The structure of a cockroach. There are such different types of cockroaches: domestic, tropical, forest and even flying. Photos and descriptions of all varieties. What do domestic cockroaches have in common?

Cockroaches can become a nightmare for a home or other place where people live. When such “neighbors” appear, getting them out is not an easy task. As soon as the insects occupy a room with suitable conditions, their numbers increase and they can only be removed if the type of cockroaches is accurately determined.

Years of study

Science knows about the existence of approximately 5,000 species of cockroaches. About 55 of them can live in houses and apartments, but often we only encounter a few. Almost everyone is afraid of large cockroaches. And there is nothing strange about this: such insects can hardly be called pleasant neighbors.

Can cockroaches fly? They can, since they have wings that are reduced only in some species. A flying insect causes even greater horror in people who are terrified of cockroaches. In nature, there is only one species of these insects capable of spontaneous flight. However, it is not found in our country. By the way! It is believed that every ten years there is the new kind cockroaches

Insects prefer rooms that are warm and humid. The activity of these creatures occurs at night, which prevents their timely detection. The body length of insects is different and can vary from 0.4 to 10 cm. The head is in the shape of a triangle, flattened in the dorsoventral direction. The oral apparatus is of a gnawing type, and the opening of the mouth is located in the lower part.

Black beetle

Black cockroaches are the most common. Their food consists of fresh and spoiled products. In areas with warm climates they even live outdoors. In reality, home for black cockroaches is only a small part of their range. And the definition of a large black cockroach has a fairly broad meaning. Their color can vary from rich brown to black.

This type of cockroach also has different sizes. The term “large” is taken literally by a disinfection specialist (ten centimeters). However, in reality, the insect body does not exceed 3 cm in length in females. By the way, their presence in the room is a sign of poor sanitary conditions. They live in garbage cans, toilets and other similar places. It is not surprising that these creatures are carriers of many diseases. The mere appearance of cockroaches is terrifying. Photos of insects clearly demonstrate this.

Red cockroach

The red cockroach is one of the species with the widest range. Mostly we meet them. They accompany a person wherever he leaves food remains.

The structure of red and black cockroaches is identical. Only the former have an elongated body with a reddish-brown chitinous cover. Popular name- Prusak. Red species of domestic cockroaches surround humans everywhere.

American cockroach

The size of the American cockroach can reach four centimeters. They feed on almost everything and are highly fertile. The considerable growth rate and ability to survive make us talk about this representative of the cockroaches seriously.

American cockroaches can move everywhere, even on the ceiling. When in danger, this insect exudes a stinking liquid that causes an instant allergy in the enemy. It can be considered one of the longest-livers among the entire cockroach family. If you find this creature in your home, immediately contact the appropriate service to remove them. An American cockroach can even attack a pet in a fight for food! Agree, such creatures are very unpleasant neighbors.

We have listed the most known species cockroaches Next, let's talk about those that can cause surprise and even amazement when meeting.

Albino cockroaches

This is a fairly rare occurrence, but nevertheless causes discomfort. It looks like an insect that has shed its shell while molting. The procedure for changing the chitinous cover (molting) occurs up to 8 times during the life of a cockroach. Then it becomes quite light, but soon chitin is formed again.

Albinos are endowed with a colorless shell. This phenomenon also occurs among other species of animals and plants. It is worth remembering that albinos are pests just like other cockroaches. It is difficult to say exactly how many types of cockroaches there are. Their approximate number is five thousand, other sources put the figure at 4600. Any insects can be albinos.

What species end up in houses?

Not all types of cockroaches want to get into the house. But if red-haired Prussians made their way into the home, then a serious struggle awaits. Those residents who have already removed cockroaches remember their agility. It is difficult to find out where exactly these insects entered the house. But the main reasons for their appearance in the apartment are known:

• dirty dishes in the sink that haven’t been washed for a long time;
• garbage with food remains that is rarely taken out of the house;
• neighbors who already have cockroaches.

There is an increased risk of insect pests for those who live close to canteens and cafes. There are cases when cockroaches are simply brought home from work. Maintaining cleanliness in the house (primarily in the kitchen) is the main means of preventing the occurrence of disgusting insects Even one cockroach that gets into a house can quickly multiply. By the way, it also happens that insects appear in those who zealously monitor the cleanliness of their home.

Reproduction of different species

Knowledge of the basics life cycle cockroaches will help prevent their appearance and facilitate the process of exterminating unwanted guests. One female is capable of giving birth to 40 young individuals. Their number depends on the number of larvae in the egg carried by the female. Outwardly, such an egg looks more like a bag. All types of cockroaches breed in the apartment all year round.

During her life, the female lays eggs up to 4 times. Detecting such masonry is problematic. Another feature of the life activity of these creatures is their ability to leave marks at sources of food and water for their relatives.

But getting rid of any type of cockroaches is difficult. Even expensive drugs are sometimes unable to cope with this task. Exterminators advise to take preventive measures to prevent the appearance of these creatures in your home, because destroying them will be quite problematic.

Lifespan

You may remember the joke that cockroaches existed before dinosaurs and outlived them by many thousands of years. This joke is only part of a joke, and the rest, alas, is true. The remains of cockroaches are, along with the remains of cockroach crickets, the most numerous traces of insects in Paleozoic deposits. Cockroaches adapt very well to changing conditions. They only need water and food to live.

Life expectancy is determined by the availability of food. Different types of cockroaches live their lives. Prussians can survive without food for up to a month, and blacks - up to 70 days. In conditions of food shortage, cannibalism is common among them. And sometimes cockroaches can bite people.

It might surprise you, but these creatures can live with their heads missing! The experiments carried out are stunning: an insect deprived of a head will live for several more weeks. This is explained by the structural features. They breathe over the entire surface of their body. Scattered throughout the body nervous system retains basic reflexes. However, a headless creature will practically lose orientation in the world around it and will not be able to remember and learn.

Insect bites

Cockroaches bite when they lack food or water. Obviously, bites are not a manifestation of wild aggression, but only a way to replenish missing nutrition and survive. The following areas of the body are most affected:

• elbow and knee bends, eyelids, lips (bite off particles of skin);
• skin near the eyes and lips (they bite women and children during sleep);
• skin in the nasolabial fold.

Cockroaches can feed on sweat, secretions of the sebaceous glands, saliva and feces. It's safe to say: cockroach bites are quite dangerous. Damaged areas almost always swell and become inflamed.

There is an opinion that there is a species of cockroaches that feed on eyelashes. In practice, almost all members of the family can eat the hair of the human body.

Allergy to cockroaches

People are often allergic to cockroaches. Allergens penetrate inside in different ways: with air, with food, directly through contact. According to doctors, the majority of patients with bronchial asthma are allergic to cockroaches. The consequences of such a pathology can be very different:

• Feeling stuffy in pest habitats.
• Feeling unwell when cleaning an apartment with cockroaches.

By the way, allergies can be caused by any type of cockroaches. Photos of insects even provoke an attack of severe disgust, let alone a “meeting face to face”! And if you also take into account that “close acquaintance” is fraught with serious consequences, then it is not surprising that people try to get rid of uninvited neighbors by hook or by crook.

You can avoid trouble if you do simple rules room hygiene:

• Monitor the serviceability of plumbing equipment.
• Wash dishes in a timely manner and keep them in a specially designated place.
• Always remove trash from your home and do not allow it to stagnate.
• The trash bin must be tightly closed so that insects are not interested in it.

Where do cockroaches hide?

Many people know the appearance of a cockroach, but finding it is not an easy task. Usually we learn about their presence at the moment when insects already feel at ease in the open spaces of our home and do a lot of dirty deeds. If the owner of a residential premises wants to find out about an unpleasant neighborhood earlier, then he can follow simple recommendations that will help you find habitats uninvited guests.

First, almost any type of cockroach loves dark, dirty places. As for everything else, the main signs of the presence of cockroaches are as follows:

• black dots are visible on the tiles and furniture - insect excrement;
• an unpleasant specific odor is felt;
• Cockroach eggs are visible in the cracks.

There are often cases when the owner sees all this, but does not focus his attention on it. This may continue for some time until the cockroaches begin to run around the house in groups. We must not forget that if even insignificant traces of the insects we are considering catch our eye, then we should definitely declare war on them.

If you find uninvited guests, you should not leave the solution to the problem “for later” or let things take their course. Every day is important. The sooner you begin to destroy pests, the less damage to your family and home you will emerge victorious from this brutal struggle.

Now you know how many types of cockroaches can become uninvited neighbors in your home. We hope you found the information useful. After all, forewarned means forearmed!

Cockroaches are insects belonging to the type Arthropods, squad Cockroaches. They love damp and warm places. Domestic cockroaches are most active at night, and during the day they hide in secluded places. Their diet includes the remains of plants and animals.

Albinos

Some individuals may acquire a white color due to exposure to chemical reagents. Many people believe that these insects become light-colored because they live in pitch darkness, but this opinion is incorrect. Scientists have proven that a separate type"albino" doesn't exist.

American look

This species is native to Africa. It came to America and other countries with goods that were transported by sea.

They quickly adapted to new living conditions and settled in human habitations.

Representatives of this species are very active and can even bite.

They reproduce quickly and feed on any food, however cannot tolerate low temperatures.

Cockroaches are very unpleasant household insects. There is no particular harm from them, but who would like to find uninvited mustachioed guests in the apartment? Many people immediately begin extermination, not even suspecting that there are many varieties of these insects. Of course, it makes no difference what types of cockroaches have settled in the room, but, as they say, you always need to know the enemy by sight.

Black (Blatta orientalis)

One of the most popular families indoors is black cockroaches. They easily enter the home, especially if there is nearby sewer drain, trash cans or cluttered basements. In the summer, members of the family can feel great outside, but when the weather gets colder they tend to find a warmer place.

An unpleasant odor, a chitinous black shell, and size (up to 3 cm) are the main characteristics of this species of cockroaches. Color can vary from dark gray to dirty red. Adult individuals reproduce slowly, but if you do not deal with them immediately, then such neglect threatens to grow the family to incredible sizes.

The largest concentrations of individuals can be found in the following places:

• trash bin;
• under the stove;
• behind the refrigerator;
• in the pantry.

Black cockroaches are the most dangerous insects from this family to human health. Since their favorite place is garbage containers, the number of infections and bacteria on their paws is impossible to even imagine. And together with insects, this accumulation of infection, dangerous for humans, can quickly move into the apartment.

Redheads (Blattella germanica)

If we consider the types of domestic cockroaches, this is the most popular family. It is also known as Prussians. No living space is immune from the appearance of red cockroaches.

It is worth noting that it is very difficult to get rid of them - insects know how to hide well, reproduce with incredible speed, and chemicals or traditional methods killing cockroaches is ineffective.

Types of cockroaches

You can meet red cockroaches almost everywhere:

• Living spaces;
• hospitals;
• public places;
• utility rooms;
• country houses.

The body of the cockroach is slightly elongated, the chitinous shell has a reddish tint, which can range from light to very dark. Representatives of such an interesting family live near a large amount of food. Incredibly, they easily manage to penetrate even closed containers.

Interesting facts from the life of red cockroaches - they can find food almost everywhere. Even if you carefully hide all the leftover food, insects will easily find a few grains of sugar spilled a long time ago or stale bread crumbs.

The presence of water is vital for representatives of this family. They can for a long time do without food, but if the taps in the apartment are faulty, then the cockroaches will calmly continue to visit, constantly visiting the source of life-giving for them. They will not disdain indoor plants– young sprouts may be completely eaten.

White

You can often spot a white cockroach in an apartment. Don't think that this is some strange new species. In most cases white shade the cockroach has after molting. During their entire life, insects of this family shed their chitinous shell almost 10 times.

The light, almost transparent color makes the insect much more difficult to detect. After some time, it will be covered with a new shell and acquire a permanent color. How long will it take him to do this? After two weeks, mustachioed white cockroach will turn into an ordinary red or black pest.

The appearance of a white cockroach

Chemicals can affect the shade of mustachioed apartment dwellers. This happens especially often if low-quality products for killing domestic insects were purchased. After some time, the natural color will return.

American (Periplaneta americana)

It is not worth judging the origin of an insect by its name. The homeland of this family is hot Africa. Cockroaches made their way to America with cargo ships, and then easily spread across all continents.

Rich food a large number of garbage near houses and unsanitary conditions in public institutions became an excellent incentive to appear in our country. Despite how many species are found, it is easy to distinguish this insect - its large size, oval body with a brown shell similar to folded wings, are sharply different from appearance the familiar Prussians.

Another feature that distinguishes American cockroaches from red or black ones is that they cannot tolerate cold weather. Even at a temperature of 0 degrees, the insect inevitably dies. Another unpleasant characteristic is that the American cockroach is very aggressive and can even attack a pet or person.

Furniture (Supella longipalpa)

The central regions of Russia are especially abundant in such types of insects. They were first discovered in an apartment more than 50 years ago, and since then the owners of the premises have been unsuccessfully trying to get rid of such a scourge.

The peculiarity of this family is the presence of transparent wings with dark stripes and a bright red tint. The kitchen is the worst place for these insects. Why? Their favorite foods are wallpaper paste and old books. This is what brings these types of cockroaches to archives and libraries.

Central Asian (Shelfordella tartara)

The south of Russia is a part of the country where you can find another family of unpleasant insects. It is very easy to recognize - only Central Asian cockroaches have a yellow head and a black belly.

Another one of them distinctive feature– insects are able to jump perfectly from object to object, and where it is not possible to overcome an obstacle in one jump, cockroaches simply fly over.

Egyptian (Polyphaga aegyptiaca)

Some of the most prominent representatives among insect pests in the south of Russia. Housing conditions do not overdo it - they can happily live both in an apartment and in a room for livestock. They do not pose a threat, they are absolutely harmless, although the size of the family can cause many problems.

The appearance is quite unusual. Large, up to several centimeters adults are black in color. The shell is smooth and shiny. This species is often used as food on farms that breed lizards.

A little exotic

Despite the fact that people always think of cockroaches with disgust, some apartment residents cannot resist purchasing the most interesting specimens cockroach family.

One of the most beloved pets is the chess cockroach. It is called that because of its original coloring, reminiscent of a chessboard. The insect is nocturnal - it prefers to hide during the day, and when darkness comes, it goes for a walk around the apartment.

Another wonderful representative of a large family is the Death’s Head. Why is it called so unusually? On his back interesting drawing in the form of a terrible grinning mask. The peculiarity of this insect is the ability to make long flights.

The huge Madagascar cockroach is a unique insect. Not only can it reach 10 cm in size, but the ability to make sounds is unique to them out of the entire huge family. It sounds like a loud hissing sound, but scientists have proven that it's just noisy breathing.

Cockroaches - what kind of insects are they?

The rhinoceros cockroach is also unique in its kind. The huge weight of these insects is to blame for this. How much exactly? An adult can reach a weight of about 40 grams. Also such wonderful representatives exotic insects can live a long life - up to 10 years.

A striking representative of a number of insects Latin America– Megaloblatta longipennis. Not only is it huge in size, it is the only species that can fly without difficulty. The wingspan is impressive - up to 25 cm! The shade of this insect is especially beautiful - black, with purple tint. Because of its size, people are afraid to keep it in apartments, so you can only find such beauty in wild nature.

Mutation, crossing of several varieties, living conditions - all this has a beneficial effect on the growth of the family. More and more new species of cockroaches are appearing. Some of them are completely harmless to humans, but most can become the main cause of serious illnesses.

Scientists are confident that modern cockroaches can easily spread cholera or ulcers. That's why humanity long years fights these unpleasant insects. But so far everything is to no avail - the family continues to successfully grow and reproduce.

Video: Type of cockroaches

When you try to swat someone running away, you get the feeling that he has a good hundred paws. But no. A cockroach has six legs. He just knows how to move them through them very quickly.

Why six

Because the cockroach belongs to the class of insects. Any living organism belonging to this category has 3 pairs of legs. Total limbs may vary.

On a note!

If the "insect" large quantity paws, this is an animal. These animals include, which in everyday life are often called insects.

Structure

The bristles on the lower part of the leg were previously called sensory, believing that they sense air vibrations and warn the owner of approaching danger. Later studies showed that the bristles help the insect move over difficult surfaces.

A cockroach has three types of legs:

• braking: front and shortest;
• maneuverable: medium, capable of moving in any direction and providing the pest with a quick change of direction;
• jogging: rear, longest, designed for moving forward and speed dial speed.

Interesting!

Prusak is able to change direction up to 28 times per minute. The speed record for a pest escaping from danger is 5.4 km/h. This means that in 1 second he can run a distance that is 50 times the length of his body. For a person, this speed would be 330 km/h.

Other paw functions

The paws are not only designed for moving on a plane. A strong and long rear pair is capable of pushing its owner vertically upward. Thereby

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

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

Features of cockroaches

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

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

External structure of cockroaches

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

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

Body parts

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

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

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

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

Ootheca

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

Internal structure

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

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

Food ground in the muscular stomach enters the midgut, and from there into the hindgut and into the excretory system. The central nervous system consists of ganglia (supraglottic and subpharyngeal) and the ventral nerve cord.

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