Types of cockroaches, lifestyle, habitat and behavior. What do different types of cockroaches look like? Characteristic signs of cockroaches

How many species of cockroaches are known to scientists? This question can be answered in just two words: a lot. The order of cockroaches (Blattoptera) is very extensive and numbers this moment not one or two thousand species, but as many as 7570.

About 55 species of these insects live on the territory of the former USSR, including Russia. Cockroaches are widespread and live in close proximity to humans, and often even in their homes. Although a significant decline in the number of cockroaches has been recorded, these insects are still a fairly serious household problem.

Types of these insects

Varieties of domestic cockroaches are represented in much smaller numbers than there are in the world. If we consider some of the most famous types of cockroaches in the apartment, we can highlight a couple of the most remarkable. Photos and descriptions of household pests are presented below:

1. Red cockroach (Blattella germanica)

Perhaps the most famous synanthropic species of arthropods. People call these pests “Prussians” or “stasics.” This red-haired, mustachioed creature feeds on waste, paper, fabrics, even soap. Adapts perfectly to any changing environmental conditions and reproduces with incredible speed. It is nocturnal, but can also be found in daytime. The color of these pests varies from mustard-red to brown; two dark stripes on the front chest are notable. The size of adult individuals reaches 16-18 mm.

2. Black cockroach (Blatta orientalis)

The black barbel is a direct competitor of its red counterpart in human homes. These arthropods are jet black in color with a metallic or glossy sheen on the abdomen. The sizes are larger compared to the red ones - the imago of such a pest reaches a length of up to 8 cm. They do not fly, but they crawl very quickly. In spring and summer they can live in wildlife, on outdoors, but very close to human habitation.

3. American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

Despite its name, this insect is a cosmopolitan synanthrope, i.e. distributed anywhere in the world where people live. Similar to Prussians, but the body length can reach 5 cm. These are flying insects. Distinctive feature American longhorned beetles have shiny brown wings, as well as a white or light stripe on the prothorax.

4. Furniture cockroach (Supella longipalpa)

This species began to be found in Russian houses from the late 70s of the last century. A distinctive feature of furniture longhorned beetles is their amazing jumping ability and unusual coloring with light fuzzy spots on the back, although in appearance they are also similar to their red “relatives”. Based on the name, it is not difficult to guess where they prefer to make shelters.

What types of cockroaches are there in the world?

The colossal species diversity of this order of arthropods makes it impossible to describe all the species of cockroaches found in nature in at least two words, so it is much more advisable to focus on the most known species these insects, which are clearly presented in the photo.

Some popular exotic varieties cockroaches are bred at home by amateur entomologists or as “live food”:

All types of the above cockroaches, with the exception of the last one, do not live in natural environment on the territory of Russia and neighboring countries. Photos with descriptions of Russian endemics can be read a little higher.

Malicious species

If we consider these insects from the point of view of harm, then any domestic cockroaches that you do not breed yourself are potential pests and carry many dangers. For example, the most common varieties of these creatures in our latitudes are potentially dangerous because they are carriers of dangerous human diseases and pathogens of a bacterial or viral nature.

The photo below shows each species of potentially dangerous disease carriers from the cockroach order:

• red (Blattella germanica);
• black (Blatta orientalis);
• American (Periplaneta americana);
• furniture (Supella longipalpa);

The whole danger lies in the feeding behavior of these pests. A cockroach's food source can be anything - they are omnivores and absolutely unpretentious in food. They feast on fresh vegetables and fruits, baked goods, putrid leftovers from the trash can or other, sometimes inedible, things.

The type of mouthparts of any representative is gnawing; the pest will be able to eat anything. That is why, when digging in food scraps, places with poor sanitary conditions or habitats with the presence of pathogenic pathogens, longhorned beetles unwittingly become reservoirs for infections, although they themselves do not suffer from it.

Useful varieties

If we talk about benefits, then for the average person there is no such thing. The decorative functions of some species can be considered as beneficial. For insect lovers, keeping such cockroaches in an apartment brings considerable pleasure.

The food species mentioned above are also useful:

• Madagascar hissing cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa);
• turtle cockroach (Therea petiveriana);
• Central Asian cockroach (Shelfordella tartara).

Pest Control

More recently, “stasiks” were the real scourge of most residents multi-storey buildings, and in private they met quite often. Current situation somewhat simpler, but still many still do not know how to get rid of this scourge. Indeed, thanks to the excellent adaptive qualities, as well as high speed It is very difficult to breed barbels to reproduce their own kind.

Insects can live in attics, basements, occasionally appearing in the apartment, or live directly in it. The important thing is that these insects simply love unsanitary conditions, so the first step to expelling them from your home is to get into the habit of “generalizing” as often as possible.

But there is universal remedies control of insects such as cockroaches. They are called insecticides. They come in the form of aerosols, powders, emulsion concentrates, traps, baits, etc. It is the newest developments in chemical composition Such substances make it possible to fight Prussians very effectively.

It is useful to know that for a special effect you can combine several types of insecticidal agents or supplement the set of measures with some proven ones. folk remedies, for example, baits with boric acid.

What you will need:

• aerosol;
• respirator;
• gloves.

How to use:

1. Take precautions: wear a respirator for protection respiratory tract and gloves on hands.
2. Spray around the perimeter of the room, as well as in all areas of the apartment or house, focusing Special attention and several times applying the aerosol to those places where pests are most often found. If there are food products nearby, they should be removed to a safe place.
3. Run along baseboards, near trash cans, in floor crevices or walls; insects can hide behind furniture.
4. After the treatment is completed, close all windows and doors tightly, leave the room for several hours, and ventilate thoroughly upon arrival. If necessary (rarely), the treatment is repeated.

Where to buy funds

Name of shop	Address	Product name	Price
My convenient store	Moscow, Luchnikov lane, 4, building 2	Cockroach repellent COMBAT GOLDEN SUPER 500 ML	430
Anti-rodent	St. Petersburg, Narvsky pr., 18, office 208 (2 floors)	Get cockroach repellent	790
Ecoservice	Nalchik, Shogentsukova Ave., 13C	Raptor aerosol against crawling insects, 350 ML	350
Online trade	Samara, Novo-Sadovaya, 7, separate entrance, 1st floor	Aerosol RAID against cockroaches and ants 300 ml	265
Zone Sale	Minsk, st. Pesochnaya, 9	Remedy for bedbugs, cockroaches, flies, wasps GET® (GET)	42.92 bel r
Online store 27.ua	Kyiv, st. Polyarnaya, 20-D	Anti-cockroach gel Lethal Force 75 ml.	38 UAH

Every person wants to live in a beautiful and cozy home, because cockroaches are not neighbors that people are willing to put up with. These insects are not only a nuisance, but also harmful. Therefore, you need to get rid of cockroaches as soon as they appear.

What do cockroaches look like?

Cockroaches are insects that sometimes reach 7-10 cm in length. The largest among the cockroaches that can be seen at home are the Prussians. But scientists studying them claim that Prussians are not the worst enemies of apartment owners. Some scientists are confident that we have become the last generation to see the Prussians in person. Very soon these insects will become extinct. And the reason for this will be their size. Prussians are very clumsy and cannot quickly escape when they realize that people have seen them. That's why it's so easy to kill him. In addition, due to their size, they cannot occupy a small safe crevice in which they can hide from people. They are constantly in sight.

Cockroaches that are found in apartments are most often red in color. But in some areas of the country you can also find

The most important thing for this insect was and remains the mustache. This is the organ that helps him survive and find food. Cockroaches carefully groom their whiskers. If he has lost his sense of smell, he will soon die.

To the horror of many impressionable people, some cockroaches can fly. For example, the same Prussians can boast of such a skill. But they fly very rarely.

Why are cockroaches dangerous?

Cockroaches are inhabitants of the dark. They leave their shelters and go in search of food as soon as people turn off the lights. Some especially emotional people cockroaches are terrifying. They start screaming and repeating that cockroaches are incredibly disgusting. But the danger of insects is not only that they frighten household members and guests. These small pests can cause a large number of diseases.

Very often, cockroaches find food for themselves among waste. They rummage through the trash and then leave the trash can to go searching elsewhere. And this place happens dinner table, where the whole family will have breakfast the next morning. Cockroaches can get into the bread bin and spoil the supplies. On their limbs they bring worm eggs, which are found in sufficient quantities in the trash can.

Cockroaches can spoil more than just food. They sometimes destroy the pages of books and damage the covers. They often damage clothes and leather goods. For example, gloves and belts are affected by pests.

Cockroaches bring illness to humans and spoil things. Therefore, you need to start fighting them when they appear in the apartment. This needs to be done as early as possible, because they multiply very quickly.

Why did cockroaches appear in the house?

Cockroaches often appear in homes. Insects cause a lot of inconvenience, and everyone who has these inhabitants wonders why this happened. There can be many reasons.

Cockroaches appear much more often in apartments than in private houses. The reason for this is the remoteness of one frequent home from another. Apartments are located closer, and therefore cockroaches can easily migrate from one to another. Insects, which are difficult to control, multiply very quickly.

One of the reasons why houses could appear unexpected guests, may become their migration in a person's bag from another building. Maybe the cockroaches got in at work and arrived in the apartment on the person’s clothes or bag. They can even be brought from another city or from a friends apartment.

IN big cities cockroaches can infest without difficulty. For example, they can appear due to sewerage. Water also cannot pass from neighboring high-rise buildings.

Maybe an order was placed for home delivery from a store or restaurant. Some establishments are not famous for their cleanliness, and therefore cockroaches enjoy complete permissiveness there.

Some tenants receive unpleasant guests from neighboring apartments. Perhaps unscrupulous citizens have settled in the neighborhood and are too lazy to clean the apartment or take out the trash. Or they also accidentally acquired cockroaches somewhere and now cannot overcome them.

Life of cockroaches

In order to get a huge “army” of domestic cockroaches, it is enough to purchase only one or two. Cockroaches will quickly show themselves. Insects, which reproduce very quickly, will come out for food as soon as the light is turned off.

The rate of reproduction of cockroaches depends on the conditions provided to them. If there is a lot of food, then the “army” will be larger. Cockroaches thrive in areas where it is easy to get to the trash can. It will be especially good for them if the trash can does not have a lid. Insects will happily live where there is a lot of dirty dishes, and there is a greasy residue in the sink. They love it when crumbs remain on the table after eating. In addition, cockroaches will happily settle in places where food is not stored in airtight conditions. But this does not mean that the owners have clean and cozy apartments cockroaches will not settle in. Black and red insects will also live with them, but they will not reproduce so quickly.

What do cockroaches eat?

Cockroaches are very tenacious. Insects easily find food for themselves. In order to provide yourself comfortable life, they most often settle in the kitchen. There they will be able to create a whole colony.

Cockroaches can eat both sugar and fruit. They won't even disdain meat. Insects love bread and rolls, so crumbs on the table or an uncovered bread bin will become heaven for them. But cockroaches do not feed on humans. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid that a large “army” will attack a person one night and eat him. But this does not mean that the pest cannot bite. He may want to try what smells so tempting, or just to protect himself.

How difficult is it to remove cockroaches?

Cockroaches show a huge thirst for life. Insects, the species of which are numerous, are very difficult to breed. To do this, you will even have to change your life in some way, because you will need to give up some habits.

In order to remove cockroaches, you will need to be patient. They are so tenacious that they can even do without a head. A cockroach that has lost a major part of its body can live 10 days and not even realize that anything is wrong. Additionally, cockroaches can survive a wide variety of chemicals. They can even survive a radiation blast.

Insects can live for a very long time without food. Some are able to survive for 40 days. Every day they will become hungrier. And if after this period of days he does not find food, he will become dangerous to humans. After all, then the cockroaches can bite. As mentioned above, they cannot eat anyone, but their bites are very painful.

Cockroaches can even tolerate poisons. They fall into a trance-like state. People who see a cockroach in this condition may think it has died. But don't delude yourself. Apartment owners throw cockroaches into trash cans, and then wonder why their number does not decrease, but, on the contrary, increases. After several days in the trash, the cockroaches come to their senses and continue their normal lives.

How to remove cockroaches

People are very tired of them, every apartment owner wants to know. But this is not easy to do, because over time insects develop immunity to various poisons.

In order to remove cockroaches, you need to use the most modern means. It is necessary to treat all those places where pests can live: these are all the cracks and corners where they find shelter during the day. It is worth paying maximum attention.

After all the cracks have been processed, you will need to seal them. We must take away the opportunity for cockroaches to find a new home.

Insect corpses should be burned or flushed down the toilet. Maybe they're not as dead as they seem, so they shouldn't be left in the trash.

Help from specialists

Getting rid of cockroaches is very difficult. This is especially difficult in cases where a person knows almost nothing about them and has no idea where they can live or how to remove them. Specialists come to help people and carry out disinfection. After this, you can not only get rid of the pests, but also protect yourself from them returning after some time. The services of a specialist are inexpensive, but bring great benefits.

Cockroaches cause a lot of inconvenience. The insects, photos of which can be seen in the article, are very tenacious, but they can be removed. You need to protect yourself from cockroaches starting to multiply at high speed. You need to carefully ensure that the apartment is clean, and then the insects will not be able to find food for themselves and their offspring. In this case, they will look for a more favorable place to live.

(Blattidae s. Blattodea) are the oldest, fast running insects, known since the Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era. They have a body flattened in the dorsoventral direction, reaching a size of 3-6 cm. The abdomen is elongated, 8-10 segmented, with soft coverings. The family is characterized by rather long running legs with flattened femurs and five-segmented tarsi. At the posterior end of the abdomen, on segments 9 and 10, there are small appendages - cerci, which are rudimentary abdominal limbs that are formed during embryonic development; the cerci serve as the ears of an insect, through which they perceive sound vibrations a certain frequency; in males, on the last segment from below there are 1 or 2 unsegmented appendages - the stylus.

The head of cockroaches is vertical, equipped with well-developed eyes, long multi-segmented bristle-like antennae and mouthparts facing downwards, and is almost or completely covered by a large shield-shaped pronotum.

The oral apparatus is of a gnawing type, consisting of an upper lip, strong upper jaws (mandibles or mandibles), armed at the apex with teeth adapted for biting and roughly grinding hard and juicy foods. The mandibles open to the sides. The lower jaws, or maxillae, tenaciously hold a particle of food, which the mandibles grind until it becomes suitable for swallowing. The upper lip directs food to the mandibles, and the lower lip ensures that it does not pass by the mouth. The mandibles are not covered by the upper and lower lips, so insects are always characterized by the grin of the upper jaws with their teeth. On the maxillae and lower lip there are articulated appendages - palps with taste organs that inform about the merits of food.

In the stomach of the cockroach, solid food is further ground into the smallest particles using chitinous teeth and digested under the influence of its own enzymes. Nutrients that are indigestible under the influence of the cockroach’s own enzymes are absorbed by the specific fauna of intestinal symbionts.

In those species that have well-developed wings, both pairs carry a large number of longitudinal and many transverse veins; the front pair, narrower, compacted leathery or parchment-like, are called elytra and serve mainly as a protective cover for the wings of the rear pair when the insect is not flying; the rear pair is thin, wider, bears the main load during flight and folds fan-shaped under the elytra at rest. In females, the wings are often shortened or completely reduced. In many species, wings have the appearance of rudiments or are completely absent.

Typically, cockroaches have odorous glands that secrete sex and aggregation pheromones. In females, from the secretions of the accessory sex glands, a special sac is formed at the posterior end of the body, in which they carry eggs for 14-15 days; The shape of the egg sac is characteristic of various genera of cockroaches. Like all orthopterans, cockroaches undergo incomplete metamorphosis and molt at least 5 times.

Most cockroaches are yellowish-brown in color, less often dark or black.

At least 3,000 species have been described, living in tropical and subtropical forests. The territory of the former USSR is home to 53 species of cockroaches, of which 49 species are native to our fauna, the rest are immigrants capable of living only in heated premises. Among the latter, the inhabitants of human dwellings (synanthropic species) are

• living in all parts of the world
  • red cockroach, or Russian cockroach (Blatta germanica)
  • black cockroach (sometimes called kitchen or oriental) - (Blatta orientalis)
• common in tropical countries
  • American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

The homeland of the Prussian is considered to be South Asia, where the insect is found in the wild and has several close relatives. It is believed that the Prussian lived in the grottoes and huts of Stone Age people - mammoth hunters. It came to Greece in the 6th century BC. The red cockroach was brought to the countries of Eurasia around the middle of the 18th century. The Prussian came to our country from both the west and the east. It came to us from the west after the Seven Years' War in 1762–1763, together with Russian soldiers returning from Germany (does this explain its name - Prussian?), and from the east it was brought from China to Siberia around 1757–1760. Where it is warm, for example in the Crimea, in the south of Central Asia and in Far East, a Prussian and now lives in freedom.

The original homeland of the black cockroach has not been precisely established. Its closest relatives - species of the same genus - are distributed in Africa and Australia. It has been reliably known in England since 1634; it appeared in Holland in the 17th century.

The American cockroach was brought with goods to Europe from America and spread mainly in port cities, e.g. Kronstadt, St. Petersburg (where it is known in some baths); partially managed to penetrate into the country, for example. in France, where it is found in greenhouses, in Moscow, etc.

In general, cockroaches are common in all parts of the world, in the tropics and subtropics, in temperate and even polar countries. Cockroaches are spread by a person in whose things and goods cockroaches travel around the world.

Cockroaches are heat-loving and moisture-loving insects that avoid light. Live in the dark and damp places. Some of them, living in the jungle along the banks of rivers and streams, are excellent swimmers. Winged forms live on trees, bushes and low plants, and wingless ones stay in the grass, under leaves, etc. Inhabitants of human dwellings, in particular the red cockroach, both male and female, have two pairs of wings, which they use for movement very rarely, in exceptional cases, for example when falling from upper floors high-rise buildings. They live indoors: houses, bakeries, catering establishments.

Black cockroaches inhabit the basement, ground and lower floors of houses; they usually do not rise above the fifth floor. They prefer basements, toilets and bathrooms, places near radiators, electric stoves and hot water pipes. Can be seen in large numbers around water sources. In warm areas, black cockroaches can be found on the streets. They live in hollow trees, landfills, and garbage. Black cockroaches are less mobile than other synanthropic species, they jump poorly, do not fly at all, and run well.

Cockroaches, inhabitants of human dwellings, hide in cracks during the day and come out in search of food at night. They are practically omnivores and eat a wide variety of foods of plant and animal origin. They feed on human food (food waste), as well as human secretions (feces, sputum). When people eat food, they contaminate it with their feces. This disperses bacteria and protozoan cysts.

Nymphs are generally similar in structure to adults and, as a rule, are found and feed with them. In conditions of poor nutrition, adult cockroaches can eat their weak, wounded, crippled brothers. In addition, red cockroaches eat egg packets of black cockroaches, the females of which shed the ootecae after their formation, which, together with the smaller number of eggs in the ooteca of the black cockroach, leads to the displacement of black cockroaches by red ones.

Without food and water, female cockroaches can live from 5 to 30 days, males - 5-15 days, larvae can starve for 40-70 days in a row.

The laying of eggs in cockroaches occurs in a rather unique way. Individual eggs, one after another, come from the oviduct and are collected in the egg chamber, where they are glued together with the help of a special secretion, forming a capsule, or ootheca. The ooteca of the red cockroach usually contains from 28 to 56 eggs, laid in symmetrical double rows. The female black cockroach lays up to 16 eggs in the ooteca. Ootheca forms over several days. Subsequently, the female black cockroach sheds her ootheca and does not care about her offspring. Female red cockroaches carry egg capsules at the end of their abdomen for 15–40 days, that is, until the nymphs are ready to be born. In this case, the eggs receive all the necessary substances from the mother’s body.

Cockroaches develop from two months to five years and go through 5–9 moults. The larvae differ from adults only in size, the absence of wings and the number of antennal segments. During development, without undergoing major transformations, the larvae molt several times and with each molt they become more and more similar to adult cockroaches. After the final molt, the larva becomes an adult and finishes growing.

Adults live up to seven years. The lifespan of cockroaches is largely determined by temperature. environment. The optimal temperature for the life of cockroaches is 22–27 degrees Celsius.

A colony of arthropods burrowing in the substrate is a typical picture of modern tropical forests. Insects cockroaches are the oldest representatives of neoptera with incomplete transformation. Over the years of evolution, they have not undergone major changes. Arthropods have become true cosmopolitans, spreading across all continents except Antarctica. Cockroaches are hardy and agile, shy and omnivorous. Some species have become synanthropic insects.

Classification

The order Cockroaches (Blattopera) belongs to the class insects, phylum arthropods. Termites are included in a large group of 7,570 species. Cockroaches are members of the superorder Cockroaches (Dictyoptera). It includes new-winged insects with incomplete metamorphosis. 4640 species of cockroaches have been found and studied in the world. There is a constant debate among scientists regarding taxonomy. The authors divide cockroaches into different numbers of families and subfamilies, classify them together and separately with termites.

According to the latest data, 8 families have been identified: Nocticolidae, Corydiidae, Blaberidae, Ectobiidae, Cryptocercidae, Tryonicidae, lamproblattidae, Blattidae. The greatest diversity of species is found in the tropics. Insects found an abundance of food and shelter in warm and humid forests. There are 55 species of cockroaches living in the CIS. Some of them are synanthropic, living next to humans.

Information. Is a cockroach an insect or an animal? In everyday reference, animals are four-legged vertebrates, but in scientific classification they include many organisms. Insects are arthropod invertebrate animals.

Structure of a cockroach

Despite the species diversity of the order, the body structure of its representatives is largely similar. The morphology of the imago (adult individuals) is typical. Differences appear in size and color.

External structure of a cockroach

The body of insects is flattened and oval in shape. This structure allows you to crawl into narrow cracks and holes. The length of the imago ranges from 9 to 95 mm. The color of the cover is often dark - brown, black, brown. Reddish and coffee colors are less common. Nocturnal lifestyle, secrecy and the need for camouflage do not require the presence of bright colors.

Interesting fact. Most close-up view The Madagascar hissing cockroach is considered to be its length up to 100 mm. For comparison, the size of Prussians is 9-10 mm. They will tell you more popular information.

Body parts of a cockroach

Insects consist of three main sections: head, thorax, and abdomen. Dividing the body promotes mobility. Functional significance of each department:

The head is triangular or heart-shaped, movable, covered from above by a pronotal shield. The organs of vision and touch are located on it. Antennae are movable appendages consisting of segments. The type is bristle-like. The functions of the antennae of a cockroach are touch and smell. With the help of appendages, they determine the taste of food, find sexual partners, and communicate between individuals. The mouthparts are directed downwards.

Information. The number of segments in the antennae increases with changing ages of the larvae. They are added after molting.

Thorax - the middle section consists of three segments, divided into tergites and sternites. The upper half rings form the back, the lower half rings form the chest. The largest segment is the pronotum; it can be flat or convex. Elytra and wings are attached to it. Each part of the chest belongs to one pair of limbs.

The abdomen is the largest section and consists of 10 segments. At its end there are paired segmented appendages of the cerci. The abdomen houses the respiratory and digestive systems, and in females the ovipositor. The anal plate is located on the 10th tergite.

Features of the structure of cockroaches

Each of the main parts of the body contains organs that provide vital functions for insects.

What kind of eyes does a cockroach have?

The main organ of vision in cockroaches is compound or compound eyes. They are located on the sides of the head. Have various sizes(large in winged forms) and kidney-shaped. The interocular space is well defined. Additional organs of vision, simple eyes, help assess the intensity of light. They are small and located at the top of the head. How many eyes does a cockroach have? Insects have 2 main eyes and 2 simple ocelli, which individual species atrophied.

You will learn about the phenomenal endurance of insects in the article.

Type of cockroach mouthparts

Insects that eat solid food have developed gnawing type mouthparts. It consists of several parts:

• Upper lip - sensitive hairs on its surface help in studying food.
• The upper jaw (mandibles) consists of a durable chitinous plate with teeth. Used for biting and grinding food.
• The lower jaw (maxilla) is a movable organ consisting of several segments that supports food during grinding.
• The lower lip helps push food into the pharynx; its palp is an organ of touch.

The cockroach's mouthparts have remained unchanged throughout the entire period of its existence. It allows you to absorb plant residues and any organic matter.

Cockroach limbs

Running is the main method of movement for representatives of the cockroach order. The structure of their legs helps them with this. The limbs consist of 5 parts. They are attached to the body with the help of a coxa, which has developed muscles. The longest segments are the thigh and tibia. The flexible foot consists of 5 segments. There are spines on the legs and thighs. How many legs does a cockroach have? Insects have 2 pairs of limbs, each of which is attached to a specific part of the chest.

Information. Some species have a suction cup on the foot, allowing insects to move along vertical surfaces.

Limbs are used for more than just running and jumping. With them, the imago cleans the antennae and body of food debris. The legs are flexible and mobile, they allow you to quickly change the trajectory of movement in case of danger. average speed Prusak 3-4 km/h.

The structure of the wings of a cockroach

The ancestors of insects had developed wings and the ability to fly. Many modern views she was lost. Appendages appear only in adults. They consist of two pairs. The first is the leathery elytra. They perform protective function and do not participate in the flight. The second pair are membranous wings. The length and development of the appendages depends on the species. In females, the wings are less developed. In a calm state, insects fold them on their backs.

Flying cockroaches are most often found in the tropics, but some species are found in Central Asia and Europe. Among domestic insects, the American cockroach demonstrates the ability to fly. Although Prussians have long wings, they rarely spread them and can glide.

Internal structure of a cockroach

The vital activity of insects is provided by the main systems:

• circulatory;
• nervous;
• digestive;
• excretory

To understand how insects can live for months without food and about a week without a head, we need to study them in more detail.

Circulatory system - blood (hemolymph) flows in the space between the internal organs of the insect. There is only one vessel in the body connected to the heart. Main muscle. The pumping blood consists of 13 chambers, 2 of them are in the chest, the rest in the abdomen. The function of blood is to carry nutrients and removal of breakdown products. The respiratory system distributes oxygen. This is the main reason for the reduction of blood vessels. The blood movement is slow, the insect does not maintain a constant body temperature.

Information. If you deprive a cockroach of its head, the hemolymph quickly sinteres and the body does not bleed.

When depicted schematically, the respiratory system resembles a tree. It consists of a tracheal system that encircles all important organs. Branches extend from the main trachea, gradually decreasing in diameter. WITH external environment The system is connected by 10 stigmas, which are called spiracles in cockroaches. Two pairs of stigmas are located on the sides of the chest, the main part is located on the abdomen. Breathing occurs when the department contracts.

The digestive system is an intestine divided into several sections. In the mouth, food is ground and moistened with saliva. Next, it is pushed into the pharynx, then into the crop, where digestion and absorption begin. Food is fed into the stomach in small portions. It is prepared and sent to the midgut. In this section, the digestive secretion is secreted and the main absorption occurs. Excrement comes out through the anus.

The excretory system or Malpighian vessels remove waste products from the body through the hindgut.

What is the body of a cockroach covered with?

The typical cover of arthropods is a chitinous shell. For cockroaches it is a shell that protects internal organs. It allows the body to maintain its shape and serves as a skeleton. The outer cover prevents the rapid evaporation of moisture. At the base of the limbs, the layer of chitin is thinner to provide mobility to the legs. The hard shell limits the growth of insects. During development, the larvae have to shed it. The tight shell cracks and the insect crawls out of it. At first his body is white and soft. This is a sign of the absence of chitin. After a few hours the cover is restored.

Information. An encounter with molted arthropods gave rise to myths about white cockroaches.

Features of reproduction

The duration of carrying depends on the species, some shed the ootheca after 7-14 days, others keep it in the abdomen until the larvae are born. The egg cocoon helps increase the survival rate of the offspring. This is the first food of the larvae. The young are born white, with a soft coat. The larvae stay near the mother or burrow into the ground. They go through 3-12 instars before turning into adults. Each is accompanied by molting - shedding a tight shell.

The offspring are called larvae or nymphs. Outwardly, they resemble adults. The differences are:

• small size;
• absence of genitals;
• a small number of antennal segments;
• lacking wings.

Larvae make up the bulk of the colony. They show more caution than adults and burrow into the ground more often. Development takes from several months to 1-2 years. When the temperature drops, the larvae grow poorly.

Nutrition

IN natural conditions Most cockroaches are vegetarians; they eat fallen leaves, fruits, and dead plants. Some species are omnivores, their diet expanded to include the remains and excrement of animals. Domestic insects feed on any food found in the apartment. Preference is given to sweets, bread and pastries, as well as fruits. You will learn about the diet of domestic pests in the material.

The harmfulness of insects

Synanthropic species living in human homes are a potential health threat. In search of food, they examine sewers, garbage chutes, and rodent holes. Pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and helminth eggs remain on the legs of insects. Dangerous microorganisms are transferred to food, bedding, and furniture. If you do not wash your hands regularly, there is a high risk of contracting dysentery, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and hepatitis.

Particles of chitinous cover, scattered by larvae after molting, cause severe allergic reactions. People develop chronic rhinitis and asthma. All information about the threat to human health is in the article.

In addition, pests spoil food, books, and wallpaper. They prefer secluded warm places, so they crawl into electrical devices. Insects cause short circuit and equipment breakdowns. In the fight against synanthropes, any means are used: freezing premises, glue traps, poisoned baits, insecticides. Treatment of apartments with special chemicals effective method get rid of insects.

Just a few synanthropic species cockroaches received the status of pests of stocks and carriers of infectious diseases. The main part of insects plays a significant role in the world ecosystem. Arthropods are destroyers of plant and animal debris and food for animals, birds and reptiles.

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 ocelli, 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.

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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 more light 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.

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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 all 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 environmental temperature.

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.