Types of large cockroaches. Photo of various types of domestic cockroaches. What animals eat cockroaches

Individuals that are found at home are divided into three groups:

• prusak
• Black
• american cockroach

All of them prefer to settle in human dwellings. There they feel comfortable and safe, they love rooms with high humidity. In rooms where they do not particularly care about the cleanliness of kitchen tables and utensils, Prussians will definitely multiply in the apartment.

The Prussians do not like the neighborhood of blacks and destroy their population by devouring ootheca in which insect eggs are stored. For a long time, you may not be aware that you have roommates. Since small cockroaches are great at hiding.

american cockroach

The American cockroach, imported with the import of fruits and vegetables, also took root and settled in our houses and apartments. In his habits and appearance, he is not very different from the usual Prusak. Sometimes in our dwellings you can see black aliens. They are much larger than redheads and are less common. This is due to the fact that the Prussians can eat black ootheca. In addition, black prefers to live in places with an abundance of moisture and heat. These are mostly basements and garbage chutes.

Also sometimes you can meet such an individual as a white cockroach. White cockroaches in an apartment are not some kind of separate insect, but simply a shedding ordinary barbel.

The American cockroach came to Europe and America from Africa. Where they lived in the rainforests. And they went on a trip with exported fruits. In the countries of Europe and America, they adapted and settled in human dwellings. This insect is more aggressive. When there is a shortage of food, they can bite sleeping people and animals. But it is easier to remove it, since it does not tolerate low temperatures at all. So they are tropical insects. He is of African descent.

Of particular note is the black variety. This is a bright representative of these insects. In the warm season, they usually live in places where garbage accumulates, and when it gets colder, they move to the dwelling. Since it moves into apartments from sewers and garbage cans, it is the main carrier of infectious diseases such as cholera, E. coli and many others. There are cockroaches up to four centimeters in length. So they, - to the present, it is possible to be frightened.

furniture cockroach

Another individual that lives in our latitudes is a furniture cockroach. They differ from all in that they have a bright red color of the chitinous cover and transparent wings. Their eating habits are starchy wallpapers and book spines. They were discovered relatively recently, in the central regions of Russia. All these insects, regardless of species, leave traces. By these tracks, their brethren can find food and water.

How to get them out

Uninvited cohabitants multiply very quickly. And, if you notice these insects at home, then you need to urgently take measures to remove them. These individuals live without food for about seventy days, and without water for about thirty. If they cut off access to food and water, very soon they can go to the neighbors. But it is better to start fighting and working on your home together with your neighbors. The poison from the Prussians in this case will have a more effective effect and help get rid of the invasion of these unpleasant cohabitants.

Although it is still quite difficult to etch them. Many have tried expensive aerosols and gels and various powders. But it is always necessary to remember that first of all it is necessary to maintain hygiene in the home. Do not leave food leftovers and constantly wash dishes after you. In such conditions, the chance that you will have uninvited roommates is reduced. It's no secret what cockroaches eat. If there are a lot of scattered crumbs in the dwelling, or the garbage in the bucket is not taken out for a long time, then there are much more chances that uninvited neighbors will live with you.

Insects are very good at hiding and come out to feed only in the dark. The mustachioed can feed not only on the remains of food and waste, but if there is a shortage of those, also on the faeces and ootheca of their relatives. In especially difficult times, they can eat anything. They can even bite hairs, eyelashes and epidermis in sleeping children. This results in inflammation and allergic reactions.

Moreover, there are a lot of various harmful bacteria on their paws and they are carriers of such dangerous infectious diseases. Like E. coli, cholera, worm eggs and many others. And this is just a small list of troubles that such cohabitants can cause. Everyone saw photos of domestic cockroaches more than once, and also observed insects live. The photo conveys all the details of their structure.

How do they reproduce

Due to the fact that they cannot always be detected immediately, an unpleasant neighborhood is already revealed when a whole family is already snooping around your apartment - from small ones to females with new ootheca.

Ooteka is a kind of incubator that contains many eggs.

We can't see what cockroach eggs look like. But you can tell what little cockroaches look like. Small larvae look like adults. They just have smaller sizes. After each molt, they become more and more. Until they turn into a full-fledged individual.

After each molt, the color of the chitinous cover remains very pale, almost white. And this is not an albino cockroach, it's just that their chitinous shell is not yet sufficiently colored. Domestic insects of all described species are synanthropic individuals. Synanthropic cockroaches are such a category of insect that can live near human dwellings and are not found in the wild. Examples include domestic rats, house sparrows, some ants and others.

exotic individuals

Types of cockroaches include a huge number of categories. This is a variety of exotics and cockroaches whose species are well known to everyone. As well as cockroaches, the varieties of which are known to very few. We will describe some of the exotic cockroaches encountered. The first of them is a chess cockroach.

Chess

This handsome man permanently resides in India. In our latitudes, the chess cockroach is bred like an exotic insect. In appearance, he is the most attractive, if I may say so about an insect. The color of its wings resembles a chessboard in black and white. With its color, it resembles a predatory ground beetle, and thus scares away everyone who is not averse to feasting on it. He, like all his brothers, leads a nocturnal lifestyle. During the day, he sits in a secluded place. This is a forest dweller.

Japanese

Japanese cockroaches - these insects live under stones and in the ground. Therefore, they are also called earthen. Its brown color gradually turns into red. It is also called Turkestani, Moroccan or Chinese. They live outdoors and are able to fly short distances by jumping high and helping themselves with their wings. Adults can reach impressive sizes.

green cockroach

They are also called banana cockroaches. The green cockroach lives in the tropical climate of Florida and Cuba. For this habitat, they got their name Cuban cockroach. Cuban cockroach or banana cockroaches in the wild live in banana groves and feed on leaves. It is very popular with exotic lovers.

An adult can grow to a size of 2.5 cm. The temperature for its maintenance should not fall below 27 degrees Celsius, since this individual has tropical roots. After molting, they have a pale almost white color, and then their wings may turn green.

Mexican

The homeland of such an individual is South America. They live in the earth. The female is larger than the male. If necessary, they can fly short distances. The Mexican cockroach can reach an impressive size in length. These are red cockroaches that live in trees and in crevices. When falling from a height, red cockroaches glide. Wings help them with this. The temperature for keeping them at home should not be below twenty degrees. Their food is varied, but it is based on plant foods. The aquarium should have a substrate in which the Mexican is happy to dig in.

Australian

This is a huge insect that reaches large sizes. In appearance, the Australian cockroach resembles the Madagascar cockroach. In nature, it lives in earthen burrows. Can dig long passages in the ground. That's why they call him a rhinoceros. For its maintenance, it is necessary to pour a large amount of substrate. In such conditions, a rhinoceros can live up to ten years. Their food is exclusively vegetable. A very interesting and most famous of the exotics is Madagascar, which emits a hiss at impending danger. Or in those moments when he fights for the female.

Soldiers

Very interesting insects. Soldiers do not belong to cockroaches. These are bedbugs. But many are used to the fact that soldiers are cockroaches. They have an interesting coloration, where gray is interspersed with red. The coloring of such an insect resembles a hussar uniform, which is why the soldiers got their name. Soldiers usually live in the ground and do not cause trouble to people. They eat plant foods. Colonies of these insects usually settle in decayed plant substrates. For humans, they are not dangerous and are not carriers of infections. They do not settle in human dwellings and do not have an addiction to their waste products.

Cockroaches can turn into 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 from A, they can only be removed if the species 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 encounter only a few. Almost everyone is afraid of large cockroaches. And there is nothing strange in 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 terribly afraid of cockroaches. In nature, there is only one species of these insects capable of effortless flight. However, it is not found in our country. By the way! It is believed that every ten years a new species of cockroach appears.

Insects prefer rooms that are warm and humid. The activity of these creatures manifests itself at night, which prevents their timely detection. The length of the body 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 mouth apparatus is of a gnawing type, and the opening of the mouth is in the lower part.

Black beetle

Black cockroaches are the most common. Their food is fresh and spoiled food. In areas with a warm climate, they even live outdoors. In fact, the home for black cockroaches is only a small part of their range. And the definition of a black large 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 body of the insect 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, toilet rooms and other similar places. It is not surprising that these creatures are carriers of many diseases. Horror causes only one appearance of cockroaches. A photo of insects clearly demonstrates this.

red cockroach

The red cockroach is among the species with the widest range. Basically, we meet them. They accompany a person wherever he leaves the remnants of food.

The structure of the red and black cockroaches is identical. Only the first ones have an elongated body with a reddish-brown chitinous cover. The popular name is Prussian. Red species of domestic cockroaches surround a person everywhere.

american cockroach

The size of the American cockroach can reach four centimeters. They feed on almost everything and have a high fecundity. A considerable growth rate and the ability to survive make us talk about this cockroach representative seriously.

American cockroaches can move everywhere, even on the ceiling. When threatened, this insect exudes a stinking liquid that causes instant allergies in the enemy. It can be attributed to centenarians among the entire cockroach family. If you find this creature in your home, immediately contact the appropriate service to remove them. The American cockroach in the struggle for food can even attack a pet! Agree, such creatures are very unpleasant neighbors.

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

albino cockroaches

This is a fairly rare occurrence, however, causing discomfort. It looks like an insect that has shed its shell during a molt. 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 is also found among other species of animals and plants. It is worth remembering that albinos are the same pests as other cockroaches. It is difficult to say exactly how many species of cockroaches. Their approximate number is five thousand, other sources call the figure 4600. Any insects can be albinos.

What individuals get into the house?

Not all types of cockroaches tend to get into the house. But if the red-haired Prussians made their way into the dwelling, then the struggle will be serious. Those tenants who have already been breeding cockroaches remember their agility. It is difficult to find out exactly where these insects entered the house from. But the main reasons for their appearance in the apartment are known:

• dirty dishes in the sink that do not wash for a long time;
• garbage with leftover food, which is rarely taken out of the house;
• neighbors who already have cockroaches.

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

Reproduction of different species

Knowing the basics of the life cycle of cockroaches will help prevent their appearance and facilitate the process of destroying unwanted guests. One female is able to give life to 40 young individuals. Their number depends on the number of larvae in the egg carried by the female. Outwardly, such an egg is more like a bag. All types of cockroaches in the apartment breed year-round.

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

But getting rid of any of the types of cockroaches is difficult. Sometimes even expensive drugs cannot cope with this task. Exterminators advise taking preventive measures to prevent the appearance of these creatures in your home, because it will be quite problematic to destroy them.

Lifespan

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

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

It may surprise you, but these creatures can live without a head! The experiments carried out are stunning: a headless insect will live for several more weeks. This is due to the features of the structure. They breathe with the entire surface of the body. Scattered throughout the body, the nervous system retains the basic reflexes. However, a headless creature will practically lose orientation in the surrounding world, will not be able to remember and learn.

Insect bites

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

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

Cockroaches can eat sweat, secretions of the sebaceous glands, saliva and feces. It's safe to say: cockroach bites are a pretty dangerous thing. 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 hairline of the human body.

cockroach allergy

People are often allergic to cockroaches. Allergens get inside in different ways: with air, with food, directly upon 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, any kind of cockroaches can cause allergies. A photo of insects even provokes an attack of cruel disgust, what can we say about a "face-to-face meeting"! And if we also take into account that "close acquaintance" is fraught with serious consequences, then it is not surprising that people try by hook or by crook to get rid of uninvited neighbors.

You can avoid trouble if you follow the simple rules of hygiene of the premises:

• Monitor the health of plumbing fixtures.
• Wash the dishes in a timely manner and keep them in a specially designated place.
• Always take garbage out of the house, avoiding its stagnation.
• The trash can must be hermetically sealed 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 the insects already feel at ease in the open spaces of our house and do a lot of dirty work. If the owner of a dwelling wants to know about an unpleasant neighborhood earlier, then he can follow simple recommendations that will help to find the habitats of intruders.

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

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

There are frequent 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 caught our eye, then it is certainly worth declaring 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 matters. The sooner you start to destroy pests, the less damage to your family and home you will emerge victorious from this fierce struggle.

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

There are more than 4 thousand varieties of cockroaches, but only a few of them have adapted to life at home and moved to inhabited dwellings. The most common types of domestic cockroaches are red and black.

What are domestic cockroaches and what do they look like?

prusak
The most common variety of cockroaches, in everyday life they are called red cockroaches. It looks like a typical insect 10-15 mm long with developed wings that are larger than the body of the animal. Color - brown-red, with small dark stripes on the body. A feature of the Prussian is a long mustache, with the help of which they orient themselves in space and communicate with other individuals. Red cockroaches have a very well-developed mouth apparatus and paws, which make it possible to move quickly. It is quite difficult to deal with representatives of this species. They live in warm conditions.

Black beetle
Reach from 2 to 5 centimeters in length, have a black or dark gray color with a slight metallic sheen. The wings are larger in males, and coincide in length with the size of the abdomen; in females, they are two times shorter. Also, females are much larger in size: they reach 5 cm, while males are 2–3 cm. They live at moderate temperatures and humid conditions.

american cockroach
Outwardly, they resemble the Prussians, because they have a similar color: red, brown, reddish-orange. A fairly large insect that reaches 5 cm in length. Females are slightly larger than males. The main distinguishing feature of this species is the pattern on the back: clear horizontal lines of dark brown color.

Madagascar cockroach
These cockroaches differ from their counterparts in many ways: they have a large body (up to 9 cm), a large shield on the back and the ability to hiss loudly. Distributed in the Amazon forests, live in the bark of trees. Despite the frightening appearance, they are harmless to humans and quite shy. The Madagascar cockroach enters our latitudes along with exports and parcels from exotic countries. Since the climate does not allow to exist on the street, they live in residential buildings. Destruction is easier due to its size: the Madagascar cockroach is not able to penetrate thin cracks.

How long do cockroaches live and how do they breed

Like most insects, cockroaches reproduce sexually. A fertilized female lays larvae 4 to 6 times during the entire cycle of her existence. Cockroaches breed in any conditions all year round, and their life expectancy is from 3 months to several years.

A favorable environment for the emergence of cockroaches is warm, dark rooms in which food and garbage are stored. Most of all, cockroaches like foods rich in carbohydrates:

• Sugar and sweets;
• Beer;
• Bread crumbs, flour products and dry blanks;

• Napkins and toilet paper;
• Meat;
• Glue and wallpaper;
• Spoiled and decaying products;
• Clothing items: stockings, socks and underwear;
• Books, newspapers and magazines;
• Soap.

Insects are omnivores, and are able to survive for a long time without food, sometimes they can even reach cannibalism or eat out comrades, but they are unable to live long without water, so blocking access to liquid can bring these animals out.

Most often, cockroaches can be found in such places:

• Warehouses;
• Storerooms;
• Kitchen and catering;
• Grocery stores;
• Hospitals.

Cockroaches live and breed in a place that is warm and protected from people and light, to bring them out, illuminate the room:

• behind skirting boards;
• Under the refrigerator;
• In cabinets in the kitchen;
• On the shelves next to the bread box and cereals;
• under the wallpaper;
• In the parquet
• In closet and under furniture;
• Near garbage;
• Under carpets and linoleum.

Advice!If you live in an apartment building, install a fine mesh vent to keep cockroaches from coming back from your neighbors so you can get them out faster.

Why are domestic cockroaches dangerous?

Regardless of the variety, cockroaches carry such a danger to those who live in an apartment:

• They carry dangerous bacteria;
• Bred unsanitary conditions in the apartment and infect food;
• Spoil things and food;
• I cause allergies;
• Have an unaesthetic appearance;
• I cause allergies;
• Penetrate in close proximity to people.

Destruction of cockroaches at home: how and how much to poison them

The issue of removing unexpected insects should be approached with all seriousness and acted immediately. To bring them out, it is necessary to make their existence as inconvenient as possible:

• Ventilate the premises;
• Clean up and take out the trash regularly;

• Seal all small cracks and holes in the apartment;
• Treat rooms with ultraviolet light;
• Hide food in secure containers;
• Always close pots and food bags;
• Get geraniums in the apartment - its smell scares away insects;
• Repair faucets and plumbing;
• Carefully close the air vents in the apartment and treat them with boric acid.

At the next stage, you can resort to withdrawal and fight against the emergence of new individuals, as well as begin the destruction of insects.

Dilute the water with a small amount of ammonia and wipe the floor in the apartment and animal habitats.

Cockroaches die at temperatures below +5, so they can be frozen: leave the house for several days in severe frost without heating it. At low temperatures, the death of a cockroach occurs instantly.

When physically killing cockroaches, dispose of them immediately as they are extremely resistant to injury.

Place small cardboard houses with a sticky coating around the apartment, inside which put the bait: sweet food or beer.

Set up cockroach traps that are sold in household stores.

Sprinkle water sources for cockroaches with boric acid. Scatter bay leaves and cucumber peels everywhere, this will help to quickly remove pests. Make a trap: place small bottles of beer in different places in the apartment, and grease the edges of the neck. After some time, the bottle will be filled with cockroaches.

Advice! Always wipe the sink dry after use: even a small drop is enough to keep cockroaches alive and prevent them from getting out.

Homemade cockroach bait recipes

Boil an egg and take out the yolk from it. Add boric acid to it and mix thoroughly. Roll the balls from the resulting mass and scatter them over all the places where cockroaches are. Even if the insect does not eat, but only feels the balls with its antennae, it will die.

Mix flour with borax, sugar and starch. Sprinkle powder over surfaces.

Mix flour with alabaster and sprinkle on the places where cockroaches most often appear. After eating the bait, the cockroach will harden from the inside and die.

Take kerosene or turpentine and anoint the foci of cockroaches with a brush. Insects cannot stand this smell, so they leave the house without delay.

You can also poison with mashed potatoes: boil the potatoes and prepare the mass by adding a spoonful of borax. This tool is not only effective, but also safe for residents of the house.

Grind chamomile flowers into a tablespoon of powder and knead the dough with the addition of flour and yolk. Chamomile acts as an immobilizing agent on the cockroach, so you can even poison the powder in its pure form, or boil a decoction.

A cockroach is an arthropod insect from the cockroach superorder, cockroach orders (Blattoptera, Blattodea).

None of the versions of the origin of the Russian word "cockroach" has found an exact confirmation. According to some etymologists, cockroaches got their name thanks to 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, from 1 to 10 cm or more in length. The elongated abdomen of a 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 are long, usually segmented cerci. Males have 1-2 styli on the last sternite. Usually cockroaches have a light body color with elytra of yellowish-brown shades, dark or black color is less common.

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

In some species, the fore and hind wings are shortened, and wingless species of cockroaches also exist. Some varieties of cockroaches can fly, although their flight does not last long.

A cockroach has 6 legs in total. The thighs and lower legs are endowed with spikes. 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, an American cockroach covers a distance of 75 cm in a second. In addition, it is almost impossible to catch a cockroach with bare hands, because a nimble insect changes direction about 25 times per second.

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

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

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

The mouth is turned downward.

The eyes of a cockroach are large, there are 2 simple eyes, in wingless cockroaches they are often atrophied, in cave species they are completely absent.

The sensitive whiskers of insects are quite long, sometimes exceeding the length of the body, bristle-shaped, multisegmented, covered with many microscopic setae.

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 ootheca - a special protein capsule designed for bearing offspring.

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

The cockroach is one of the most enduring insects, able to starve for a whole month without compromising health. But under favorable conditions and due 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 voracious 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, to a greater extent because cockroaches do not eat as much as they bite various foods, finding the most delicious for themselves by sampling.

The favorite food of cockroaches is any bakery products, sugar and all kinds of sweets, meat products and cereals are in third place, and various vegetables and fruits, of any freshness, complete the list of preferences. 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, in Europe, in Russia, in Africa and Asia, in Australia. In countries with a rather cool climate and frosty winters, synanthropic species mainly 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 a cluster of rotting fruits or vegetables, often live in rotten vegetation along shallow water bodies. Synanthropic cockroaches often equip their nests in ventilation shafts and sewer lines of multi-storey buildings, in basements, in wall cracks and behind baseboards, they take a fancy to city dumps and garbage chutes.

How to distinguish a female cockroach from a male?

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

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

Marble cockroach Nauphoeta cinerea - male from below, female from above

Is there a white cockroach?

Sometimes in an ordinary apartment among typical cockroaches you can see rather non-standard albino cockroaches. Many people ask: is the white cockroach a separate species? Not at all. An insect can have such a 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 pest control using toxic chlorine, which destroys the coloring pigment.

What animals eat cockroaches?

Although the cockroach is an insect almost indestructible due to its amazing fertility and adaptability to the most uncomfortable living conditions, they also have enemies. Some species are happy to eat cockroaches (for example, Centruroides gracilis, Euscorpius germanus and Hadrurus arizonensis), will not refuse to taste the centipede cockroach Scutigera coleoptrata, house spiders and. Cockroaches are hunted by the lizard comb anole, shepherd tree frog, northern leopard frog, coastal toad. The cockroach is a favorite delicacy for the home, and dead cockroaches are eaten. Eulophid insects lay their eggs in cockroach ootheca, 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 Prussian cockroach is one of the most common synanthropic species, whose life takes place in close interaction with humans. 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 eats ordinary soap.

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

• (Blatta orientalis)

In the past, a fairly common species, significantly displaced from its usual biotopes 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 sheen. Males are distinguished by longer elytra than females, but neither of them can fly, but they run very fast.

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

• (Periplaneta americana)

It looks like a red cockroach, but has a large body size: from 3.5 to 5 cm. Like the 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 piles, rotten wood, in the bark of palm trees, in sewers and ventilation tunnels. Due to the flattened shape of the body, they easily penetrate into 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 clothes. 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(Gromphadorrina portentosa)

A 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 a cockroach is about 60 g. The back of the body is colored brown, the pronotum is brown-black. Madagascar cockroaches do not have wings. At the moment of danger and during mating games, they are able to make loud sounds, reminiscent of hissing. What is interesting: the female cockroach hisses only to scare off enemies, and the louder the male cockroach hisses, the more chances he has for the favor of the female. 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.

• Marble cockroach (ash cockroach, naufet, neofeta)(Nauphoeta cinerea)

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

Marble cockroaches eat raw vegetables and fruits, oatmeal and sprouted cereals, bread, protein feed, grass, paper, and can easily gnaw through thin plastic. In the absence of protein feed, cases of cannibalism are observed. The ash cockroach is a versatile and most popular food insect for house 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 the structural features, they are somewhat reminiscent of wood lice.

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

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

• Sarawak cockroach ( Rhicnoda natatrix)

It 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 leaf litter 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 for a calm situation on land there.

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

The same size reaches cockroach Blaberus giganteus . These 2 species are very popular among lovers of domestic cockroaches.

The longest cockroach in the world is found in Latin America cockroach Megaloblatta longipennis , whose length 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 plan in the air, but only make small and short-term 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 United States. Males are 1.3-1.4 cm long, females - 9-10 mm. Individuals are painted in gray-yellow and brown-yellow colors.

• Asian cockroach ( Blattella asahinai)

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

• (Periplaneta americana)

It looks like a Prusak, but it is longer - from 35 to 50 mm.

• Megaloblatta longipennis and Megaloblattablaberoides

They live in Central and South America. The length of the insects reaches 9 cm, the width is 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 breed?

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, for the reproduction of offspring, the female still needs to mate at least once. The male gametes are able to remain in the body of the female for a long time, and subsequent clutches occur without prior copulation.

There is no specific breeding period for cockroaches, but mating games for individual species are somewhat different. Female cockroaches invite males to mate by slightly flapping their wings and emit an odorous substance - a special secret produced by glands located in the back of the body. In some species, mating is preceded by a lengthy courtship process.

The male cockroach impregnates the female with the genital plate, and then the partners separate. After some time, the female lays 30-40 eggs and carries them in the ootheca, which is located at the end of the abdomen.

Female and cubs

Most species of cockroaches are ovoviviparous, some are distinguished by live birth.

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, which differ 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 a Prusak, up to 4 years, like a black cockroach.

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

After the last molt, the cockroach acquires a hard shell. Depending on the species, a female cockroach can produce from 20 to 90 ootheca during her life.

Most people study the varieties of cockroaches, their characteristics and external signs in order to fight them more effectively. Knowing exactly the characteristics of reproduction and behavior, it is easier to pick up poison for insects.

Among people there are those who choose different types of exotic cockroaches for keeping at home. They breed insects for various reasons:

• Participation in running.
• For food.
• To study habits and home maintenance.

Today there are about 4500 thousand varieties of cockroaches. Therefore, each person can easily select a suitable copy.

Scientists pay a lot of attention to the study of habits and characteristic features. After all, some species are distinguished by special behavior or bright colors. Among the materials presented on the network, it is easy to find information about most species. Although there are some, for which there is practically no data.

To understand which varieties should be fought, which ones can be bred, you should familiarize yourself with popular insects.

Among all types of domestic cockroaches, furniture cockroaches are distinguished, the existence of which became known in the last century. The body of an insect can have a different shade and dimensions. Most often, their body is painted red. There are 2 light stripes on the abdomen. The cockroach has no wings.

There are also black cockroaches, whose body length reaches 1.2 cm. They have long legs, so they quickly move and jump.

Furniture species are considered pests because they are found on bookshelves, near wallpaper. Their main diet is foods that contain starch. They also eat paper.

The population of red and black cockroaches increases if the indoor temperature is maintained at 28 degrees.

Such small cockroaches are not bred or grown at home. They are trying to get rid of them using a variety of means, aerosols and gels. Often attract specialists who carry out the processing. But before that, they study what home furniture cockroaches look like, what types of cockroaches are present in housing.

For the treatment of premises in which furniture, black or red species are identified, the following means are used:

• Sprays and aerosols.
• Gels, pastes.
• Pills.
• Crayons.
• Folk remedies.

If huge populations are found in the dwelling, then the processing is carried out by specialists. They are attracted by apartment owners. They have effective drugs.

heat-loving insects

Among the known types of cockroaches in the apartment, heat-loving insects stand out. They prefer climatic regions in which the temperature practically does not decrease.

Some types of heat-loving cockroaches are found in Russia. As a rule, they are faced by residents of the South of Russia. They have characteristic features by which they are distinguished both by specialists and ordinary people.

Housing conditions acceptable for population growth may vary. Pests breed well both in residential premises, as well as in warehouses and basements. Their development requires an optimal temperature range, as well as an acceptable level of humidity.

Since domestic cockroaches look in the photos that are presented on the network, they look in reality.

Information about what a Vietnamese cockroach looks like is of interest to residents of the south. After all, it is in this area that this species is found. Their habitats:

• Garbage bins.
• Landfills.
• Residential buildings that do not maintain acceptable sanitary conditions.

Under natural conditions, insects are found between stones. The shade of the body is reddish-brown. The head is painted yellow. These insects are distinguished by the fact that they jump and use their wings. The main source of food is waste, vegetation, and organic remains.

Flying cockroaches are raised to feed reptiles. To do this, they study what small cockroaches look like, which individuals to select for feeding.

Egyptian cockroaches

The heat-loving types of cockroaches include Egyptian. They are found in Asia, as well as in the Crimea and the Caucasus. Males have wings, while females do not. Body color is brown.

Body length varies in the range of 2.5-4.5 cm.

They are found in residential areas, on livestock farms, and also in burrows. The main food is excrement, organic residues. They need a constant source of moisture. You will not find such cockroaches in the kitchen.

The population of Egyptian insects is increasing rapidly, as there are 12–18 eggs in each clutch.

Life expectancy is 3-4 years.

If an Egyptian pest enters the body of an animal, then the likelihood of developing infectious diseases (paratyphoid) increases.

Those professionals who are interested in exotic cockroaches should pay attention to the champions. Around the world, many interesting facts have been recorded that are related to insects.

In the selection process for insects, various qualities were considered:

• Movement speed.
• Features of the internal structure of cockroaches.
• Description of cockroaches.
• External characteristics.

The selection is carried out by specialists who carefully study insects, their habits, habitat and other parameters.

american cockroach

Among exotic cockroaches, the American species is distinguished. They stand out for their high speed of movement. In 1 second, insects overcome 70–75 cm.

These species prefer warm climates. If the temperature drops to zero, then they die. Such phenotypes are distinguished by large sizes. The length of their body reaches 5 cm. The shade of the cover is brown, light red or red.

The structure of the American cockroach is interesting. This species has a powerful oral cavity. Therefore, it crushes solid elements. Insects settle in colonies. There can be about 9,000-10,000 thousand in one colony. They are found in buildings with high humidity.

Pests laid eggs are buried in the soil. Parents practically do not care about offspring. It is not difficult to determine the mating period, since at this time the female representatives exude a certain aroma.

A feature of the structure of American cockroaches is the maturation of the egg without prior fertilization.

Among all the species of Madagascar cockroaches, the hissing one stands out. It is large in size. The body length reaches 9–10 cm.

When studying hissing species, special attention is paid to the structural features of the respiratory system. After all, each exhalation is accompanied by a hiss.

The Madagascar cockroach is classified as a viviparous phenotype. Parents care for the larvae even after birth. Hissing can be heard if outsiders appear near the larvae.

Madagascar cockroaches are found in forests, in places where the level of humidity is high. They are often bred at home in order to study the structure of the body of a cockroach, its habits.

Madagascar insects are also used as food. They are consumed by reptiles and snakes.

At home, this species is kept by both beginners and specialists. A terrarium or plastic container is prepared for them, which is complemented by a lid. Holes are prepared in plastic containers through which fresh air enters.

The bottom of the tank is covered with:

• Coconut substrate.
• Pre-shredded paper that is used for writing.
• A mixture of clay and sand.
• Dried sawdust.
• Stones.

At the bottom are stones and snags, which are used by insects as a shelter.

The most terrible and beautiful types of cockroaches

Although specialists study all types of these phenotypes, special attention is paid to exotic insects. They stand out for their interesting appearance, special design. Due to the fact that the structure of cockroaches is more interesting, they are bred at home.

These insects are also popular because they have a unique color. Among the known species there are individuals of red, blue and white shades. Some varieties are distinguished by a unique external structure.

Among all existing species, specialists show particular interest in several.

A distinctive feature of this insect is its considerable weight (from 30 to 40 grams). Their body length reaches 8–9 cm. They have a wide abdomen. The head is decorated with eyes that have a triangular shape. The paws are covered with small spikes.

Under natural conditions, it lives in the forests of Australia. Leaves are used for cover. They use the same vegetation as food. Among all the trees, eucalyptus is distinguished, which has a special taste.

The life cycle is 8–10 years.

Fans of exotic insects keep such cockroaches at home. They use a variety of containers to keep them. Since these species are considered clean, there will be no unpleasant air in the house. The container is filled with eucalyptus leaves and substrate. In the soil they build passages and labyrinths.

It is not necessary to complete the terrarium with a lid, since these species do not move on slippery surfaces. Therefore, cover the container with a lid only at night.

For lighting, fluorescent lamps or fluorescent lamps are used. Their housing is not located on the window, since ultraviolet radiation is contraindicated for insects.

Acceptable temperature range - from 24 to 28 degrees. The degree of humidity is about 80 percent. Sawdust or another substrate is sprayed to moisten. Vegetation, fruits and oak leaves are used as feed.

chess cockroach

Because of the unique color, this insect is planted by many exotic lovers. This insect has several names: seven-point, domino, desert, chess. The presence of white spots is a protective coloring. A formidable beetle that spits poison in a stressful situation has a similar color. Their body structure is similar to that of a black cockroach.

For the first time, its existence was known in India. Under natural conditions, insects live in the crowns of trees, thickets, leaves. Some individuals settle under stones. They leave their hiding places after darkness falls.

Body length - from 2 to 2.5 cm.

On the shell there is a bristle to which the substrate adheres. Therefore, insects are easily and quickly disguised. In a stressful situation, an unpleasant odor comes from the Prussians, which is released through the abdominal glands.

Such insects are often preferred by beginners. After all, these phenotypes are peaceful in nature. Their breeding does not require special conditions, so there will be no content.

For chess types, plastic boxes, which are complemented by lids, or small terrariums are suitable. If plastic boxes are used, then holes are formed in them for air to enter. Peat or sawdust with coconut substrate is laid on the bottom. Additionally, snags or pieces of bark are introduced, which insects use for shelter.

little car

Habitat - tropical forests of Venezuela, as well as Colombia. On the pronotum of the males are orange headlights.

The elytra of insects are shortened and have a square shape. They are painted yellow. There are black stripes on the edges. The abdomen is painted in the same shade. A light strip is concentrated along the rim.

The body length of adults is from 3 to 4 cm.

Dead Head

Homeland - tropical forests, which are concentrated in South America. Their body length reaches 7 cm.

The dead head is an insect that is classified as a forage species. They feed bearded dragons, frilled lizards in the house. On the shell of the dead head there is a pattern in the form of a skull, consisting of unique patterns. Therefore, this phenotype was given such a name.

Although the number of insect species that are bred at home is small, there are really interesting specimens among them. Some have a unique color, others have a speed of movement or considerable weight. Each person will easily select a phenotype that is suitable for the parameters and conditions of detention.

Before choosing a particular species, study its habits and conditions of detention. Some varieties are not suitable for beginners, as they require special nutrition, substrate. Therefore, experts recommend studying the relevant literature, in which all the features are recorded.

Video about varieties of cockroaches