Description and structural features of cockroaches, their varieties, nutrition, reproduction and danger to humans. External and internal structure of cockroaches What type of cockroaches are

These insects together make up the whole Squad of Tarakanovs. A common feature All representatives have an oval body, crowned with a triangular head with long antennae. So, what types of cockroaches are there?

Tropical

Green cockroach (banana).

Inhabitant tropical forests Florida, Ecuador and Cuba. It differs from domestic cockroaches in its bright light green coloring and large size. Many people raise them in terrariums as pets.

Banana varieties of cockroaches, photos of which are just below, fly beautifully with the help of transparent wings and can dig holes in the ground.

Brown cockroach or turtle.

Ground insects living secretly. In nature, they live in the warm forests of Burma, India and Thailand.

Quite large creatures reaching 2 cm in length. All body coverings are painted a rich chestnut color. All individuals have transparent wings. In males they are long, capable of briefly lifting the owner into the air. In addition, the wings are decorated with a transverse border of a pale yellow shade.

Females are not so elegant; their small wings are devoid of patterns and do not even allow them to rise above the ground.

Marzipan cockroach.

Exotic from North America. Frequent inhabitant of terrariums. It is not particularly large in size, reaching a length of no more than 4 cm. The integument has a noble cherry color. The wings are very poorly developed, the elytra are short and square.

Females have a wider body. They incubate the ootheca for a day, then hide it in the litter or attach it to the bark. It is cemented on top with chewed pieces of soil and bark.

Marble cockroach.

It is bred in terrariums as decoration or food for hedgehogs, lizards and spiders. Lives naturally in South America. The male can grow 3 cm in length, the female - 2.5 cm. The body is colored chestnut. On the integumentary wings there are lighter specks that form marble patterns over the entire surface. There are dark brown lines on the cervical shield.

Other differences from relatives marble cockroach No. Like the others, this species lives in the upper layer of the earth and is omnivorous.

Madagascar cockroach.

Popular decorative look, living in many terrariums. It has huge dimensions compared to other types. Body length of an adult male reaches 5–8 cm, females - 6–9 cm.

There are no wings even in mature individuals. The covers can be colored red or chestnut.

Despite their enormous size, these giants are distinguished by their peaceful nature and increased timidity. During the day they hide in a litter of leaves and grass, and at night they come out. At the slightest suspicion of danger, they begin to violently hiss. The sound is produced by spiracles located throughout the body.

Forest

This is a large genus of insects living in forest areas around the world.

Lapland cockroach.

Inhabits forests and steppes throughout Europe. His dimensions not very big, body length is about 1 cm. Painted gray or Brown color with a yellowish tint. There are blurry black spots on the pronotum. Adult females have long wings protected by large elytra.

ATTENTION! This species has interesting feature. Males are active during the day and live on plants. Females wake up at night and prefer to stay on the ground, hiding in the leaf litter.

Steppe cockroach.

Lives in forest-steppes and steppes of Eurasia. It is small in size and nondescript, inconspicuous coloring. The length of its body does not exceed 8 mm, the integument is beige in color with a gray tint. A clearly defined black arch runs along the pronotum.

This species has clearly marked sexual dimorphism. In females, the elytra are short, covering only half of the body. Longitudinal dark lines run along the back. In males, the elytra are long and end outside the body. There are no black stripes.

Steppe people live only one warm season. In winter, they lay oothecae and die. By summer, larvae emerge from the clutches and become adults by June.

Common forest cockroach.

Large specimens from Central America. In length can grow 6–8 cm. The body and elytra are pale brown with darker spots and a black spot on the pronotum.

An omnivorous species that lives inside the leaf litter. When attacked by enemies, it releases a strong-smelling secretion designed to scare away enemies.

And again about the mustaches

These insects are surrounded by a huge number of myths. For example, the tale of the notorious. This is not a monster! In fact, light integument may appear on young nymphs that have just finished molting.

Another popular misconception is that cockroaches are poisonous. These simply do not exist in nature! But many varieties secrete an unpleasant-smelling secretion that scares away enemies.

Therefore, upon detection uninvited guests at home, it should be either , or .

Below are high-quality and reliable cockroach repellents:

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Those who have never seen them can familiarize themselves with domestic cockroaches - photo below:

It turns out that cockroaches can not only cause damage to humans! There are types of cockroaches that are used as pet food, and decorative varieties, serving as decoration for the terrarium. We looked at both huge representatives and small cockroaches; photos of all types are above in the article.

Watch a short video of how the Madagascar cockroach hisses:

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

There are a huge number of representatives of arthropods in nature, but a select few live together with humans, capable of adapting to life in confined space and eating not larvae, but food waste. Not everyone knows what types of cockroaches live in residential and warehouses, what distinctive feature.

Did you know that the sewer cockroach is similar to a beetle? The dark color and shell practically do not distinguish insects from each other.

Dark brown, light and black cockroaches are just some of the varieties that live in the same area as humans.

Below is a short overview: what a person should know about insects and distinguish one variety from another.

Often, red cockroaches live together with people. The high survival rate and adaptability of the arthropod allows it to settle next to humans and feed on the same food.

Red long-horned beetles live:

• At catering establishments;
• In apartments;
• Private houses;
• In medical institutions.

The Prusak differs from its relatives in its elongated body and unique color - from red to brown.

Insects do not disdain food left by humans after eating. Move in kitchen cabinets, prefer to live behind heating radiators and bread containers.

• Basement;
• Garbage chute;
• Sewer hatches.

Scientists were unable to explain the fact that arthropods do not live in apartments located above the 5th floor. The residents below are under massive attack.

Insects, in summer period They move freely along the street, but prefer to spend the winter next to humans.

Pests are not averse to feasting on human food. They need constant access to water. In the absence of food residues, food waste, or crumbs on the floor, the insect will not disdain and fill its belly from a garbage can.

The size of individuals depends on living conditions. If water and food are in excess, the length of the body adult reaches 3 cm.

The color of barbels is not always black. Crawlers are dark red, brown, dark gray.

Sometimes it is impossible to determine the true species of cockroaches in an apartment. , but different in size.

Red females are superior to black females. Red ones reproduce faster and produce more offspring than dark ones.

A characteristic difference between black sliders and their relatives is the exuded specific smell, similar to mold.

The massive settlement and lightning-fast reproduction of black sliders indicates unsanitary conditions in the room.

Untimely disposal of garbage waste, crumbs on the table, unwashed dishes are a favorable environment for the development of pests. Individuals live where there is a lot of food, hence the name - kitchen.

Where to look for pests? While processing, look at:

• Bin;
• Kitchen Cabinet;
• Oven;
• Fridge;
• Under the table and baseboard in the kitchen.

Domestic black cockroaches can infect the inhabitants of the house with dangerous pathologies. Crawling through the trash can, moving through the bowls of four-legged pets and tasting food from the table, which subsequently enters the human digestive tract, the sewer reptile provokes the development of dysentery and helminthiasis.

Pests carry pathogenic bacteria and eggs by microorganisms on their paws. In the absence of timely measures, a person automatically becomes a carrier of E. coli.

In warm regions, the black longhorned beetle is not domestic. Individuals grow and reproduce on outdoors, settling under stones and in wall cracks.

White Prussians

Among domestic cockroaches, there are also those that differ from their relatives in color and lack of chitinous cover. These are white cockroaches.

The opinion about mutation or the appearance of a special type of pest in an apartment is a myth. In fact this is not separate species, A ordinary Prussians, experiencing the molting period.

Change of chitinous cover in arthropods during life cycle happens several times.

A characteristic feature is a transparent body and the absence of a shell.

Molting lasts several weeks. During this time, the larvae will change their status as a larva to a sexually mature individual, ready for fertilization.

The whitish color may be a consequence of exposure to insecticides that did not destroy the individual, but changed the genetic program. This is an example of pests getting used to a certain chemical.

An individual with two tails

Large cockroaches with two tails are settlers in private homes. Another name is two-tails. They crawl out of genital crevices in the spring, when the level of humidity in the underground increases.

A distinctive feature is the antennae bent inward and the forked tail. Color - from light to dark brown.

Two-tailed insects bite people, crawl into beds, shoes, and clothes. Crazy individuals crawl into the ear and nose of the sleeping person.

Having escaped from the underground to freedom, the tailed creatures settle in floor rags and wet linen. Residents of the private sector often bring tailed animals from the street, with clean laundry removed from the dryer.

They get rid of bivostok by sealing the genital cracks and drying the underground. In the summer, vents are opened in the house.

American arthropod

These are not all types of cockroaches in the apartment. The American pest arrived with food transported by water.

American arthropods are very mobile. When they see a sleeping victim, they become aggressive and attack.

They have a detrimental effect on American arthropods low temperatures. At 0 C, individuals die.

Furniture pest

Unlike its relatives, the furniture cockroach does not feed on food waste and food.

Furniture pests are characterized by:

• Bright red color;
• Transparent wings with brown stripes;
• Heightened olfactory receptors.

The main diet of individuals is starch, contained in wallpaper glue and the binding of Soviet books.

The usual habitat is archives, bedrooms, libraries, card files.

Central Asian arthropod

There are Central Asian individuals in Russia that live together with humans. If white cockroaches have a transparent body, then Central Asian cockroaches have a dark belly. The head of the Prussian is yellowish.

Lives in regions with warm climates. Exotics are destroyed with conventional insecticides.

It doesn’t matter whether sewer cockroaches live in the apartment or kitchen ones, you need to get rid of the pests immediately.

Stock up on a variety of insecticidal preparations and repellents.

The more measures are taken, the hurry up apartment will be freed from unexpected settlers.

Important rule! Before disinfestation, the apartment is cleaned, food and household waste, free the house from deposits of rubbish.

After a large-scale spring cleaning apply insecticide. Only with complex measures will bullying be effective.

One moment! ? Block access to the home.

Seal the cracks in the floor, seal entrance doors, change the grille to vent to fine mesh.

Proper preparation for pest control is a guarantee of successful bullying without the risk of relapse.

Greetings dear readers of my blog. In today's article we will look at the structure of a cockroach and the physiological characteristics of this insect. Just imagine - on globe There are more than 7,000 species of cockroaches, and the most common in our latitudes are the red and black cockroaches. These are the ones that will be discussed in this article.

External structure of a cockroach

Despite the huge number of species, all insects of the cockroach order have a similar structure. The main differences are usually the size and color of the insect, but the internal anatomy is almost the same between black and red cockroaches.

Nature has given these creatures excellent help in order to crawl into the crack under the densest plinth - an elongated and flat body. It is divided into the abdomen, thorax (which consists of prothorax, mesothorax and metathorax) and head. In addition, each insect has a pair of wings. Did you know that cockroaches can fly? Below I will tell you how the wings of this creature are structured, what importance the wings have for the reproduction of offspring, and why only males can fly.

Head

I propose to start studying cockroach anatomy from the head, which in most individuals is quite large and has the shape of an oval or rounded triangle. From above it is covered by a shield-shaped anterior segment of the chest, from under which only the back of the head is visible, and the rest of the head is turned downwards.

Eyes

On the sides of the head there are paired compound eyes, and on top there are two simple eyes, which are poorly developed in most species. By the way, thanks to the structural features of their eyes, cockroaches see the world like a mosaic assembled from thousands of small multi-colored pieces. And although such vision does not allow one to distinguish the details of an object, the so-called perception of light flickers in a cockroach is 5 times higher than that of a human.

This is why it is so difficult to overtake an insect with a slipper or newspaper - even the most fast man For cockroaches it’s like a fly stuck in jam. In short, if you've ever asked yourself why these creatures almost always manage to escape punishment, now you know the answer.

Mustache

In children's horror stories, the cockroach is always depicted as a mustachioed monster, and it is not for nothing that so much attention is given to the mustache. It is the antennae that are the organ of thermal sensitivity, touch and smell. They are also used as a means of communication between individuals: by touching their whiskers, cockroaches exchange information. The whiskers are of considerable length and covered with bristles, the number of which increases with each moult and reaches 80 by the age of maturity.

Mouth

Despite small size, red and black cockroach bites can be noticeable and even painful. The fact is that the oral apparatus of these creatures is of the gnawing type and has sufficient complex structure, and each part has its own special purpose:

• labrum, or upper lip - articulated with the head in a movable manner, covered from the inside with receptors that analyze the composition of food;
• mandibles, or lower jaw - curved, fairly massive plates, covered with sharp teeth, their purpose is to hold a piece of food;
• maxillae, or upper jaws - located above the lower jaws, necessary for grinding food and chewing;
• labium, or lower lip - surrounds the oral apparatus from below, prevents food from falling.

Reading on the topic: Who is the black cockroach and where did it come from in your home?

On the outside of the lower lip there are special receptors (tactile and taste), which are necessary for searching, detecting and analyzing food.

In addition to the complex jaw, the insect’s mouth contains a salivary gland and a tongue-like organ that helps absorb liquid. As you can see, the mouthparts of a cockroach are an ideal tool for searching for and destroying bread crumbs even on the most clean kitchen. No wonder this type insects are considered the most tenacious.

Breast

On the chest of cockroaches there are wings, elytra and three pairs of legs. The chest consists of three segments, the largest of which is the first - the so-called pronotum. On the sides of this convex hexagonal segment there are depressions where the elytra are placed. Most often, the pronotum has a lighter color compared to the rest of the body, and in some species this part is even transparent.

Legs

As for the insect’s legs, they are located on different segments of the thorax, consist of five parts and are called “pentamerous.” On the four upper segments of the legs there are pads, and on the lower one there are claws, between which there is also a suction cup.

This structure of the paws helps the insect to easily move on any surface - both horizontal and vertical. Moreover, on the paws of this creature there are tiny hairs that catch even the slightest vibrations in the air, thanks to which the cockroach reacts with lightning speed to a moving object.

Strong legs allow you to develop high for such small size speed - a cockroach is capable of running at a speed of 3-4 km/h. If this figure is not surprising, imagine this: if a cockroach were the size of a cheetah, it could easily catch up with a member of the cat family.

In addition, the peculiarity of the legs determines the high maneuverability of the insect: cockroaches are able to change their movement pattern with lightning speed. Depending on their location, each pair of legs has its own special purpose:

• the prothoracic legs are shorter than all the others, they serve as a kind of brake at high speed of the cockroach;
• the mid-thoracic legs are responsible for high maneuverability, as they are able to move in different directions;
• The metathoracic tarsi are longer than the other two pairs, move the cockroach’s body forward and are the main walking limbs.

Wings

Two pairs of wings are attached to the cockroach's chest. On top there are hard elytra, designed to cover the abdomen and thinner wings. Interestingly, the length of the male's wings is significantly greater than the length of the female's wings. Cockroaches use their wings to accelerate while moving and also to slow down their fall.

Reading on the topic: White cockroaches or a scary mutant

Fortunately, only one species of cockroaches can fly, but for all the others, their wings are useful for mating games. This is why the male’s wings are longer: during mating, the spread wings form a convenient platform for the larger female.

Abdomen

The abdomen of a cockroach has 11 so-called tergites (segments), but only 8-9 can be distinguished. The tenth segment forms a plate that covers the anus. In females, the abdomen continues with the ootheca - eggs (about 12-16) are stored in this segment. This part of the body has the shape of an oval, and due to its impressive size it is always noticeable and is an obvious difference between a female and a male. It is noteworthy that with sufficient nutrition, the female is capable of producing ootheca every two to three days.

Internal structure of a cockroach

You've probably heard that cockroaches can live without a head for a whole week, or even a month. But you hardly know what physiological features make this possible. Below I will talk about how these work amazing insects from the inside, and why cockroaches feel great even after they have been decapitated.

Digestive system

We already know how the jaws of the black and red cockroach are structured, but what happens to the food next? As I said, the mouth contains salivary glands that secrete saliva to soften and moisten food before swallowing. It is noteworthy that what is eaten will be partially digested in the insect’s crop, and the stomach will do the rest.

Thanks to its muscular structure, it seems to “grind” food, sending it then to the midgut, then to the hindgut and to the excretory system. The intestines of cockroaches are populated by bacteria and fungi, thanks to which the insect is able to digest even inorganic compounds.

Interestingly, the cockroach does not need to chew its food too thoroughly - in the part of the foregut located immediately behind the mouth, there is a row of teeth that will certainly thoroughly crush what it swallows in a hurry.
Cockroaches do not have a urethra, so both feces and urine are excreted through the anus.

Circulatory system

The circulatory system of cockroaches belongs to open type, and the blood of these creatures has White color and is called "hemolymph". Blood circulates freely inside the body, washing everything internal organs. The movement of hemolymph is due to the work of the heart, and the speed of blood circulation is very slow, making the cockroach very sensitive to temperature environment.

Respiratory system

The cockroach breathes using spiracles - these are 10 pairs of small holes that are located on the sides of the abdomen. The spiracles continue with tracheoles - tubes that form a system and connect into six large tracheal trunks. Such a structure respiratory system allows you to diffusely supply oxygen to all internal organs.

Cockroaches, or cockroaches, (lat. Blattoptera, or Blattodea) are a detachment of insects from the superorder Cockroaches.

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. Going through changes 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.

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 a person and make them want to eat 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 way of life are very interesting, and even if the insects inevitably die, knowledge about their characteristics will allow you to choose the most effective methods struggle.

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 they allow insects to actively reproduce, increasing their offspring tens and even hundreds of times annually.

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 aircraft small in size 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 indicate ancient origin these living beings. 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. 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.

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

Prefer rooms with moderate temperature conditions And high humidity. Favorite habitats are sewers and basements, sometimes they live in bathrooms. IN living rooms disperse only when the population reaches several hundred.

Comparison of black and red cockroaches - differences in the photo

American cockroach

By appearance resembles a Prussian. It has the same red or brown color on its belly and wings. You can distinguish them from other brothers by their size; they are large, up to 50 mm in length, and by dark brown spots on the body. 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. Distributed to apartments via 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 the territory of Northern 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 southern regions 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.
• Egyptian cockroach– 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. Distinctive feature These creatures have a 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. Mostly live in middle lane Russia.

Reproduction of cockroaches

The reproduction speed of these creatures can be the envy of many other insects. A large number of eggs in the clutch and short term reaching puberty, when favorable conditions residence, ensure population growth 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 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 area. 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– forms 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 in color, but very quickly becomes brown tint, 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. Adult(imago) – the stage of sexual maturity and readiness for reproduction. Further, the pests do not change their appearance until the end of their life cycle.

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.

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 appeared during the day, it means they a large number of and the population experiences 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.

Where do cockroaches live and hide?

Cockroaches love warmth, darkness And dampness identified 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.

What do cockroaches eat?

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

• spoiled food;
• sweets;
• flour products;
• paper, including wallpaper, books;
• pieces of furniture;
• cloth;
• soap.

An indispensable condition for these creatures to live is water. If she is not there, they will quickly leave the room. 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. The Prussians are characterized by cannibalism.

Harm and benefits of cockroaches

Cockroaches can poison a person’s life, cause harm to health and property, have a terrifying appearance and bad smell make living with such neighbors impossible, but in living nature these creatures perform important functions, participate in nitrogen processing and support normal life ecosystems of the planet.

It is necessary to survive them from the apartment, but perhaps you should not treat them so dismissively and use them to fight as much as possible humane methods. Knowledge about the characteristics of the representatives of the order, the reproduction and life of cockroaches will make it possible to force pests to leave the home without harm to people and the insects themselves.

As a rule, a cockroach is an unwelcome guest. It brings with it a lot of problems, since it is a carrier of infections, and getting rid of numerous colonies is quite problematic. But if you know what types of cockroaches exist, you will quickly find the most suitable means to combat the individuals operating in your kitchen. Or, perhaps, you would like to get an exotic pet from the same order of insects, which can become a winner in cockroach races, serve as food for your pet, or itself will play the role of a pet for the whole family.

Why do these insects live in apartments and houses? The answer is very simple - because in the conditions of the Russian winter under open air they are simply not able to survive, and finding a source of food in cold weather is quite problematic. That is why they rush to warm buildings, where food is plentiful and created as much as possible. comfortable conditions for their habitat.

The main signs of apartment cockroaches

All representatives of cockroaches living in residential premises have whole line characteristic features:

• their life consists of three stages of development: egg, larva, adult;
• The female bears the eggs in a special capsule - ooteca;
• larvae and adults are very similar in appearance;
• the domestic cockroach navigates with the help of tactile antennae;
• the insect is omnivorous and has a gnawing mouthpart that is capable of grinding any food.

• The car cockroach looks more than original. Characteristic Features its elytra are short light shade and a light stripe along the perimeter of the body, and males still stand out and 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 colors, which resembles the color of a predatory ground beetle, which helps it avoid becoming prey to 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 type in the article:.
• 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 who 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.