitat and population growth, since this insect cannot exist under conditions where the temperature is less than five and more than twenty-five degrees.

The main reasons for the rapid spread of parasites in an apartment are: the presence of a large amount of food debris and moisture. Accordingly, in order to somewhat reduce the growth of the colony, it is necessary to maintain the cleanliness of the home.

Black cockroaches

The second most common representative of cockroaches in apartments is black. The population grows more slowly than that of redheads - this is due to individuals eating their own clutches of eggs and a later period of sexual maturity. Their body size is from 20 to 50 mm. Females are larger than males. They are distinguished by black or dark gray color with a metallic tint. They have developed wings; in males they are equal to the length of the body, in females they are half as long. Males use the aircraft for its intended purpose and can make short flights; the function of these body parts in females is to demonstrate readiness for fertilization. Representatives of black pests have an unpleasant characteristic odor. The chitinous shell is strong and it is quite difficult to crush an insect.

In the photo - a black cockroach

They prefer rooms with moderate temperatures and high humidity. Favorite habitats are sewers and basements, sometimes they live in bathrooms. They settle in living rooms only when the population reaches several hundred.

Comparison of black and red cockroaches - differences in the photo

American cockroach

In appearance, the American cockroach is similar to the Prussian cockroach. It has the same red or brown color on its belly and wings. They can be distinguished from other relatives by their size; they are large, up to 50 mm in length, and by dark brown spots on their bodies. The wings of males exceed the size of the abdomen, while those of females are slightly shortened. They can fly and jump. Long whiskers allow them to find food and detect air vibrations.

The American cockroach looks similar to the red Prusak

They settle mainly in sewers, heating mains and basements. They spread into apartments through ventilation shafts. They move very quickly, up to 75 cm per second.

The homeland of the American cockroach is Africa, from there it moved to North and South America, and then came to Europe. They are not often found in Russia; the more tenacious and prolific Prussians displace them from their habitats.

Other types of cockroaches

There are several more representatives of the squad who, although rarely, appear in apartments. They come from other countries and settle in a limited area, as a rule, in the southern regions of Russia, where the climate is warmer:

• Turkmen or Central Asian cockroach - has a brown color, turning into black towards the back of the body, there are no wings, the body is elongated.
• The Egyptian cockroach is painted in a rich black color, the body shape is close to round.

Separately, furniture cockroaches should be highlighted. They were discovered relatively recently, just a few decades ago. A distinctive feature of these creatures is their light, uneven color - on their abdomen all shades of brown in the form of spots or stripes.

They feed on paper, fabrics, glue, and because of this they often settle in libraries, bedrooms or offices. They mostly live in central Russia.

Reproduction of cockroaches

The reproduction speed of these creatures can be the envy of many other insects. A large number of eggs in a clutch and a short period of reaching sexual maturity, under favorable living conditions, ensure a population growth of tens and hundreds of times a year. Reproduction occurs sexually throughout the year. During their life, cockroaches go through several stages of development and repeatedly change their appearance beyond recognition.

Individuals of different sexes. Males are always smaller in size than females, but their wings are better developed and enable them to fly. The female body is denser. The outermost segment of the male's abdomen has a genital plate.

Fertilization and gestation in cockroaches

Sexual maturity occurs as soon as the insect reaches the appearance of an adult. Fertilization is preceded by peculiar mating games. The female produces pheromones, attracting males and informing them that she is ready to bear eggs. Males of some species engage in battles for the right to fertilize a female, spread their wings and demonstrate their flight capabilities. Females also use small wings to attract attention by shaking them.

During fertilization, the male transfers genetic information to the female, which can be stored in her body for a long time and used for subsequent fertilization. The development of the offspring begins in a special capsule called the ooteca. Depending on the type of insect, the ootheca may be located outside the mother’s body on her abdomen, or located inside her until the larvae form. Before hatching, the female sheds her ootheca in a protected place. The capsule must always be moist during the development of eggs and larvae; drying out leads to the death of the offspring. Some representatives of the order are viviparous, the eggs are inside the mother and fully viable larvae are born. Depending on the species, mothers can care for the offspring after hatching or, relieving the swelling, permanently break the connection with them. From the laying of the capsule to the appearance of the larvae, an average of 3–4 weeks passes.

Fertility of cockroaches

During the entire life cycle, the female can lay larvae 4–6 times. Each ootheca of the Prussian contains about 30 eggs, black up to 18. One female is capable of bringing from 20 to 200 larvae in her entire life.

The total offspring of one female individual during the year can reach values ​​of several thousand. The greatest fertility is inherent in the Prussian - up to 300 thousand individuals per year. The black one lays about half as many eggs. The American one reproduces much more slowly - only 800 larvae per year.

Development of cockroaches - from egg to adult

Over the entire period of life, these living creatures go through three phases of transformation. The process of these changes is called metamorphosis.

1. Egg - formed in edema, the period lasts 3-4 weeks, a larva develops in each egg.
2. Larva (nymph) – the period from birth to the acquisition of the form of an adult insect. Immediately after hatching, the larva is white, but very quickly turns brown and its shell hardens. At this stage, there are no wings, but the insect already looks like its parents. Nymphs molt up to 6 times, with each subsequent time they acquire more and more characteristics of an adult. The length of the period depends on the species and varies from several weeks to two years.
3. An adult (imago) is the stage of sexual maturity and readiness for reproduction. Further, the pests do not change their appearance until the end of their life cycle.

What is the purpose of these insects

Why are cockroaches needed? These insects have existed on Earth for more than one million years, therefore, the assumption that the only purpose of these insects is to parasitize a person’s home is fundamentally wrong.

Cockroaches, belonging to almost all species, destroy smaller parasitic insects, for example, bedbugs and various larvae.

Thus, they may well bring not only harm, but also benefit.

How long do cockroaches live?

There is a lot of controversy about the lifespan of these creatures - this is due to the fact that it is different for each species. Red Prussians live about a year, black ones - a maximum of 2 years, American Prussians live a little over a year as adults.

The duration of the stages of metamorphosis can vary not only from species to species, but also depending on conditions. Lowering the temperature and limiting nutrition can delay the development of eggs and nymphs indefinitely.

The lack of food can significantly shorten the lifespan of adult creatures, but even under these conditions, Prussians exist for about another month, after which they begin to eat their relatives or bite people, pinching off pieces of skin. Blacks can go without food for up to two months, but they never attack their own kind, dooming the entire population to death. Long-term survival without food is due to a very slow metabolism. The lack of water is more destructive for cockroaches; without it, pests can live no more than a week. A drop in temperature below zero shortens the life of insects to several hours.

Insect lifespan

So, how many years or days do cockroaches live? The lifespan of most species is no more than a year. Among this large group, the longest-livers are the large American ones - given favorable conditions, their life expectancy can be up to three years.

How long do cockroaches live?

Probably, almost everyone who has encountered these unpleasant parasites is interested in the question of how long do domestic cockroaches live. If there is enough food, water, and optimal temperature conditions, life expectancy can be up to one year.

Moreover, only eight out of twelve months the insect is in the adult stage.

Video

Cockroaches live even without a head

How long can domestic cockroaches live without food and water?

How long do cockroaches live without food, water, or air? Since these representatives of the insect world are cold-blooded, they can easily live without food for at least two months, and often much longer. The main thing for them is the availability of water.

Without sufficient moisture, parasites can survive for no more than a week.

As for air, according to studies, insects can hold their breath for half an hour or more.

However, a longer absence of air is disastrous for them.

Lifestyle and behavior of cockroaches

All cockroaches are nocturnal, and only with the cover of darkness do they leave their shelters in search of food. If pests appear during the day, it means that there are a large number of them and the population is experiencing an acute lack of food or moisture. During daylight hours, these creatures hide in dark places.

Cockroaches live in large groups, but in their population there is no distribution of roles like termites. However, scientists have experimentally proven that they make joint decisions, for example, about where to migrate. When the population’s place of residence becomes crowded, they divide into two groups and go in search of a new home. According to another study, the majority obeys the decisions of individuals.

In case of danger, which these creatures can notice with the help of vision and antennae, insects prefer to flee. During the day, pests are most vulnerable, so at this time of day they stay in cracks and corners.

A little exotic

As a rule, cockroaches cause a feeling of disgust and danger in humans. Despite this, there are families of cockroaches whose representatives are kept at home as pets.

Some decorative insects are very interesting in color. The chess beetle is one of the pets, so named because its coloring resembles a chessboard.

Leads a nocturnal lifestyle. During the day it hides in a shelter, and at night it actively moves around the house.

Death's head cockroach

The “Death's Head” cockroach is no less popular among exotic lovers. It got its name because it has a very interesting pattern on its back, reminiscent of a scary mask. This insect is capable of long flights.

Madagascar cockroach

The Madagascar cockroach is an amazing insect that can grow up to 10 cm in length. In addition, this is the only type of cockroach that can make sounds in the form of a loud hiss.

At the same time, experts claim that this insect breathes like this, making sounds.

Rhino cockroach

The rhinoceros beetle is another unique representative of this numerous genus of insects. Their uniqueness lies in the fact that they weigh up to 40 grams and are able to live for at least 10 years.

Where do cockroaches live and hide?

The love of cockroaches for warmth, darkness and dampness has determined their main places of residence. In addition to kitchens and bathrooms in residential apartments, they are attracted to warehouses, pantries, shops, public catering places, hospital wards, basements, ventilation shafts, through which they most often enter apartments and garbage chutes.

In an apartment, you can find hiding representatives of the population behind baseboards, in closets, under wallpaper, under parquet, linoleum, near trash cans, in cracks next to the water supply, under the sink - in these places they feel most comfortable. Only growing numbers and lack of food force them to explore new territories.

For example, the following photo shows cockroaches on the window of an apartment littered with a bunch of garbage and unnecessary things. The owner brought everything from the trash heap into the house, so they moved to all the residents of this house, expanding their borders.

To effectively fight cockroaches, you need to understand where they come from and start at the source. If they are running away from their neighbors, you will have to persuade them to treat the premises and maybe even give them a bottle of Dichlorvos, while simultaneously treating your home. If cockroaches have settled in the basement, entrance or garbage chute, you must immediately submit a request to the SES to treat the entire entrance and basement.

How to get rid

If small cockroaches appear in the apartment, measures should be taken immediately to destroy them. It is best to choose insecticidal products intended for treating the premises. The toxic substances they contain quickly destroy parasites, their larvae, and eggs.

When carrying out processing, it is important to take precautions, as there is a possibility of poisoning with toxic products.

Chemicals

To get rid of small cockroaches in an apartment, it is recommended to use any insecticide that contains toxic substances that have a detrimental effect on the parasites. There are a lot of similar products on the modern market.

The most popular are the following:

• Traps. The simplest, safest way to remove parasites. There are several types of traps, for example, glue, electric, toxic. Their essence, regardless of type, is simple. There is a bait inside the device. Penetrating into the trap, the pest sticks to its walls or is destroyed by a small discharge of electric current. The method is safe for people and pets.
• Powders, dusts, crayons. These products are effective in killing a small number of insects. They can be used to prevent infection of the apartment. The selected substance should be applied to the areas where the parasites are located. You can, for example, treat the ventilation grille and the space behind the furniture. A significant disadvantage is the lack of negative effects on the larvae and eggs of parasites.
• Gels. One of the most effective means designed to combat cockroaches. Gels are applied in small portions to places where parasites accumulate, quickly destroying even a large population.
• Aerosols. Aerosols can quickly kill adult parasites, but they do not have a negative effect on the eggs. To remove pests, it is important to re-treat the premises two weeks after completing the first one.
• Ultrasonic repellers. This is the most effective, completely safe device that will help remove parasites and prevent their reappearance. The repeller produces a sound that is extremely unpleasant for pests, which forces them to move far around the room. The range of most devices of this type is at least two hundred meters, respectively, with their help you can protect several apartments in one house.

To prevent the reappearance of parasites, it is recommended to leave traps in the public domain.

Application of insecticides

How to get rid of cockroaches quickly? The most universal and effective way to control household pests is the use of toxic chemicals. The main advantage of insecticides is their total effect on insects: settling on the legs of cockroaches, they penetrate into hard-to-reach places. To carry out such a procedure, a special team is often hired, which treats the premises with the help of professional preparations. Having decided to get rid of the Prussians in this way, on the day of disinfestation it is necessary to remove all household members and pets from the apartment. After treatment, the house must be wet cleaned and all rooms thoroughly ventilated.

It is recommended to resort to the help of professionals if the room is very large and there is a large concentration of cockroaches in it. Most often, SES is called to food processing departments, dormitories and apartment buildings. As for the independent use of insecticidal preparations, this must be done when several small rooms need treatment. Insecticides are available in several forms:

1. Sprays. They should be sprayed in places where cockroaches are expected to live: in bedside tables, under sinks, behind cabinets, around baseboards, behind carpets. The effectiveness of toxic substances in the form of sprays is due to their penetration into the respiratory tract of the insect.
2. Powders. Powdered insecticides must be scattered in places where cockroaches move and accumulate. Children or pets should never be allowed to have access to these powders. You need to hide them under carpets, bedside tables, etc. Well-known insecticidal powders are the following: Pyrethrum, Oradelt, Phenax, Insorbcide.
3. Pencils. Processing an apartment with a pencil is carried out in almost the same way as with powder. The main difference is the ability to apply the pencil to vertical surfaces. In addition, it allows you to limit the movement of cockroaches.

The most effective and popular means for self-extermination of pests include:

• Raid;
• Raptor;
• Dichlorvos;
• Combat;
• Regent;
• Microfos;
• Global

Folk remedies

If a small number of parasites appear, you can use safe folk remedies, for example:

• Alabaster. To prepare a mixture that is destructive for small cockroaches, carefully mix alabaster and any flour in similar proportions. Place the resulting powder in secluded corners of the apartment. After this mixture enters the insect’s body, the parasite’s insides literally stick together, resulting in its death.
• Boric acid. It is recommended to mix the powder of this substance with pre-boiled, crushed chicken egg yolk. If the mass is not flexible enough, you can add a little water. When the mixture acquires the consistency of dough, you should make small balls out of it, which are placed in secluded places. This method will allow you to quickly get rid of even a large number of parasites.
• A method of cooling or cooling a room. Cockroaches cannot tolerate low temperatures. You can get rid of them if you open the windows, turn off the heating, and then leave the room for a couple of days. It is recommended to use this method with caution, as there is a possibility of damage to the radiators.

It is important to know that using the above methods will not get rid of a large number of mustachioed pests.

Beer

You can insidiously take advantage of the love of cockroaches for beer by pouring a small amount into the bottom of a jar, greasing the inner edges of the glass container with Vaseline and leaving it in the place where the insects are supposed to live. The next morning the jar will be filled with cockroaches. With this method, only those specimens that crawl out of their holes will die. Females involved in laying eggs and packing them into the ooteca, a special chamber at the end of the abdomen, will remain inside and are guaranteed to ensure the appearance of new offspring instead of the destroyed ones.

Anise

People often use this herb for medicinal purposes as an expectorant, antipyretic and analgesic. And cockroaches cannot stand its smell - as soon as the barbels smell an unpleasant aroma, they will try to leave such a room as quickly as possible.

Dry herbs can be easily purchased at any pharmacy; alternatively, you can use essential oils or anise drops.

Mint

This plant is usually used to brew tea; people really like its delicate sweet aroma. But among the Prussians it causes panic and a feeling of fear. If, after removing the longhorned beetles, you notice that they are coming back again, try growing mint directly on the windowsills. Its smell will spread throughout the kitchen and the Prussians will no longer want to come to such a house again.

Cedar

Cedar oil exudes a subtle velvety aroma that every person likes, but not cockroaches. Cedar oil helps in the fight against insects. You can also fill a vase with pine cones and place it on the windowsill.

This way you can solve two problems at once - scare away pests and create a stylish element of decor in the room.

Tansy

A plant with small yellow flowers and a sharp, specific aroma. It has a high repellent effect, so mosquitoes, flies and even mice leave the house after cockroaches.

Owners of private houses often grow tansy around the perimeter of their home, and dry the dry grass along with flowers and distribute them in bunches around the kitchen. However, this plant not only has medicinal properties - if consumed in excess, it can become poisonous. Therefore, care must be taken to ensure that children and incapacitated adults do not come into contact with this herb.

Honeysuckle

This crop can be found in the wild and in gardens. The pleasant smell has a very beneficial effect on the human nervous system, so it is often used as a sedative for depression and stress.

However, it has the exact opposite effect on cockroaches, causing them to have panic attacks.

Vinegar

Vinegar has a pungent odor, so it is used to drive all pests out of the kitchen. A solution that includes this substance is used to treat tables and shelves in the kitchen. For prevention, effective folk remedies that include vinegar are being used more and more often.

The vinegar composition is used to treat ventilation shafts and grilles, window openings, and baseboards. After this, the room is sealed to kill all insects.

The treated room is ventilated to get rid of the unpleasant odor.

Geranium

Housewives are wondering why insects do not appear in rooms where geraniums grow on windowsills. This plant has a special smell that Prussians and other insects cannot tolerate.

Pyrethrum

Pharmacies sell powder such as pyrethrum. It is distributed in large containers. It contains pre-dried and crushed chamomile inflorescences. After purchase, bags are prepared using gauze, which are small in size. They are filled with dried vegetation.

Bags of crushed chamomile are scattered around the kitchen. This plant has a rich aroma that repels pests.

The duration of use of folk remedies depends on how large the population is in the house.

Chilling and scaring method

Cockroaches do not like low temperatures: at -5 oC they go into suspended animation, at -50 oC they live only 30 minutes, at -70 oC they die in a minute. Therefore, in ancient times, in the villages they were driven out by the cold, so to speak, they were cold out: in winter they did not heat the hut for two or three days, they went to spend the night with their neighbors.

In order to prevent cockroaches from entering your own territory, it is recommended to use substances that repel them. These are fresh cucumber peelings or green bay leaves.

Electronic means

Today, the electronic cockroach repeller is in great demand, and you can find conflicting reviews on the Internet. This safe, effective, modern device helps repel insects from your home. Safe for children and pets. There is no chemical impact on the apartment, does not require the purchase of batteries, and does not require special care.

Pests do not develop a habit of using an electronic repeller; it always has an effect on them. Outgoing impulses affect the nervous system of pests and create an atmosphere that is not comfortable for pests. The device does not kill insects, but forces them to leave the room.

Advantages of an electronic device:

1. Electromagnetic pulses cover an area of ​​up to 200 sq.m.
2. Ultrasonic effects are heard only by harmful insects and rodents.
3. The device is easy and safe to use: you just need to plug it into a power outlet. An electronic cockroach repeller will keep the atmosphere of your home unpolluted and fresh.

What do cockroaches eat?

Cockroaches are omnivores; anything can serve as food for them. They are especially attracted to:

• fresh and spoiled food, even table crumbs;
• sweets;
• flour products;
• paper, including wallpaper, books;
• pieces of furniture;
• cloth;
• soap.

An indispensable condition for cockroaches to live is water. If she is not there, they will quickly leave the room. That is why, in order to remove cockroaches from the house, you must first cut off their access to water and food. Do not leave crumbs on the table or dirty dishes in the sink. At night, the sink and dishes should be wiped dry, and all food should be securely packaged and hidden in places inaccessible to insects.

In some cases, when there is an acute shortage of food, aggressive individuals can attack a person, feeding on particles of his skin and leaving harmful microbes for last (this happens extremely rarely). The Prussians are characterized by cannibalism.

Prevention measures

To prevent the appearance and reproduction of domestic cockroaches, the following rules must be observed:

• maintain cleanliness;
• block access to the trash can;
• Wipe sinks, countertops and work areas in the kitchen dry;
• turn on the water taps tightly;
• cover the exhaust ventilation grilles with fine mesh or medical gauze;
• store food in closed containers and containers;
• carry out preventive treatment of places most visited by cockroaches.

Getting rid of insects in apartment buildings, especially if there is an equipped garbage chute, is quite difficult.

Note! The most effective means of exterminating domestic cockroaches is the use of modern chemicals made on the basis of highly toxic substances that are destructive to insects and their offspring. The fight should be carried out jointly with neighbors, both for the purpose of prevention and to completely clean the premises from parasitic insects.