How does a cockroach's heart beat and where is its brain located?


Classification

The structural features of cockroaches determine their systematic position. These animals are representatives of the Arthropoda phylum, the Tracheinobreathing subtype, the Insect class, and the Cockroach order.

Like other representatives of this systematic unit, their characteristic features are the presence of three parts of the body - the head, trunk and abdomen, a fat body in the cavity, striated muscles and an exoskeleton in the form of a cuticle.

Taxonomy and representatives of the class

The phylum Arthropods includes the class Insects. Insects are divided into two groups - species with complete transformation and species with incomplete transformation.

Complete transformation Incomplete transformation
General scheme Egg – larva – pupa – adult animal (imago) Egg – larva – adult animal (imago)
Group characteristics
  • The larvae are different in appearance from the adults.
  • The larvae do not have compound eyes or limbs.
  • Adults and larvae have different oral apparatus, which reduces their competition with each other.
  • The pupa is motionless and does not feed.
  • Inside the pupa, larval tissues are destroyed, with the exception of the nervous system, gonad rudiments and imaginal discs, and adult tissues are formed.
  • The larvae are similar in appearance to the adults, but are smaller in size.
  • The larvae live in the same place as the adults and feed on the same food.
Representatives Butterflies, beetles, flies, bees, etc. Cockroaches, bedbugs, lice, orthoptera, etc.


Rice. 1 Complete and incomplete transformation of insects

The class includes many units that can be divided into two groups.

Units with incomplete conversion:

  • Orthoptera (grasshoppers, locusts);
  • Cockroaches (black cockroach, Prussians);
  • Termites (termites);
  • Lice (head louse);
  • Bugs (turtle bugs);
  • Dragonflies (damselflies).

Units with full transformation:

  • Hard-winged insects (ladybug, cockchafer);
  • Squamoptera (silkworms, moths);
  • Diptera (long-whiskered - mosquitoes, midges, and short-whiskered - flies, gadflies).

Etymology

The name of this insect appears in several languages. At the moment, scientists have not been able to establish the exact origin of this word. Translated from Chuvash it is translated as “running away.” And this is no coincidence. Cockroaches hold the record for the fastest movement among all land insects.

And it is very difficult to catch him. The fact is that in a second, cockroaches can change the trajectory of their movement more than two dozen times. Perhaps that is why, translated from the Turkic language, its name means “to diverge.”

What kind of animals eat cockroaches?

Cockroaches have existed on Earth for about 250 million years; these insects are one of the most advanced organisms. The fact is that the individual is able to withstand the most extreme environmental conditions, including radioactive radiation. These representatives of the insect world have a complex eye, which consists of several thousand lenses, but the human eye has only one. There are many hairs on the legs - they are responsible for the sense of touch, the antennae are the organ of smell, and there are also two small “antennae” on the back side - these are indicators of movement. If someone wants to sneak up on this insect from behind, he will be immediately detected, due to which the individual will be able to sense danger and escape.

Iguanas, snakes, lizards eat cockroaches

It is important to determine which animal eats cockroaches in order to understand where these insects fit in the chain. Terrarium owners are the main buyers of these insects in pet stores. This is an excellent food for rodents, monkeys, iguanas, snakes, turtles and ornamental birds

The cockroach contains a large amount of useful and quite filling substances, however, animals can eat them in large quantities. The marbled type of cockroaches is of great interest to breeders; they are specially bred at home, and there are no problems with this, since individuals have amazing fertility

This is an excellent food for rodents, monkeys, iguanas, snakes, turtles and ornamental birds. The cockroach contains a large amount of useful and quite filling substances, however, animals can eat them in large quantities. The marbled type of cockroaches is of great interest to breeders; they are specially bred at home, and there are no problems with this, since individuals have amazing fertility.

Some owners of aquariums and terrariums refuse food such as cockroaches, because their cost is quite high. Therefore, they are engaged in raising insects at home. As food you can use both large varieties, for example, Madagascar and American, and more familiar species, that is, black and red. It should be noted that the pulp is much more nutritious in larger species, and the largest cockroaches reach 10 centimeters in size. So we have decided which animal eats cockroaches.

If there are cockroaches in the house, many people run to the store and buy all the shelves with chemicals and sticky traps. However, you can approach this issue in a non-standard way if you determine which animals eat cockroaches, that is, you can buy such a pet, for example, a lizard, or maybe several at once. These predatory animals simply adore cockroaches, both exotic varieties and those that can live in our homes. Lizards are capable of exterminating insects until they disappear completely. The lizard is an excellent predator that can lie in ambush for a long time undetected; in one night one individual is capable of eliminating dozens of insects.

Habitat

There are more than 4 thousand species of these insects in nature. Despite such diversity, the structure of cockroaches and their lifestyle are similar: they all love warmth and moisture. Therefore, most species live in the tropics. Some species have adapted to the cold climate of the northern regions, where they feed on moss and lichen. There are also known cave cockroaches that have lost the ability to see.

Does a cockroach have a heart and brains?

The main driving instincts that drive a cockroach are hunger, thirst, safety and sex. To understand whether a cockroach has a heart and brains, what its heart looks like, you need to study the anatomy of an ordinary red Prussian.

Today there are more than 4,000 species of cockroaches. Most of them live in tropical areas, but many of them have settled near people. Cockroaches are social animals; they do not like to live alone. When in groups, these insects produce pheromones that stimulate development and make them grow faster than individuals.

Sinanthropus animals

According to popular belief, if cockroaches have settled in a house, this is a sign of wealth and prosperity. It is unlikely that those who have ever tried to get rid of these annoying insects will agree with this. Since ancient times, cockroaches have settled in human dwellings. After all, it provides these animals with everything they need: constant temperature, moisture and food. Animals that live with humans are called synanthropes. In addition to this species, these include ticks, flies, mosquitoes, mice, pigeons, and ants.

Lifestyle and behavior

Cockroaches hide during the day and come out of their hiding places at night. This applies to both insects living near humans and those living in the wild. It is believed that cockroaches are afraid of light, but few can answer the question of why this happens.

The colony

In fact, insects are afraid not of the light itself, but of the feeling of insecurity and danger that it brings. But if cockroaches were noticed in the daytime, this means that the colony has grown too much, the insects no longer have enough food and they have forgotten about the fear of light, going in search of at least some food.

The characteristics of cockroaches include amazing endurance and vitality. Many scientists claim that these are one of the few creatures on Earth that can survive a nuclear war.

External structure of a cockroach

A distinctive feature of this type of insect is the oval shape of the body. Its dimensions vary from 2 to 9 cm. The head is triangular and flat. In front it is protected by the pronotum. There are eyes on the sides of the head, which allows these creatures to see in all directions.

A distinctive feature of the structure of cockroaches is the gnawing type of mouthparts. They consist of paired upper and lower jaws and two unpaired lips. This type of mouthparts is designed for grinding any type of food. This is possible due to the presence of numerous chitinous teeth on the jaws. There is also one pair of bristly antennae on the head.

The thoracic region is represented by three segments, to which a pair of legs is attached. Running type limbs. Each leg consists of five segments and ends in claws. This structure allows cockroaches to move even on steep surfaces.

On the chest there are wings - double lamellar folds of integument.

The structure of the wings of cockroaches has its own characteristics. By origin they are double lamellar folds of integument. Outside, they are protected by dense elytra, which have tube-like thickenings - veins. These structures perform a supporting function. The wings are thin, mesh. In some species the flying apparatus is reduced.

The abdomen of cockroaches consists of 8-10 segments. In each of them there are nerve nodes and spiracles - openings through which the trachea opens outward. This structure explains the fact that cockroaches can live for a long time without a head.

The abdomen ends in a special structure - the cerci. Visually, it resembles a bristly antennae. Its presence is proof of the ancient origin of cockroaches. The sex of these animals can be determined by the structure of the abdomen. In males, the genital plate is located here, but in females the ovipositor is located inside the body.

The exoskeleton of cockroaches is represented by the cuticle. The middle layer of this substance contains pigments that determine the body color of insects. Cockroaches can be black, red, white, or yellowish-brown.

How long do domestic cockroaches live without food or water?

Are there cockroaches in your house? It's unlikely that anyone will like this neighborhood. Most people are looking for ways to poison them, some prefer to wait until the insects die on their own. Having found out how long cockroaches live without food or water in an apartment, the decision will have to be changed.

How long do domestic cockroaches live?

It turns out that insects are so tenacious that it’s hard to imagine. More often, red cockroaches (Prussians) appear in a person's home - insects with a body ranging from light brown to dark brown. Black cockroaches are less common; as a rule, they settle only in houses and apartments with high humidity (old houses, with leaking water pipes, damp basements).

The life cycle of pests is different from many insects. They lack the pupal stage, so the cycle is considered incomplete. Looks like that:

  • Fertilization of a female by a male.
  • Deposition of eggs in a strong capsule, or edema.
  • Carrying a capsule with eggs on the stomach, later storing it in a secluded place.
  • The emerging nymphs are up to 3 mm in size, transparent-whitish in appearance, resembling a small cockroach.
  • Molting of nymphs (6-10), upon completion of which the insects acquire a dark color and the hardness of the chitinous cover.
  • The appearance of the imago - an adult insect.

Pests exist as larvae for approximately 60 days if the room is very warm. When the temperature is reduced to 22-23 degrees or less, molting occurs more slowly (up to 6 months).

Typically, the lifespan of red cockroaches is limited to a year, but black insects can live up to 2 years.

The warmer the room, the longer the life of insects (of course, up to reasonable limits). Males usually die faster than females. In houses and apartments where the temperature is constant and ventilation is rare, pests will breed quickly - behind radiators, cabinets, and wallpaper.

Insect life in extreme conditions

Difficult periods can occur for everyone, including domestic Prussians. Life expectancy is becoming an order of magnitude shorter. In extreme conditions they survive, but only for a certain period. A tropical climate or life in southern latitudes allows insects not to be afraid of temperature changes.

It is known that radiation does not kill pests. 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 die.

Pest survival rate - without food or drink

Cold-blooded insects do not expend energy on regulating body temperature, and their metabolism is tens of times slower than that of humans. Therefore, they can go into a kind of hibernation and starve for a long time. For example, Prussians live freely for up to 1.5 months, black insects live without food for up to 2.5 months.

A cockroach maintains life especially well if it has eaten heavily before a forced hunger strike. A hungry insect hides in a secret place and sits until the person’s home smells of food again. If he is very hungry, he may well eat something that is not suitable for food:

  1. Hair.
  2. Paper.
  3. Pieces of leather.

It happens that because of hunger, pests eat their antennae, paws, or attack relatives. Without water it cannot exist for a long time. Any process in the body is associated with water - they even eat moistened food, or immediately run in search of moisture.

Sometimes, in case of poisoning, sufficient consumption of water saves the pest.

Moisture evaporates regularly through the vessels in the body, so the insect “dries out” and dies in about a week. A dense shell will not be able to retain water in the body. Therefore, in the question of how to get rid of cockroaches, it is necessary to take into account this feature and completely block access to water.

Does a cockroach live without a head?

The question of how many days a cockroach can live without a head will seem strange to a non-specialist. Of course, not everyone would think of catching a domestic cockroach, tearing off its head and letting it go. But similar experiments have been conducted by scientists.

It turns out that the insect can exist without a head for 7-9 days. This feature is due to the openness of the circulatory system, central nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract of the insect. If you remove the head, the blood on the neck will be baked, the blood vessels and other organs and systems will continue to function.

Areas of the nervous system are also present on the body; nervous regulation of basic processes will occur in full. The cockroach will die of thirst, but will live longer than with its head, because the area of ​​​​moisture evaporation will decrease. The head of a cockroach can also live on its own if nutrient solutions are dripped onto it.

The vitality of cockroaches is high, and you should not hope that they will die without food in a couple of weeks. The only thing that can be done is to completely deprive them of water, and then they will definitely stop harming humans.

Features of the internal structure

The organ systems of cockroaches are typical of insects. The muscles are well developed, capable of contracting at high frequencies. For example, the American cockroach is capable of covering a distance of 75 centimeters in a second. On the limbs of these insects there are thin hairs that perceive even the slightest air movement. Therefore, cockroaches are quite difficult to catch.

The digestive system is through-type. In cockroaches, the structure of its organs has the same plan as in all arthropods. But all insects have developed salivary glands, but lack a liver. The organs of the digestive tract include the oral cavity, subpharynx, pharynx, esophagus, crop, gizzard, and intestines. From the last section, undigested products enter the excretory system, which is represented by the Malpighian vessels. The presence of a crop and the complex process of breaking down organic substances allows cockroaches to live for several weeks without food.

The circulatory system is not closed. It is represented by a tubular heart and a single vessel. The blood is colorless. It mixes with the cavity fluid, forming hemolymph. This primitive structure is explained by the fact that the function of gas exchange is carried out by the respiratory system, represented by spiracles. There are ten pairs in total.

Internal organs of a cockroach

According to some claims, a headless cockroach can live for several days. Such possibilities are associated with the structure of the nervous system and other organs, which allows the cockroach to live without a head.

Structure of the nervous system

The central nervous system of the cockroach is formed by 11 independent nerve ganglia. In the head of an insect there are only 2, but large, nerve nodes. They are located under and above the pharynx, and are responsible for the actions of the eyes, whiskers and probes located on the lips of the cockroach.

3 thoracic nodes, together with the subpharyngeal node, control the operation of the oral apparatus, wings, paws and head muscles, as well as the muscles of the thoracic region.

In the belly of the insect there are six small nerve ganglia, the largest of which is the terminal one, which is responsible for the functions of the genital organs and sensitive cerci.

Important point! The internal structure of the cockroach is such that it can easily do without a head, especially since its breathing is not connected to the nerve nodes located in the head. There is no pressure in his circulatory system, so he does not bleed. At the same time, he does not waste energy while being immobile, so he can easily do without food. Under certain conditions, it can live without a head for up to 1 month.

The nerve fibers of a cockroach are connected to all organs of the insect, including the sense organs. The cockroach not only has unique vision, it also has excellent hearing. The insect's auditory receptors are located near the anus.

Circulatory system

The circulatory system is of an open type, while the cockroach’s blood is white and washes all internal organs, being in free circulation. The cockroach's heart is a tubular organ located in the dorsal pericardium. The middle sinus contains the intestines, and the thoracic sinus contains the nerve cord.

Due to the work of the tubular organ, hemolymph (blood) is pumped through the circulatory system. The work of the heart is carried out due to pressure differences resulting from the work of the muscles. Blood is pumped slowly, so cockroaches are quite sensitive to changes in ambient temperature.

Respiratory system

On both sides of the abdomen there are tiny holes called spiracles, through which the insect breathes. There are 10 pairs of them, which means that on each side of the abdomen there are 10 such spiracles. From these holes extends a whole system of tubes - tracheoles, which ultimately connect with 3 pairs of several large tracheal trunks. Oxygen reaches all organs by diffusion.

Important fact! Cockroaches are able to hold their breath for up to 40 minutes, blocking their spiracles, which allows the insect to survive in difficult living conditions.

As a rule, a cockroach, being stationary, expends practically no energy. It is believed that they are in a state of movement for only 25% of their lives, so cockroaches are also considered the laziest insects.

Digestive system

When food enters the cockroach’s mouth, it is moistened with saliva (previously crushed) and enters the goiter through the esophagus, after which it is sent to the gizzard. Therefore, the process of digestion of food begins in the crop and ends in the stomach. After this, the food enters the intestine, which consists of the foregut and hindgut.

Interesting moment! The foregut consists of several parts. Immediately behind the mouth opening there is a buccal chamber with 6 teeth. With their help, the insect additionally crushes the food that has entered the mouth.

In the intestines of a cockroach there is a full range of bacteria and fungi that help the insect digest food objects, including even inedible food of inorganic origin.

Feces and urine are released through one anus. Urine is collected using special channels. They collect toxins dissolved in water throughout the body and send them to the anus.

Reproductive system

Males have a rather complex reproductive system. For example:

  • The testes are located in segments 4-6 of the abdomen.
  • The reproductive system includes the fungal (utricular) gland.
  • The seminal vesicles empty into this gland.
  • There are also organs of copulation.
  • The female reproductive system is no less complex and consists of:
  • From the ovaries, 8 avarioles each.
  • From a pair of oviducts that are connected to the vagina.
  • From the genital chamber where eggs accumulate. And collateral glands are associated with this chamber, which secrete a special secretion for the formation of a capsule (ootheca).
  • From the ovipositor.

After fertilization, a capsule is formed into which the fertilized eggs enter.

Important point! The human cell nucleus includes 46 chromosomes, which are responsible for the transmission of hereditary information. Cockroaches have as many as 48 of them, although this is in no way evidence of the unique complexity of their body. Similar (relict) species of insects are distinguished by a large number of chromosomes.

According to scientists, cockroaches are more primitive, but the presence of 2 extra chromosomes indicates that the insects are quite resistant to external manifestations. It was this factor that turned out to be fundamental, ensuring the survival of the species for millions of years.

Uninvited guests

The structural features of cockroaches and physiology are determined by their favorite habitat - human habitation. There are all comfortable conditions here: warmth, water and darkness.

A structural feature of the cockroach order is their omnivorous nature. Their favorite treats are bread, sugar, cereals, vegetables and fruits. But if these products cannot be included in the diet, cockroaches can eat paper, fabric, glue, book binding, and any garbage. Moreover, the parasites do not completely eat the product, but bite it and look for something tastier.

Getting rid of cockroaches is often quite difficult. They get clogged into the smallest cracks, cracks, cavities in wallpaper or ceramic tiles. Therefore, all hard-to-reach places will have to be treated with chemicals.

General structure of the body of insects (with diagram and pictures)

The body of insects consists of segments - segments that vary in shape and bear various external appendages and organs. The body structure of insects includes three sections: head, thorax and abdomen. The head contains the main sensory organs and the oral apparatus. Insects have on their heads a pair of elongated segmented antennae (antennae) - organs of touch and smell - and a pair of complex compound eyes - the main visual organs. In addition, many insects have from 1 to 3 small simple ocelli - auxiliary light-sensitive organs. The oral apparatus of insects is formed on the basis of 3 pairs of jaws - modified limbs of the head segments, the third pair of jaws is fused. The chest consists of 3 large segments: prothorax, mesothorax, metathorax - and carries locomotor organs. Each segment contains one pair of jointed legs: front, middle, hind. Most insects have two pairs of wings: the anterior ones, located on the mesothorax, and the posterior ones, located on the metathorax. In a number of insects, one or both pairs of wings may be underdeveloped or even completely lost. The abdomen, consisting of numerous uniform segments, contains most of the internal organs.

Pay attention to the picture - in the structure of the abdomen of insects there are 11 segments, but most insects retain from 5 to 10 segments:

In the 8-9th segments, according to their full composition, the reproductive apparatus is located. V females of some insects (Orthoptera, Hymenoptera) have a special organ for laying eggs, the ovipositor, developed on the underside of these segments. Some insects (mayflies, cockroaches, orthoptera, earwigs) have a pair of cerci on the last segment of the abdomen - appendages of various shapes and purposes.

Look at the detailed diagram of the structure of insects, where all the main sections are indicated:

Reproduction

Cockroaches are dioecious individuals with noticeable sexual dimorphism. The latter is manifested in morphological differences between males and females. Anyone can identify them. The male is smaller. Its wings are better developed, which allows it to fly short distances. The last segment on the male's abdomen has specialized outgrowths called styli.

The structure of cockroaches determines their ability to internally fertilize. After mating, the female lays eggs covered with a protective membrane called edema. Cockroaches are characterized by incomplete transformation. This means that the eggs hatch into larvae that look like adult insects. It is called imago. At first the larva is deprived of wings. It grows, molts and develops into an adult insect. This period lasts about four weeks. Individuals become sexually mature only after three months.

Cockroaches are very prolific. Over the course of her life, one female gives birth to more than a hundred individuals. She lays eggs repeatedly. And for this she does not have to constantly mate. The fact is that sperm can be stored in the female genital ducts for a long time.

The most interesting facts about cockroaches

In the modern world, there are approximately 4,000 species of cockroaches, but only 30 of them are able to live near people, that is, in our homes. They are average in size by insect standards, yet they display amazing powers of endurance and survival. Moreover, cockroaches are able to exist even after several desperate attempts by humans to get rid of unwanted “neighbors.” What allows them to survive in the most difficult environmental conditions?

There are about 4,000 species of cockroaches in the world

Let's look at some facts about cockroaches:

  1. A cockroach can easily live for a whole week without a head. After the insect's body is deprived of its head, all systems function normally, the insect lives for a long time and could have continued to live, but death occurs. Why? The fact is that without a head, it is not able to receive food and water, so it dies from dehydration and lack of nutrients.
  2. The cockroach has two pairs of wings. The first of them is the elytra, which have a dense leathery structure; with them the cockroach covers the body for protection. We see them if we look at the insect from above. But the flight is ensured by another pair of wings; it folds under the first pair, that is, under the elytra.
  3. A cockroach can not breathe for 40 minutes. This is one of the qualities that allowed these creatures to survive on Earth. Throughout the existence of these insects, shifts and significant changes in climate have repeatedly occurred on our planet, but due to their abilities, cockroaches were able to survive. Research shows that these insects appeared more than 280 million years ago, which is truly surprising.
  4. A cockroach spends 75% of its life in standby mode. We are accustomed to the fact that these insects actively run around the kitchen or bathroom, however, they spend three quarters of their lives in a calm state. It should be noted that these are one of the laziest organisms in nature.
  5. The cockroach can reach high speeds of movement. If the insect nevertheless leaves its shelter, as a rule, in search of food or water, then it is capable of developing high speed, especially in conditions of danger. Studies have shown that it is capable of reaching a speed of 4.8 km/h. If a cockroach were the same size as a cheetah, it could run 80 km/h, which is not all that different from the fastest animal on Earth. The speed of the cockroach is quite impressive.
  6. Cockroaches eat any food. These insects have powerful mouth jaws, so they are able to sweep away everything in their path. An interesting fact is that a cockroach only needs to eat once a month to survive, even in negative conditions.
  7. Fast nervous system. Ever tried to catch a cockroach? It is very difficult to do this, since his reactions and reflexes are well developed; they are calculated in fractions of a second. There are tiny hairs on the legs of insects; they are able to detect even the slightest vibrations in the air, so the cockroach always senses the approach of an animal or a person. Thanks to a combination with a fast nervous system, individuals are able to change their direction 25 times per second, which only high-speed cameras could record.
  8. They will survive an atomic explosion. On its way, the blast wave destroys all living organisms, but scorpions and cockroaches are not susceptible to such effects, that is, they are able to survive from an atomic explosion. If we delve more scientifically into this topic, we can find out that in these insects the process of cell division is slowed down, so the effect of radiation is not so destructive.
  9. The fertility of cockroaches is surprising. It should be noted that cockroaches reproduce intensively and in large numbers. For example, on average one cockroach lives 6 months. For one litter, a female is able to bear approximately 30-40 eggs in her sac, it is called an ootheca; throughout their life they bear about 8 such sacs, this is equal to 320 cubs. Even if only 10 cockroaches are females, after a couple of months thousands of new individuals will appear, which is why it is so difficult to cope with them.
  10. The largest cockroach. Sometimes it seems that an impressively sized cockroach has run through the kitchen, but compared to the largest cockroach, these are just babies. The size of cockroaches can reach 10 centimeters, but they live in the tropics, and live at home only as an exotic pet. Scientists believe that in the past, even before the advent of dinosaurs, cockroaches reached a length of about 50 centimeters.

These are the main factors about cockroaches that are truly impressive and surprising. They are what allow these insects to survive in the most negative environmental conditions.

Species diversity

Like all insects, cockroaches are characterized by significant species diversity. A typical inhabitant of human dwellings is the Russian cockroach, or red cockroach. The structure of these insects is not very different from that discussed above. There is an opinion that the red cockroach was brought to our country by soldiers returning from Prussia. Hence the second name of this parasite.

The structure of the black cockroach is more impressive in size. Some individuals can reach 5 cm in length. They can be quite dangerous for humans. Getting into his home from garbage dumps and sewers, they carry eggs of other parasites and pathogens on their limbs.

White cockroaches are not a fiction. This kind actually exists. They acquire this unusual color for these insects as a result of molting. Over time they darken.

A special type of cockroach is the furniture cockroach. It has a bright red color. The wings of such an insect are transparent, with brown stripes on them. His favorite treat is starch and everything that contains it. These are mainly wallpaper paste and book bindings. Therefore, they settle not in kitchens, but in libraries and archives.

The most common species in the south is the Central Asian cockroach. It can be recognized by its yellow head and dark belly. They jump high and are able to fly short distances. It is practically omnivorous and feeds on leftover food, plants and waste.

So, the peculiarity of the structure of cockroaches is the presence of three parts of the body, a dense chitinous cover, six walking legs and a pair of wings. These insects are synanthropic animals. This means that cockroaches prefer to settle in human dwellings. Here they have all the comfortable conditions: warmth, moisture, darkness and a sufficient amount of food waste.

Harm from cockroaches

Cockroaches carry approximately 40 types of pathogens that cause infections of the genitourinary system, intestinal pathologies, hepatitis, and tuberculosis. In adults and children, insects can cause asthma attacks. After death from a cockroach, a skeleton remains, which contains chitin (a polysaccharide). When mixed with house dust that humans inhale, it causes asthma.

Cockroaches damage household appliances, spoil food, chew through ventilation and can bite a person very painfully. Skin erosion and blisters occur at the site of the bite. The bites of these insects are very dangerous, as they can cause various diseases.

Black cockroaches can get into an apartment in different ways. Most often, insects penetrate the lower floors where shops or cafes are located. As soon as the fight against cockroaches begins in these establishments, they escape through the ventilation to the upper floors to escape. Insects enter homes through sewers and garbage chutes. They are attracted to high humidity, a dirty sink and a full trash can.

Respiratory and circulatory system

The external and internal structure of insects depends on the lifestyle they lead. The respiratory system consists of tracheas, they permeate the entire body. They open with spiracles that regulate the flow of air. Air-breathing insects have an open respiratory system. In aquatic animals it is closed, there are no spiracles. The larvae may have gills.

Air enters through the openings of the spiracles and penetrates the trachea, entangling the internal organs. The tracheae end in branched tracheal cells and tracheoles, the tips of which penetrate the cells.

Hemolymph does not participate in gas exchange; this role is performed by the trachea. Hemolymph is pumped by the heart located on the back. The organ looks like a muscular tube.

Hemolymph enters this tube through an opening and moves in the direction from the abdomen to the head. At the other end, the hemolymph freely flows directly into the body cavity and flows around the internal organs, saturating them with the necessary substances.

Endocrine and reproductive systems

The organs of the endocrine system secrete hormones into the hemolymph that regulate physiological processes such as metabolism, reproduction, behavior, etc. Insects are dioecious animals. The reproductive system of males is represented by two testes, vas deferens and the ejaculatory canal. The reproductive system of females is represented by the ovaries and oviduct.

During mating, the seminal fluid enters the female's seminal receptacle and is stored there. Mating can last up to several days; most species separate immediately. During laying, the eggs are lubricated with sperm and fertilized. All the body's forces are spent on reproduction, so females either actively feed or die.

Adviсe

  • If you are faced with a cockroach infestation, you should carry out a very thorough and full-scale pest control. If you do not treat at least one area, cockroaches will survive on it and infest your home again.
  • Furniture cockroaches often hide in warm places, such as the top shelves of cabinets.
  • If you have a cockroach infestation, it is highly recommended that you store food in airtight packaging or containers to avoid contamination or infestation. The same goes for garbage.
  • Black cockroaches like to hide in or near drains, pipes, and dark, cool places.
  • Prussians mainly live in places where food is prepared, that is, kitchens.
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