Features of the structure of cockroaches. Interesting information about cockroaches - what types of cockroaches they come in. Cockroaches belong to the order

Nature of cockroaches

Cockroaches are one of the most ancient insects; they inhabited our planet back in the Paleozoic era and reached a length of 50 cm. Modern cockroaches are much “shorter” than their ancestors - from 4 to 10 centimeters. More than 4,500 species of cockroaches are known. Their population is especially numerous in the tropics and subtropics, among them there are real long-livers (the Australian rhinoceros cockroach lives for more than ten years, it holds the record for life expectancy), and only 55 species “live” in the territory of post-Soviet countries. Flying cockroaches are rare; science knows only one species, which lives in Central and South America. But almost all species can swim.

Flying cockroach. Source: http://nakipre.blogspot.com

Cockroaches are true dormouse: they spend 75% of their lives sleeping. They are heat-loving insects and die at temperatures below -5°, so they cannot be found in northern latitudes.

Cockroaches are not primitive insects, they have a brain, it is not located in the head, but evenly throughout the body. And the blood white circulates freely without blood vessels.

Cockroaches do not breathe through their nose, they simply don’t have one, but through the cells of their entire body, which distinguishes them from other insects. Their hearing organs, or more simply put, their ears, are located on two processes - circuses, which grow at the end of the abdomen.

The stomach of a cockroach has strong muscles and... no less strong teeth. They have powerful, developed jaws, they are studded with chitinous teeth, which is why insects can eat very hard food, even wood and leather. The diet of cockroaches is very varied. They will gratefully eat anything that grows or moves, but at the same time, they can spend a whole month on a strict diet or starve.

The cockroach's eye consists of 4,000 segments, so the insect can see in all directions at the same time. Most cockroaches have two eyes, but species that live in poor lighting or its absence (for example, cave cockroaches), the eyes are atrophied or absent at all.

Survival gear

The female cockroach knows how to retain and store the male's seed, so after the first conception she can conceive several more times on her own, without his help. Most cockroaches lay eggs, but some are viviparous. It takes a cockroach larva from two months to five years to develop into an adult.

Larva of the cockroach Eublaberus distanti. Source: http://eublepharis.ru

Rhinoceros cockroach. Source: http://www.zoopicture.ru

The lethal dose of radiation for cockroaches is fifteen times higher than the lethal dose for humans, and cockroaches also sense microwave radiation. They can survive even inside a switched-on microwave, because they will accurately determine the place where harmful rays do not reach and take refuge there, but if a cockroach falls on its back out of the blue, it will die because it will not be able to roll over.

A cockroach can live without a head for nine days and die of starvation on the tenth. It is difficult to drown him and he is also unlikely to be able to drown himself, since he can hold his breath for 45 minutes. Research has shown that insects owe their endurance and amazing vitality to clear social behavior and the natural mechanisms that they use to help each other, “mutual assistance” for cockroaches is not just a word. For example, it has been proven that each cockroach leaves behind a special chemical trail that helps its comrades find their way to shelter, water and food.

Cockroaches are very mobile; they can change direction of movement 25 times per second. Small hairs on the sides of the insect catch the slightest vibrations in the air, so the cockroach “anticipates” your every movement.

The average cockroach can cover a distance of 22 centimeters in a second. The American cockroach runs 75 centimeters per second; if the American cockroach were the size of a cheetah, its speed would be 50 km/h. In 1991, an American sprinting cockroach set a record; it ran 5.4 km/h in 1 second. Giant cockroaches from the island of Madagascar, thanks to their athletic abilities, take part in cockroach races.

Cockroach races. Source: http://gavrosh.net

Cockroaches are considered carriers of dirt and infections, but they tirelessly monitor personal hygiene. They clean their whiskers with their hind paws, and if the hind paws are missing for some reason, then in a short period of time they adapt the front paws for washing.

Cockroach Doctor. Source: http://darkoman.net

Cockroach and man

Cockroaches have lived next to humans for a very long time. They are as integral a part of our reality as mice, cats and dogs. Perhaps that is why people did not feel the desire to explore them, arrogantly believing that everyone knew about them. Research on cockroaches began relatively recently.

The cockroach rules the kitchen. Source: http://www.colady.ru

There is an opinion that cockroaches owe their name to the Chuvash people. Translated from Chuvash, “cockroach” means “running away.” In Germany and the Czech Republic, red cockroaches are called “Russian”, and black ones are called “Swabians”, that is, “German”. Serbs also call the red ones “bubarus” (Russian beetle), and the black ones “bubashvaba” (German beetle).

Giant blabberus. Source: http://paramoribo.livejournal.com

In the Russian-language tradition, cockroaches have a lot of nicknames, they are called “tariks”, and “stasiks”, and “Prusaks”, and even “trams”.

Domino cockroach. Source: http://gallery.ecostudy.org

In many countries around the world, cockroaches, due to their unpretentiousness, are popular as pets. Archimandrite cockroaches, giant blaberus cockroaches, domino cockroaches, Cuban banana cockroaches and Madagascar hissing cockroaches are specially bred.

Madagascar hissing cockroach. Source: http://www.aquarion.ru

Cockroaches are also a valuable insect for lovers of terrarium animals. Ash cockroaches are ideal food for lizards, frogs and snakes; not only amphibians are averse to eating cockroaches.

A hedgehog chews a cockroach.

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. Going through changes appearance and way of life, 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 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.

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 one distinctive feature- long mustaches, due to which they navigate in space, find food and water. The body is covered with a chitinous shell, which protects it from light blows.

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.

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.

American cockroach

In appearance it is similar to 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.

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.
• 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. 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 species 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 stage fights for the right to fertilize a female, spread their wings and demonstrate the capabilities of flight. 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, after relieving the swelling, break off contact with them forever. From the laying of the capsule to the appearance of the larvae, an average of 3–4 weeks passes.

Fertility of cockroaches

For the whole life cycle the female can lay larvae 4–6 times. Each German ootheca contains about 30 eggs, black up to 18. One female can bear from 20 to 200 larvae in her lifetime.

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 beings 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. Then 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 empirically have 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.

Cockroaches are different, but there are only two main types - black and red cockroaches. Despite the external differences, the structure of cockroaches is similar. The body length of the largest insects does not exceed 5 cm, and the smallest reach only 1 cm in length. Madagascar cockroaches can grow up to 10 cm in length.

All cockroaches have a flat body and a heart-shaped head, but some species have a triangular head. There are two rather large eyes on the surface, but in some species of insects the visual organs are atrophied or completely absent. Males are mostly winged, while females lack wings. Females are significantly larger than males in size.

Features of cockroaches

These insects belong to the class insects, order cockroaches. Phylum arthropods, subphylum tracheal-breathing. The peculiarity of the black cockroach, which has wings, is its inability to perform independent directed flight. They can glide on their even well-developed wings, which in males cover the entire abdomen. But large females either have no wings or are practically undeveloped. Because of this, their abdomen remains open.

They, like all polyphags, feed on a wide variety of foods, eating bread, vegetables, fruits, paper, and even soap. Black and red cockroaches can be attracted to foods that have a pleasant and rather strong odor. Cockroaches cannot survive without water and need warmth. Another feature is to search for the most secluded, dark, damp corners where they can feel quite comfortable.

External structure of cockroaches

Their heads are different types and have external differences. In most cases the head is large, oval or pear-shaped. The mouth has significant size, directed backwards and downwards. It can be difficult to examine the head of a black cockroach, since it is covered by the pronotum. Some species have so-called simple eyes, which are not always developed.

As for the specimens of full-winged animals, they have large compound eyes separated by an interocular space. Short-winged individuals have smaller eyes, often atrophied. Some individuals have no eyes at all. Cockroaches bite quite noticeably. Their mouth is classified as a gnawing mouth. The antennae of the cockroach deserve special attention. They are attached to the antennal fossae. The antennae are covered with bristles and are long.

Body parts

The chest of the black and red cockroach consists of three segments. The first one is much larger than the others - this is the pronotum. This segment has the shape of a convex hexagon. On the sides of it smooth surface there are depressions in which the elytra are placed. This segment is often lighter than the rest of the insect's body, and in some species it is even transparent. The pronotum has an external connection with a small triangular shield, and the thoracic sclerites are hidden under the coxae of the legs.

The legs of the black cockroach are five-jointed. The first four segments have pads, but the fifth has claws. There is a sucker between the claws.

They have two pairs of wings. Despite the fact that they are not developed in all individuals, most alates use membranous wings. The first pair of membranes does not have membranes, but it does have cilia. The first pair of wings are the elytra. They are dense, leathery, and have no hairs. The second pair are the wings themselves, which in some species are atrophied or completely absent. Only males are capable of flight.

Segmental external structure The abdomen of the red cockroach is clearly visible even at the first glance at the insect. The abdomen is thickened, standing out against the general background. It is especially noticeable in females. The number of segments reaches 10 or 11, the last of which is the anal plate, which covers the anus.

Ootheca

An ootheca is nothing more than an egg cocoon. It has an oval shape, the ends of which are rounded, and in the females of some species they are chopped off. The ootheca is always noticeable due to its size. You can recognize the female red cockroach by it. The size of the ootheca depends on the size of the insect, but in any case it may not be much smaller than the abdomen. The surface of the ootheca is ribbed, and in the place where the eggs are collected, it is noticeably convex. This is a light capsule, at the ends of which there is a so-called pink or beige colour. It may have noticeable thickenings or be completely smooth.

Internal structure

The greatest interest in internal structure cause respiratory, circulatory and digestive organs. The excretory system of the insect is no less important and interesting. The dorsal blood vessel stretches along the entire body, forming expansions in each abdominal segment. Extensions with valves are the heart of the insect. Respiratory system- three pairs of tracheal trunks, from which branches extend throughout the insect’s body.

The digestive system begins with the oral cavity, then the subpharyngeal gland and the salivary glands. The cockroach wets its food with saliva before swallowing it. From a small pharynx, food enters the esophagus, from there into the crop and then into the muscular stomach. All foods that a cockroach eats are partially digested, ending up in the crop, and final processing pass in the stomach.

Food ground in the muscular stomach enters the midgut, and from there into the hindgut and excretory system. Central nervous system consists of ganglia (suprapharyngeal and subpharyngeal) and the abdominal nerve cord.

Insects require warmth, darkness and humidity to thrive and live. They constantly eat and reproduce. These insects move in search of cozy places and the most suitable habitat, using a wide variety of passages and crevices. Most individuals feel great at temperatures of 20 - 30 ° C, which is why they are so comfortable in human homes.

There are more than 4 thousand species of cockroaches in nature, but only a few have adapted to live near humans. In ancient times, insects were considered a symbol of wealth and meant an improvement in material condition, but today they are a sign of unsanitary conditions. Indeed, in addition to the fact that pests cause a lot of trouble with their presence, they also... You will learn which types of cockroaches are the most common in this article.

Red cockroach

This is one of the most common inhabitants of human habitation, which was brought to Europe and North America from South Asia. That is why the heat-loving pest prefers to live in residential areas.

The people gave this species of insects another name - Prussians. Adults grow up to 1-1.5 cm. They have developed wings, which allows them to glide when jumping. However, not for long.

On a note!

A distinctive feature of the female is a wide body with a rounded abdomen, which is covered with wings. Active males have a much narrower and slimmer body.

On a note!

The presence of black pests in the house gives off an unpleasant odor, which is caused by pheromones. Insects use them to attract their fellows.

This representative of the cockroach family lives in natural conditions. However, it easily adapts to life next to a person by changing its diet. Moreover, sweets are the pest’s favorite treat.

On a note!

In the territory Russian Federation The American cockroach is much less common than its red and black counterparts.

This is perhaps the largest variant of insects living near humans. Such cockroaches can be up to 10 cm. Many people keep them in the house instead of pets. Insects are also bred as food for reptiles, since they reproduce quickly enough and do not require special conditions care They are kept in a terrarium, so these cockroaches do not have nests. Wood sawdust and leftover food is all that is needed to breed insects.

On a note!

Despite their impressive size, insects are distinguished by a very peaceful character and even increased timidity. During the day they prefer to hide in the plant litter, coming out only when dark time days. Giants react to emerging danger with a strong hiss. This sound is produced by the insect with spiracles located throughout the body.

Interesting!

- another type of viviparous insect. Small larvae emerge from the eggs directly in the female’s abdomen, after which they crawl out along with fragments of the ootheca. At one time, the female is able to “give birth” to 25 larvae.

Egyptian

This synanthropic insect causes no less harm to humans and animals with its presence. Human waste Egyptian cockroach contaminates food and feed. In addition, insects carry various pathogenic bacteria and viruses.

Insects eat:

• organic residues;
• dry leaves;
• fecal matter.

Cockroaches can inhabit residential and livestock premises, as well as rodent burrows.

This type insects have a flat, oval-shaped body, the length of which does not exceed 2.5 cm. Males have dense, well-developed wings. Body color is dark or reddish-brown. Wingless black-brown females are very similar to small turtles. Their body length reaches up to 4-4.5 cm. A photo of cockroaches of this species is presented below.

The eggs are white in color and up to 0.5 mm in size, and after fertilization, the females of this insect species lay them in a special capsule - the ootheca. In total, there can be up to 18 of them in one capsule.

Small cockroaches that appear over time are distinguished from adult individuals only by small sizes(up to 0.7 mm) and absence of wings. The young insects become sexually mature after 4 molts.

People study these insects with different purposes. Someone wants to get to know them better in order to effectively deal with domestic cockroaches. There are people who breed cockroaches for racing, and some consider them just cute pets. How many species of cockroaches are known to scientists? Today there are more than 4 thousand, and new ones are constantly being opened.

There are approximately fifty species living in Russia. Fortunately, only a small part is found in residential areas. The most typical one is the red cockroach. Warm apartments and houses became a safe haven for Blattella germanica. The red insect even became a character in a children's fairy tale - its hero was negative.

Prussians live everywhere, so his appearance perfectly familiar to most people: yellow-brown back, sometimes with black stripes. The female often carries the larvae behind her abdomen. The offspring that are born are very similar to the parents, only small in size. Sometimes you can see a white individual - this is what a cockroach looks like immediately after molting. But soon it becomes a normal color.

You can also find black cockroaches: they have more unusual and repulsive appearance. Blatta orientalis lives more often on lower floors, in the basements. The body length is much larger than its red relative: females can reach 30 cm (males are slightly smaller). This species can emit an unpleasant odor using skin glands located on the abdomen.

In southern latitudes you can find the Central Asian species - it looks like a regular red one, but the abdomen is dark, almost black. In addition, Shelfordella tartara can jump and even fly!

Decorative cockroaches

There are also varieties for amateur breeding. That's right, some people get cockroaches voluntarily, instead of traditional cats and dogs. One of the most famous decorative species is the Australian cockroach - it is distinguished by its very large (for an insect) size. Macropanesthia rhinoceros lives in Australia, grows up to 9 cm, and is one of the largest cockroaches in the world. Outwardly, it looks more like a beetle: dark color and transverse stripes on its back, and also menacing-looking paws covered with spines.

In the wild, Australian cockroaches dig in leaves and dig holes in the sand. There they sit all the time, free from searching for food. This may be why they got their nickname - the burrowing rhinoceros cockroach. By the way, they can dig holes up to a meter long.

They feed on fallen tree branches. Female carries the entire offspring in a special bag, can produce several dozen larvae per year. Cockroaches reach maturity only at 4 years, of which they spend almost a year with their mother. And they live in nature for up to 10 years - very long term for an insect!

How to get rid of cockroaches at home?

Such a pet costs several thousand. He will have to buy a small terrarium- the cockroach will not be able to escape, because it does not know how to climb on glass or fly. You can feed them fruits and oak leaves. The bottom of the home is covered with a substrate in which the insect can dig holes.

Gallery: types of cockroaches (25 photos)

Flying species

What types of cockroaches are there? Some species can fly, although most have wings simply folded along the back. But this is not the case, for example, with the giant forest cockroach native to South America. In addition to its record size, it is also distinguished by its atypical yellow color. The wings are so large that they are longer than the entire body, the length of which in females reaches 8 cm (males are smaller). They not only make it possible to rise above the ground, which most cockroaches still cannot, but also help to effectively court females. When flirting, cockroaches lift them up, the friction of their wings on the back creates a sound.

This species is also kept in captivity, but requires space and careful handling. If you unexpectedly grab an individual, it can scratch with the sharp spines that are on its paws, and even bite. These insects also emit an unpleasant odor.

• Black American (Periplaneta Americana) - eats everything it can find in the sewers, where it most often lives. Spread throughout the world thanks to merchant ships. Now you can find it not only in your homeland (oddly enough, this is Africa), but also in Russia.
• Megaloblata (Megaloblatta longipennis) comes from Latin America, is distinguished by its enormous size (the largest known specimen was about 10 cm).
• The Ecuadorian banana cockroach (Panchlora nivea) lives on the ground, but is easily able to fly when necessary.

Phenaxin for cockroaches: instructions for use, reviews

"Dead Head"

Each species of cockroach has a scientific name in Latin. But not only. The name of cockroaches happens due to their external features or place of origin. For example, ordinary red cockroaches that live in an apartment are also called “Prussians”. A unusual looking Mustachioed, originally from South America, he earned the nickname “death’s head.” It has a spot on its back: there are several light dots on a black background, general form resembles a skull or a frightening mask. That's where the creepy name comes from. Despite having large wings, this species cannot fly.

In captivity they keep it according to the same rules as other exotic cockroaches:

• Insects need a substrate.
• They should be fed not only with fruits, but also with protein foods.
• Most of these species are active at night, so there is no need to place their home near their sleeping area.
• The terrarium needs a lid to prevent the pets from running away.

Spectacular pets

Not everyone may like decorative cockroaches, but meeting them will definitely be unforgettable. Exotic cockroaches are different, one of the most popular types is six-pointed, also from the American continent. It is considered very impressive because the back of this representative of the cockroach fraternity is of an unusual orange hue. The name in this case is also dictated by the features appearance. The front back is decorated with two large and four small spots; they form a symmetrical pattern, which immediately allows the insect to be identified as Eublaberus distanti.