The cockroach is considered an arthropod insect and is included in the superorder of cockroaches from the order Cockroaches. In Latin it is called Blattoptera, Blattodea.
However, the Russian version of the word Cockroach is difficult to explain. A small part of etymologists came to the conclusion that they began to be called, therefore, due to the phrase “tar-aqan”, which originates from the Chuvash language. Its approximate meaning is to denote someone running away. And based on the Turkic - “taz” means “to run away”.
General description of cockroaches
They are distinguished by a flattened body based on an oval shape, with a total length of 1-10 cm, sometimes more than this size. The abdomen of this insect is created by many tergites in the form of dorsal segments.
Females have 7 of them, and males have about 8-10. The abdomen ends with cerci, for the most part they are formed in a segmented manner. Most cockroaches have a light shade of overall body color, and have elytra of a yellow or brown hue. Dark or black ones are much less common.
The elytra of this insect are particularly dense. Some species are distinguished by their front or rear shortened wings; wingless representatives of these insects are known. There are varieties that can make short flights.
All cockroaches have 6 legs. Spikes may be found on the thighs or lower legs. Their legs are distinguished by excellent development; they have five-membered paws, making them very comfortable while moving.
The American cockroach is capable of running 75 cm in one second. Due to these characteristics, it is difficult to catch a cockroach with your hands. This insect is capable of changing direction about 25 times within a second.
Its head is flat and at the same time triangular or heart-shaped. The front back has an almost flat shape and is expressed as a shield; it is large in size; some types are presented with transparent edge options.Their jaws are quite developed, of the gnawing type, with many teeth formed by chitin. The mouth part is always directed downwards.
It has large eyes, it has 2 simple ocelli, wingless species are mostly distinguished by atrophied eyes, and cave species do not have them at all.
It has sensitive antennae of a long shape, sometimes they exceed the total length of the body, have the appearance of bristles, with a large number of segments.
The male has reproductive organs in the form of a genital plate, represented by the ninth abdominal sternite. In females, you can find a hidden version of the ovipositor, as well as edema in the form of a protein version of the capsule, which is necessary for the maturation of the offspring.
The lifespan of a cockroach lasts approximately 4 months, however, in some species it can last up to 4 years.
How long do cockroaches live, including without food, water and heads, in an apartment and in a private house?
The average life cycle of a cockroach varies from 4 months to 4-5 years. The exact timing depends on the specific species and how the insects live. The lifespan of the red one is 1 year, the black one - 1.5-2 years, the American one - 2-3 years, the furniture one - 4-6 months.
How long cockroaches live in an individual private house or apartment directly depends on the microclimate and living comfort. Under unfavorable conditions, the lifespan of insects is reduced.
Cockroaches are amazingly tenacious and hardy. Without food, due to their slow metabolism, they can live for quite a long time: red ones - about 40 days, black ones - up to 70 days. The lack of moisture is much more destructive for insects, because it quickly evaporates from the shell, regulating body temperature.
If it is impossible to replenish the water balance, the pest literally dries up. Without water, it will last no more than 10 days, and then it will inevitably die.
Few people know that a cockroach can live for some time even without a head. After all, its respiratory organs (trachea) are located throughout its body, so a headless insect cannot suffocate.
The nervous system, digestion and blood supply work independently and autonomously from each other; they will function as before for about 10 more days. The pest will die of thirst and hunger, because he is unable to drink or eat.
Folk methods of struggle
The folk method of dealing with these neighbors is simple. The natural characteristics of cockroaches do not allow them to live in frost starting from -5 degrees.
To get rid of them completely or cause noticeable damage to their population, it is necessary to open all windows for a while in winter. Residents at this time may be at work, at school, kindergarten, or just walking.
Why do they die
Like all living organisms, domestic cockroaches are mortal. Reasons for their death:
- lack of water and food;
- poisoning due to disinfestation;
- temperature above +50 °C or below -10 °C;
- getting into water - without air, the pest lives in water for no more than 6 minutes;
- as a result of falling on its back - on smooth surfaces, when there is nothing to grab onto with its paws, the insect is not capable of turning over on its own.
Exposure to direct sunlight is extremely destructive for cockroaches, and their life is reduced by half.
Photos of cockroaches
Types of pests
Many types of harmful insects and parasites live near humans. They belong to different classes of the animal world, but they have the same goal - to have a constant source of food. Such pests are:
- apartment cockroaches;
- rats;
- mice;
- ants;
- bed bugs;
- lice and others.
All of them belong to synanthropes - creatures that fully or partially depend on humans and live in close proximity to them. The types of domestic cockroaches differ in each country. In Asia it is an Asian representative of cockroaches, in the USA and Europe it is an American one. Domestic cockroaches living in apartments and houses in Russia are also found in the CIS countries and neighboring countries.
Lifestyle
Comfortable conditions in a human home fully meet the requirements of the Prussians. Heat-loving creatures need warmth, humidity, secluded places, and free access to food and water. The optimal temperature for Prussians is from 22 to 30 degrees Celsius. The lower limits lead to a slowdown in the reproduction process, stopping the development of larvae, the upper limits threaten insects with dehydration, high and low temperatures lead to death. A red cockroach freezes at sub-zero temperatures.
Prussians lead a hidden lifestyle. They become active at dusk and hide in secluded places during the day. They prefer shelters near water sources. They settle in a house or apartment in certain rooms - in the kitchen, bathroom, dark corridor, closet.
On a note!
The lifestyle of cockroaches allows them to remain undetected for a long time. Nymphs begin to leave the shelter only at the last stage of development. For this reason, a person immediately notices a whole family of Prussians in his kitchen.
origin of name
The homeland of the Prussians is the warm countries of Central Asia. There they live freely on the street and do not particularly need human housing. Cockroach in Latin Blatta means arthropod insect. There is no exact data on where the Russian name came from. Experts noticed a similarity with the Chuvash word tar-aqan, which means “running away.”
During the existence of cockroaches in our country, many nicknames were invented, not the most pleasant ones - Prusak, Felix, Stasik, Tanchik, Tram, Red, Barbel.
Representatives of exotic fauna
But not all types of cockroaches are pests. Representatives of some species are very popular among originals, who prefer to have an unusual exotic pet in their home. Today you won’t surprise anyone with an iguana in an aquarium or a dangerous tarantula in a children’s room. So the turn came to the individuals of the cockroach order.
We suggest considering the types of popular exotic cockroaches and their photos.
- The car cockroach looks more than original. Its characteristic features are short elytra of a light shade and a light stripe along the perimeter of the body, and males are also distinguished by bright spots on the pronotum.
- The chess cockroach is the cutest, so to speak, representative of his squad. It has a bright black and white color, which resembles the color of a predatory ground beetle, which helps it not to become prey for some predators. Like representatives of other species, the chess cockroach prefers to hide during the day and go out at night in search of food.
- The next type received the catchy name “Death's Head”, as it has a pattern on the back that resembles a scary mask.
- The Madagascar hissing cockroach is the largest representative of its order. Adults can reach 10 cm in length and surprise with their behavior - they hiss. It may seem that in this way they are trying to scare you away, but this is not entirely true. Undoubtedly, they use this sound to scare away enemies, but often the hissing emitted is just a sharp exhalation. Read more about this species in the article: Conditions for keeping Madagascar cockroaches.
- The rhinoceros cockroach is distinguished by its impressive weight - some individuals can reach a mass of 37 g. Almost like an ordinary sparrow. These insects are long-lived - they can live about 10 years.
- Megaloblatta longipennis is a cockroach native to Latin America that can fly. His wingspan is 20 cm, and when he unfolds them, he becomes truly huge.
And these are not all representatives of the cockroach order. After all, every year there are new individuals that have not been studied before. Insects adapt to poisons, get used to new environmental conditions and again settle in our homes. Some as exotic pets, others as pests.
Harm from the Prussians
Damage from insects consists of:
- spreading about 50 pathogens of viral and microbial infections;
- provoking allergies and worsening asthma;
Invasion of the Prussians.
- the appearance of an unpleasant odor;
- food spoilage;
- dirtying things;
- impact on the psyche;
- infection with helminths and protozoa;
- loss of the appearance of finishing materials and failure of electrical appliances.
Reproduction, development cycle
The replenishment of the Prussian colony is occurring at a rapid pace. Cockroaches reproduce sexually. There are constant fights between males for the right to possess a female. In the process, the insects try to gnaw off the opponent’s whiskers, thereby depriving him of his full existence.
Hermaphrodite cockroaches are not about red-haired Prussians. After fertilization, the female lays eggs in the ooteca after 3 days. He carries them with him for about 40 days. During this time, the first generation larvae appear. The female sheds her ootheca in a safe place a few days before they are born.
Within a week, the larvae appear. In appearance they look like an adult, but without wings, with a weak white chitinous cover, which is why they are often called albino cockroaches. After a few hours, the body acquires a red tint. The first food for the larvae is the shell of the eggs.
Furniture (Supella longipalpa)
These insects were discovered in our apartments about 50 years ago, and since then the residents have been unsuccessfully fighting them. These cockroaches can be easily identified by their transparent wings with dark stripes and a bright red hue. You won't find them in the kitchen, since their diet consists of old books, paper, waste paper, and wallpaper glue. Therefore, quite often they settle in places where there is a lot of paper, and these are libraries, archives, etc.
Character and social structure
Prussians are very friendly, they always act harmoniously and have a certain foundation. They have special pheromones that are left by different individuals in the room. They are found in the excrement that the Prussians leave along the paths and in their passages. In the secretions, these substances evaporate and they are oriented this way.
There are several different notes:
- where is the food located?
- place of danger;
- shelter;
- sexual signals.
Cockroaches actively reproduce, live in colonies and are considered very sociable. In their society, everyone is equal, both young and old. Their main task is to search for food; they inform each other about the location of food.
Nutrition
It is almost impossible to leave a red cockroach without food. But there is a diet that insects prefer. Prussians are attracted to crumbs on the table, leftover food under it, unwashed dishes, and food waste in the trash can. The red cockroach eats everything that humans eat and more.
In the absence of edible products, insects switch to another diet - soap, toilet paper, wallpaper glue, newspapers, photographs, postage stamps, books, leather goods, wood, cardboard. Indoor plants do not go unnoticed. One rotting leaf is enough to feed a family for a week.
