Squad of cockroaches. Description and structural features of cockroaches, their varieties, nutrition, reproduction and danger to humans. The main signs of apartment cockroaches

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 indicates bad smell, 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 fairly quickly and do not require special 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. The Egyptian cockroach contaminates food and feed with waste products. 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 their small size (up to 0.7 mm) and the absence of wings. The young insects become sexually mature after 4 molts.

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. They inhabit kitchen cabinets and 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 move freely along the street in the summer, 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 abundance, the body length of an 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 specific odor they emit, 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.

Opinion about mutation or appearance in the apartment special type pests are a myth. In fact, this is not a separate species, but ordinary Prussians, experiencing the molting period.

The change of chitinous cover in arthropods occurs several times during the life cycle.

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 ones 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.

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. Exotic plants 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 faster the apartment will be freed from unexpected settlers.

Important rule! Before disinfestation, the apartment is cleaned, food and household waste is disposed of, and the house is cleared of trash deposits.

After extensive general cleaning, an insecticide is applied. 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 on the ventilation hole to a fine mesh one.

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

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 - a very long time 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 can easily 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 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 appearance features. 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.

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. Having undergone changes in appearance and lifestyle, they managed to survive to this day. Today they live everywhere, even in cold climates, where they have learned to coexist with humans in living quarters.

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 lifestyle are very interesting, and even if the insects inevitably die, knowledge about their characteristics will allow you to choose the most effective methods of control.

The 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 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.

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. They spread into apartments through ventilation shafts. They move very quickly, up to 75 cm per second.

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

Other types of cockroaches

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

• Turkmen or Central Asian cockroach - has a brown color, turning into black towards the back of the body, there are no wings, the body is elongated.
• 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. A distinctive feature of these creatures is their light, uneven color - on their abdomen all shades of brown in the form of spots or stripes.

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

Reproduction of cockroaches

The reproduction speed of these creatures can be the envy of many other insects. A large number of eggs in 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 for a long time and used for subsequent fertilization. The development of the offspring begins in a special capsule called the ooteca. Depending on the type of insect, the ootheca may be located outside the mother’s body on her abdomen, or located inside her until the larvae form. Before hatching, the female sheds her ootheca in a protected 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 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 has White color, but very quickly acquires a 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 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; their frightening appearance and unpleasant smell make living with such neighbors impossible, but in wildlife these creatures perform important functions, participate in the processing of nitrogen and support the normal life of the planet’s ecosystem.

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.

A cockroach is an arthropod insect from the superorder Cockroach-like, order Cockroaches (Blattoptera, Blattodea).

None of the versions of the origin of the Russian word “cockroach” have been found precise confirmation. According to some etymologists, cockroaches got their name from the Chuvash word “tar-aqan”, which means “running away”, or the Turkic “taz” (“to run away”).

Cockroach: description, characteristics, structure

Cockroaches are distinguished by a flattened, oval-shaped body, ranging from 1 to 10 cm or more in length. The elongated abdomen of the cockroach consists of 8-10 tergites (dorsal sclerotized segments) and 7-9 sternites (abdominal sclerotized segments), 7 in females, 8-9 in males. At the end of the abdomen there are long, usually segmented cerci. In males there are 1-2 styli located on the last sternite. Typically, cockroaches have a light body color with yellowish-brown elytra; dark or black coloring is less common.

The elytra of the cockroach are dense, horny or leathery, with pronounced venation. The hind wings are equipped with membranes and, when folded, are hidden under the elytra.

Some species have shortened front and rear wings, and there are also wingless species of cockroaches. Some species of cockroaches can fly, although their flight does not last long.

A cockroach has a total of 6 legs. The thighs and shins are equipped with spines. The legs of these insects with five-segmented tarsi are well developed and adapted for running.

The speed of a cockroach is quite high: for example, the American cockroach covers a distance of 75 cm in a second. In addition, it is almost impossible to catch a cockroach with your bare hands, because the nimble insect changes direction approximately 25 times per second.

The flat head of a cockroach can be triangular or heart-shaped.

The pronotum is almost flat, shield-shaped, quite large, with transparent edges in many species.

The jaws of insects are very strong, gnawing type, with many chitinous teeth.

The mouth is turned downwards.

The cockroach's eyes are large, simple eyes 2, in wingless cockroaches they are often atrophied, and in cave species they are completely absent.

The sensitive antennae of insects are quite long, sometimes exceeding the length of the body, bristle-like, multi-segmented, covered with many microscopic bristles.

The external reproductive organs of the male cockroach are represented by the genital plate formed by the ninth sternite.

Females are endowed with a hidden ovipositor and an ootheca - a special protein capsule designed for bearing offspring.

A cockroach lives from 4 months to 4 years, the lifespan of a cockroach depends on the species.

The cockroach is one of the hardiest insects, capable of starving for a whole month without harm to health. But under favorable conditions and thanks to the peculiarities of the oral apparatus, cockroaches feed on everything that is poorly hidden. A female cockroach eats from 30 to 50 g of various foods per day; males are not so gluttonous and eat 2 times less.

The cockroach is a nocturnal insect, and goes out in search of food after dark, and the “feast” continues until dawn, largely because cockroaches do not so much eat as they bite into various foods, finding the most delicious for themselves by sampling.

The favorite food of cockroaches is any baked goods, sugar and all kinds of sweets, in third place meat products and cereals, and the list of preferences is completed by various vegetables and fruits, of any freshness. In the absence of food, cockroaches are content with paper, carpentry and shoe glue, book bindings, fabrics, various garbage and any organic matter.

Where do cockroaches live?

Cockroaches are distributed almost everywhere and inhabit almost all parts of the world, with the exception of icy Antarctica and other polar regions. The most numerous populations live in the tropics and subtropical latitudes, although these insects feel no less comfortable in the temperate zone. Cockroaches live in North and South America, Europe, Russia, Africa and Asia, and Australia. Countries with a fairly cool climate and frosty winters are mainly inhabited by synanthropic species that live in heated human dwellings.

In nature, cockroaches prefer to settle in shady places with constantly high humidity: they hide in the thickness of fallen leaves, under half-decomposed wood, “feast” where there is an accumulation of rotting fruits or vegetables, and often live in rotting vegetation along shallow water bodies. Sinanthropus cockroaches often build their nests in ventilation shafts and sewer lines multi-storey buildings, V basements, in cracks in walls and behind baseboards, they are popular in city landfills and garbage chutes.

How to distinguish a female cockroach from a male?

Below are photos that will help you determine the sex of a cockroach.

Argentine cockroach (Blaptika dubia) - male on the left and female on the right

Marble cockroach Nauphoeta cinerea– male below, female above

Does the white cockroach exist?

Sometimes in ordinary apartment Among the typical cockroaches you can see rather unusual albino cockroaches. Many people ask: white cockroach– is this a separate species? Not at all. An insect can have this color during the molting period, when the old shell has already been shed, and the new chitinous shell has not yet acquired pigmentation. Another reason for the “whitening” of a cockroach may be disinfestation using toxic chlorine, which destroys the coloring pigment.

What animals eat cockroaches?

Although the cockroach is an almost indestructible insect due to its amazing fertility and adaptability to the most uncomfortable living conditions, they also have enemies. Some species enjoy eating cockroaches (for example, Centruroides gracilis, Euscorpius germanus And Hadrurus arizonensis), will not refuse to taste the cockroach centipede Scutigera coleoptrata, house spiders and. Cockroaches are hunted by the crested anole lizard, tree frog, northern leopard frog, and coastal toad. Cockroaches are a favorite treat for households, and dead cockroaches are eaten. Eulophid insects lay eggs in the ootecae of cockroaches, and the hatched eulophid larvae eat everything inside the cockroach capsule.

Types of cockroaches, names and photos

The modern classification includes 500 genera, including more than 4640 species of cockroaches. Below is a description of some varieties:

• (Prussian) ( Blattella germanica)

It got its name due to the erroneous assumption that the insect was brought to Russia from Prussia. The Prusak cockroach is one of the most common synanthropic species, whose life passes in close interaction with a person. The body length of an adult cockroach is from 1 to 1.6 cm. Individuals of both sexes have developed wings, thanks to which they can plan, but cockroaches cannot fly for a long time. Males are distinguished by a narrower body, females have a fairly wide body with a rounded abdomen, covered with wings. The color of the red cockroach suggests different shades of brown. There are 2 characteristic dark stripes on the dorsal part of the prothorax.

The red cockroach is omnivorous, and in addition to its traditional food - the remains of human food, the cockroach can eat paper, shoe leather, textiles, and in extreme cases, even ordinary soap.

In fact, the Prussian came to Europe and North America from southern Asia, so the heat-loving insect in harsh climates survives only in rooms heated all year round.

• (Blatta orientalis)

In the past, it was a fairly common species, significantly displaced from its usual habitats by the red cockroach. The length of an adult is from 2 to 8 cm. The color of the cockroach is black-brown or tar-brown with a metallic tint. Males are distinguished by longer elytra than females, but neither one nor the other can fly, but they run very quickly.

Black cockroaches live throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. They prefer to settle in heated rooms, sewers, adits, greenhouses, as well as in wildlife, not far from the main source of nutrition - food waste.

• (Periplaneta americana)

It looks like a red cockroach, but has big sizes body: from 3.5 to 5 cm. Like Prussians, American cockroaches can fly. The wings of males extend beyond the abdomen by 4-8 mm, due to which males appear longer than females. The shiny body of the American cockroach can be red or chocolate brown. A light brown or yellow stripe runs along the edge of the pronotum. In the wild, American cockroaches live in wooden stilts, rotten wood, in the bark of palm trees, in sewers and ventilation tunnels. Thanks to their flattened body shape, they easily penetrate people’s homes through the smallest cracks and gaps, where they hide in attics and basements during daylight hours.

Cockroaches eat absolutely everything: any organic matter, garbage, hair and dead insects, fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, nuts, sweets, cereals, paper, pieces of shoes and clothing. In the 17th century, they were brought from Africa to North America, and later to Europe, where they successfully took root and spread everywhere.

• Madagascar hissing cockroach(Gromphadorrhina portentosa)

Very large tropical cockroach, growing in length up to 55 mm (males) - 60 mm (females). Some individuals can reach a length of 10 cm. The weight of the cockroach is about 60 g. The back of the body is colored Brown color, pronotum brownish-black. Madagascar cockroaches do not have wings. In times of danger and during mating games, they are capable of making loud sounds reminiscent of hissing. What’s interesting: the female cockroach hisses only to scare away enemies, and the louder the male cockroach hisses, the more chances he has for the female’s favor. Some individuals, in addition to hissing, can whistle.

The Madagascar cockroach is an endemic species whose range is limited to the island of Madagascar. Hissing cockroaches live in the branches of trees and shrubs, feeding on fruits and other vegetation. They are actively used for breeding at home, as live food and in cockroach races.

• Marbled cockroach (ash cockroach, naufete, neofeta)(Nauphoeta cinerea)

It is of African origin, but due to its unpretentiousness and fertility, it is widespread throughout to the globe. The insect is also called naufet. Females are larger than males and grow up to 3 cm in length, males - up to 2.5 cm.

Marbled cockroaches eat raw vegetables and fruits, oatmeal and sprouted grains, bread, protein foods, grass, paper, can easily chew through thin plastic. In the absence of protein feed, cases of cannibalism are observed. The ash cockroach is a universal and most popular food insect for domestic hedgehogs, amphibians (and) and tarantulas.

• Turtle cockroaches(Corydiidae)

This is a family of cockroaches with pronounced sexual dimorphism: females are wingless, large, massive, grow up to 3-4 cm in length. Males have wings and grow up to 2.5-3 cm in length. Due to their structural features, they are somewhat reminiscent of woodlice.

Cockroaches live in arid regions of North America, Central Asia and Africa.

Chess cockroach (lat. Therea petiveriana). Photo by: noexcuse4you

• Sarawak cockroach ( Rhicnoda natatrix)

Lives on the island of Kalimantan.

An amazing feature of this species is the ability of cockroach larvae to swim well. Under normal conditions, the larvae prefer to hide in litter of fallen leaves located near small streams, puddles or shallow tropical forest lakes. However, at the first hint of danger, the larvae bravely rush into the reservoir, rushing to the bottom and waiting there. calm environment on the land.

The heaviest cockroach in the world is the Australian one rhinoceros cockroach or giant burrowing cockroach ( Macropanesthia rhinoceros) , whose length is about 9 cm and weighs more than 30 g.

Reaches the same size cockroach Blaberus giganteus . These 2 species are very popular among lovers of pet cockroaches.

The longest cockroach in the world is found in Latin America. cockroach Megaloblatta longipennis , the length of which reaches 9.7 cm with a width of 4.5 cm.

And the cockroach has the largest wingspan of 18.5 cm Megaloblattablaberoides .

Flying cockroaches, names and photos

Despite having wings, not all cockroaches can fly. And even representatives of flying species do not know how to glide in the air, but only make small and short flights. Flying cockroaches:

• (Prussian) ( Blattella germanica)

It has a brown-red color and a body length of 1-1.6 cm.

• Lapland cockroach ( Ectobius lapponicus)

A species that lives in Europe and the USA. Males are 1.3-1.4 cm long, females are 9-10 mm long. Individuals are colored gray-yellow and brown-yellow.

• Asian cockroach ( Blattella asahinai)

It lives in the tropics and subtropics of hot Asia, as well as in the southern states of the USA.

• (Periplaneta americana)

It is similar to the Prussian, but differs in longer length - from 35 to 50 mm.

• Megaloblatta longipennis And Megaloblattablaberoides

They live in the countries of Central and South America. The length of the insects reaches 9 cm, width - 4.5 cm. The wingspan is 18-20 cm.

• Blaberus giganteus

A species native to South and Central America. Males grow up to 6.5-7 cm, females - up to 7-8.5 cm.

How do cockroaches reproduce?

Cockroaches are characterized by an incomplete development cycle, consisting of 3 periods:

• egg;
• larva (nymph);
• imago (adult).

Cockroaches are distinguished by sexual and parthenogenetic reproduction, but, in any case, in order to reproduce offspring, the female still needs to mate at least once. The male’s gametes are able to remain in the female’s body for a long time, and subsequent clutches occur without prior copulation.

There is no specific breeding season for cockroaches, but mating displays vary somewhat among individual species. Female cockroaches invite males to mate by lightly flapping their wings and secreting an odorous substance - a special secretion produced by glands located in the back of the body. In some species, mating is preceded by a lengthy courtship process.

The male cockroach fertilizes the female using the genital plate, and then the partners separate. After some time, the female lays 30-40 eggs and bears them in the ooteca, which is located at the end of the abdomen.

Female and cubs

Most species of cockroaches are ovoviviparous; some are viviparous.

The incubation period lasts from 2 to 5 weeks, at the end of which the female sheds the ootheca in a secluded corner, after which fully developed nymphs hatch from the eggs, differing from mature individuals in their smaller size, lack of wings and darker color.

Nymph (larva) of the Australian cockroach

The development of nymphs can last from several months, like the Prussian, to 4 years, like the black cockroach.

Cockroach larvae molt 5-9 times during their growth process, increasing in size after each molt.

After the last molt, the cockroach acquires a hard shell. Depending on the species, a female cockroach is capable of producing from 20 to 90 ootheca during her life.