Internal structure of a cockroach diagram. Black cockroach - how to recognize and destroy it

Blatta orientalis is the Latin name for the Black Cockroach. The genus to which this insect belongs does not have too many species. The closest relatives of the Eastern cockroach (this is another name for the insect) live on the Australian and African continents. It itself spread throughout the world and was firmly established in Europe more than three centuries ago.

Nowadays, large black cockroaches, shown in the photo below, are found in apartments much less frequently than their red counterparts:

But in the old days in Rus', it was black cockroaches that lived in cellars and closets, keeping an eye on the owner’s goods. When moving to a new house, it was customary to take these insects with you for good luck. It was believed that when , then the people living in it do not need anything.

Lifestyle of a black cockroach

A long time ago, many insects “realized” that it was more comfortable for them to live next to people. Black cockroaches, capable of reaching large sizes, prefer damp basements, sewers, and garbage collectors. They are not averse to running grocery stores, public catering establishments, hospitals and prisons.

In apartment buildings, residents of the lower floors suffer most from them, since uninvited guests do not rise above the fifth floor.

Black cockroaches are synanthropic insects, which, of course, can exist quite happily outside a human home, but still try to stay close to it, looking for secluded places under stones or in the cracks of old buildings. You can see them in nature in the southern regions, on the Black Sea coast.

While it is light, insects try not to leave their shelters, and at night they boldly go out in search of food. Representatives of this species are omnivores; they do not disdain any products and the remains of invertebrates.

Appearance

The appearance of the black cockroach is of interest, first of all, to people interested in entomology. Here is an example photo of these insects:

But the presence of such a handsome man of rather impressive size in the house will not inspire everyone. The female is slightly longer than the male and can reach 3 cm. It is said that the size of some individuals approaches 5 cm.

The insect has a black chitinous shell, according to its name, less often it is brown. The covers shine like metal and are quite strong, so it will take some force to crush the insect. The cockroach is flat, which allows it to easily penetrate the narrowest crevices.

Body parts of a black cockroach

The body of the Black cockroach, a typical representative of the Insect class, is segmented and divided into three sections - head, chest and abdomen. The segments forming the head section are fused together.

See also our experiments on cockroaches:

We catch cockroaches and test different products on them - see the results...

On the sides of the head two large eyes are distinguishable, having a complex facet structure. Moreover, males have sharper vision than females. In front there is a pair of segmented antennae. When moving, the insect puts them forward and to the sides. The antennae, which resemble small antennas, continuously perform oscillatory movements. The length of the antennae, which are responsible for the sense of smell and touch, is longer in the male than in the female and exceeds the size of his body.

The chest of the black cockroach is represented by three segments - prothorax, mesothorax and metathorax. The dorsal section of the first segment is highly developed, hanging forward, hiding the head of the insect. A pair of running legs is attached to each segment on the sides.

The last segment of the cockroach foot bears a pair of claws and a suction cup, thanks to which the insect can move on any surface, including vertical ones. On the chest of a male black cockroach there are two pairs of wings (see photo):

The soft abdomen of black cockroaches is formed by ten segments, the first seven are larger, the rest are reduced, and in the female this is more pronounced. The last segment contains the anus, and on the sides there are two small sensitive limbs - the cerci. The ninth segment of the male carries styli that serve as protection for his external genitalia.

This is interesting

Although the middle part of the body has a pair of leathery elytra, and the back part has two true membranous wings, they are not used for their intended purpose. Female black cockroaches are completely devoid of devices for flight; they only have elytra, and even those are in their infancy.

Eight abdominal segments and two thoracic segments are equipped with respiratory openings, or stigmas. From them, a branched network of tubes - tracheas - extends into the insect's body, entangling all the internal organs and ensuring the delivery of oxygen to them.

The cockroach has a multi-chambered heart, which determines the directional movement of fluid from the rear end of the body forward, and an aorta. Hemolymph washes all internal organs.

The nervous system of a cockroach is interesting. It is represented by a chain of nerve nodes, the largest of which, the suprapharyngeal one, performs the function of the brain and provides innervation to the main sense organs.

Digestive system of the black cockroach

The oral apparatus is located below, it is centered around the pharyngeal opening and is arranged quite intricately. It is represented by the upper lip - a tongue-like outgrowth, as well as a pair of upper and two pairs of lower jaws.

The lower jaw includes another sensory organ – the tentacles. The mouthparts of a cockroach are of the gnawing type; they are powerful and cope with a wide variety of food: both liquid and solid. The digestive system of the black cockroach is perfectly formed.

The food is crushed by the jaws and moistened with saliva, and is treated with digestive enzymes throughout the intestine. is subjected to additional mechanical stress in the so-called chewing stomach, which has folds in the form of chitinous plates, as well as the influence of special bacteria that populate the intestines of the cockroach. All this allows the insect to digest foods that seem inedible to us.

Nutrients and waste products move through the body of the black cockroach through hemolymph.

Three lives of the Black cockroach

Cockroaches are an order with incomplete transformation, which means that they have only three qualitatively different forms of life - egg, nymph, adult.

A sexually mature female and male mate, after which an ootheca, a kind of chitinous cocoon, is formed in the female’s genital sinus, which is located under the dorsal scutes of the last segments of the abdomen, a kind of chitinous cocoon where the eggs will mature. The ootheca of the black cockroach, which can be seen in the photograph below, is large, up to 12 mm in length, dense, and usually contains 16 eggs.

At this time, the female’s abdomen slightly increases in size; for several days, showing care for the offspring, the cockroach carries the ootheca with her, and then leaves it in a secret place. The incubation stage lasts up to 44 days, then larvae emerge from the cocoon, small copies of black cockroaches, but their coloring is much lighter than that of adults, they are almost white.

The larvae undergo up to 10 molts before reaching sexual maturity. As she gets older, the nymph resembles her parents more and more.

The rate of maturation of the offspring is affected by the ambient temperature. In a human home, nothing prevents the reproduction of cockroaches, which is why they breed all year round. It may take from one to four years for the young generation to become ready to mate. Throughout her life, the female lays 2-3 cocoons with eggs.

Damage caused by cockroaches

Huge black cockroaches most often come into people's apartments from the worst places - garbage cans, sewers, they drag pathogenic microorganisms and helminth eggs on their paws, litter the room with the products of their vital activity - excrement, chitinous coverings left after molting.

They not only spoil the appearance of the home, but can also cause serious harm to human health, as they provoke allergic reactions, including pronounced ones.

What could be the benefit of the Black Cockroach?

Talking about the benefits of the black cockroach, even which may cause a disgusted reaction in many people, may seem inappropriate. However, powder and tincture made from large black cockroaches are believed by some to have amazing healing properties.

This remedy is valued by representatives of oriental medicine; it was prepared by healers in previous centuries, and honored doctors also believed in its power. They say that Botkin himself prescribed it to his patients.

This medicine is recommended for many problems: some advise using it to get rid of worms, others use it as a diuretic, and others, paradoxical as it may sound, try to stop asthma attacks with its help. It is difficult to say how effective this remedy is, because modern official medicine is categorical on this issue and does not recommend self-medication.

However, there are facts of the use of black cockroaches for a variety of potions and tinctures. However, how serious should a person’s health problems be, and how unacceptable should medications sold in pharmacies seem to him, so that he, overcoming his disgust, would give preference to such an extraordinary and not the cheapest method of treatment?

Black cockroach in the zoo

Cockroaches, or cockroaches, (lat. Blattoptera, or Blattodea) are a detachment of insects from the superorder Cockroaches.

Cockroaches reproduce quickly and adapt to any living conditions, which is why they managed to survive many cataclysms on the planet, and they appeared in ancient times. Having undergone changes in appearance and lifestyle, they managed to survive to this day. Today they live everywhere, even in cold climates, where they have learned to coexist with humans in living quarters.

These guests are extremely undesirable in houses and apartments, as they carry dangerous diseases. Their appearance and the growing number of individuals in the population frighten a person and make them want to eat as soon as possible.

Everyone has encountered these creatures at least once in their lives, but people know very little about them. In fact, only a few species of cockroaches can cohabit with humans, and their habits, reproduction and lifestyle are very interesting, and even if the insects inevitably die, knowledge about their characteristics will allow you to choose the most effective methods of control.

The main synanthropic species of cockroaches

The diversity of cockroaches includes several thousand species and varieties, but only a few of them are able to live in apartment conditions, and even fewer are resistant to methods of combating them.

Adapting or escaping to another place, they continue to live next to a person, use his home and eat leftover food.

Favorable factors for cockroaches living in residential premises:

• constant air temperature about +25 degrees;
• high humidity, dampness;
• darkened places in the home: behind furniture, baseboards, in cracks; it is especially comfortable for insects to live behind the refrigerator;
• availability of food and water.

If these pests have settled in such a room, it will be very difficult to remove them. Tropical conditions in the house allow insects to actively reproduce, increasing their offspring tens and even hundreds of times annually.

Shape and body structure of a cockroach

Cockroaches are insects from the order Cockroaches. They all have a similar body structure: an oval-shaped and flat abdomen, a pair of antennae and three pairs of legs with spines and developed muscles. The eyes are located on the sides of the head and see in all directions. Vision in some species is atrophied. Individuals of synanthropic pests do not fly; in rare cases, males can make short flights or dive from a height, softening the fall by spreading their wings. Thin and mesh wings are hidden under dense elytra; in some individuals the flying apparatus is small or completely absent. Pests have powerful jaws - this feature allows them to eat any solid food.

The abdomen is segmented and can consist of 8-10 parts, each of which has its own nerve nodes, for this reason the insect is able to control the body even without a head. The outermost segment of the abdomen has outgrowths - cerci. They testify to the ancient origin of these living creatures. The structural features of the legs allow you to move freely along vertical planes and quickly change the direction of movement.

Prusak cockroach - an ordinary red cockroach

Most often, red cockroaches - Prussians - live next to humans. Their population in the wild is several times smaller than at home. The Prusak is the smallest of all synanthropic insects, the total length of the insect is no more than 10-15 mm. They move very quickly, making them difficult to catch. The wings are well developed, slightly longer than the body, however, Prussians do not fly. They can be identified by their characteristic red color and dark brown stripes along the body. Another distinctive feature is their long whiskers, which help them navigate in space and find food and water. The body is covered with a chitinous shell, which protects it from light blows.

In Russia, the red pest is called German - this is due to its supposed place of origin. However, in Germany it is called Russian for a similar reason. Currently, Prussians are widespread everywhere. They choose dark and warm places to live with a sufficient amount of food and water; most often they settle in the kitchen and bathroom, near sinks and in cabinets.

Black cockroaches

The second most common representative of cockroaches in apartments is black. The population grows more slowly than that of redheads - this is due to individuals eating their own clutches of eggs and a later period of sexual maturity. Their body size is from 20 to 50 mm. Females are larger than males. They are distinguished by black or dark gray color with a metallic tint. They have developed wings; in males they are equal to the length of the body, in females they are half as long. Males use the aircraft for its intended purpose and can make short flights; the function of these body parts in females is to demonstrate readiness for fertilization. Representatives of black pests have an unpleasant characteristic odor. The chitinous shell is strong and it is quite difficult to crush an insect.

They prefer rooms with moderate temperatures and high humidity. Favorite habitats are sewers and basements, sometimes they live in bathrooms. They settle in living rooms only when the population reaches several hundred.

American cockroach

In appearance it is similar to a Prussian. It has the same red or brown color on its belly and wings. They can be distinguished from other relatives by their size; they are large, up to 50 mm in length, and by dark brown spots on their bodies. The wings of males exceed the size of the abdomen, while those of females are slightly shortened. They can fly and jump. Long whiskers allow them to find food and detect air vibrations.

They settle mainly in sewers, heating mains and basements. They spread into apartments through ventilation shafts. They move very quickly, up to 75 cm per second.

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

Other types of cockroaches

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

• Turkmen or Central Asian cockroach - has a brown color, turning into black towards the back of the body, there are no wings, the body is elongated.
• The Egyptian cockroach is painted in a rich black color, the body shape is close to round.

Separately, furniture cockroaches should be highlighted. They were discovered relatively recently, just a few decades ago. A distinctive feature of these creatures is their light, uneven color - on their abdomen all shades of brown in the form of spots or stripes.

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

Reproduction of cockroaches

The reproduction speed of these creatures can be the envy of many other insects. A large number of eggs in a clutch and a short period of reaching sexual maturity, under favorable living conditions, ensure a population growth of tens and hundreds of times a year. Reproduction occurs sexually throughout the year. During their life, cockroaches go through several stages of development and repeatedly change their appearance beyond recognition.

Individuals of different sexes. Males are always smaller in size than females, but their wings are better developed and enable them to fly. The female body is denser. The outermost segment of the male's abdomen has a genital plate.

Fertilization and gestation in cockroaches

Sexual maturity occurs as soon as the insect reaches the appearance of an adult. Fertilization is preceded by peculiar mating games. The female produces pheromones, attracting males and informing them that she is ready to bear eggs. Males of some species engage in battles for the right to fertilize a female, spread their wings and demonstrate their flight capabilities. Females also use small wings to attract attention by shaking them.

During fertilization, the male transfers genetic information to the female, which can be stored in her body for a long time and used for subsequent fertilization. The development of the offspring begins in a special capsule called the ooteca. Depending on the type of insect, the ootheca may be located outside the mother’s body on her abdomen, or located inside her until the larvae form. Before hatching, the female sheds her ootheca in a protected place. The capsule must always be moist during the development of eggs and larvae; drying out leads to the death of the offspring. Some representatives of the order are viviparous, the eggs are inside the mother and fully viable larvae are born. Depending on the species, mothers can care for the offspring after hatching or, relieving the swelling, permanently break the connection with them. From the laying of the capsule to the appearance of the larvae, an average of 3–4 weeks passes.

Fertility of cockroaches

During the entire life cycle, the female can lay larvae 4–6 times. Each ootheca of the Prussian contains about 30 eggs, black up to 18. One female is capable of bringing from 20 to 200 larvae in her entire life.

The total offspring of one female individual during the year can reach values ​​of several thousand. The greatest fertility is inherent in the Prussian - up to 300 thousand individuals per year. The black one lays about half as many eggs. The American one reproduces much more slowly - only 800 larvae per year.

Development of cockroaches - from egg to adult

Over the entire period of life, these living creatures go through three phases of transformation. The process of these changes is called metamorphosis.

1. Egg– forms in edema, the period lasts 3-4 weeks, a larva develops in each egg.
2. Larva(nymph) – the period from birth to the acquisition of the form of an adult insect. Immediately after hatching, the larva is white, but very quickly turns brown and its shell hardens. At this stage, there are no wings, but the insect already looks like its parents. Nymphs molt up to 6 times, with each subsequent time they acquire more and more characteristics of an adult. The length of the period depends on the species and varies from several weeks to two years.
3. Adult(imago) – the stage of sexual maturity and readiness for reproduction. Further, the pests do not change their appearance until the end of their life cycle.

How long do cockroaches live?

There is a lot of controversy about the lifespan of these creatures - this is due to the fact that it is different for each species. Red Prussians live about a year, black ones - a maximum of 2 years, American Prussians live a little over a year as adults.

The duration of the stages of metamorphosis can vary not only from species to species, but also depending on conditions. Lowering the temperature and limiting nutrition can delay the development of eggs and nymphs indefinitely.

The lack of food can significantly shorten the lifespan of adult creatures, but even under these conditions, Prussians exist for about another month, after which they begin to eat their relatives or bite people, pinching off pieces of skin. Blacks can go without food for up to two months, but they never attack their own kind, dooming the entire population to death. Long-term survival without food is due to a very slow metabolism. The lack of water is more destructive for cockroaches; without it, pests can live no more than a week. A drop in temperature below zero shortens the life of insects to several hours.

Lifestyle and behavior of cockroaches

All cockroaches are nocturnal, and only with the cover of darkness do they leave their shelters in search of food. If pests appear during the day, it means that there are a large number of them and the population is experiencing an acute lack of food or moisture. During daylight hours, these creatures hide in dark places.

Cockroaches live in large groups, but in their population there is no distribution of roles like termites. However, scientists have experimentally proven that they make joint decisions, for example, about where to migrate. When the population’s place of residence becomes crowded, they divide into two groups and go in search of a new home. According to another study, the majority obeys the decisions of individuals.

In case of danger, which these creatures can notice with the help of vision and antennae, insects prefer to flee. During the day, pests are most vulnerable, so at this time of day they stay in cracks and corners.

Where do cockroaches live and hide?

Cockroaches love warmth, darkness And dampness identified their main places of residence. In addition to kitchens and bathrooms in residential apartments, they are attracted to warehouses, pantries, shops, public catering places, hospital wards, basements, ventilation shafts, through which they most often enter apartments and garbage chutes.

In an apartment, you can find hiding representatives of the population behind baseboards, in closets, under wallpaper, under parquet, linoleum, near trash cans, in cracks next to the water supply, under the sink - in these places they feel most comfortable. Only growing numbers and lack of food force them to explore new territories.

What do cockroaches eat?

Cockroaches are omnivores; anything can serve as food for them. They are especially attracted to:

• spoiled food;
• sweets;
• flour products;
• paper, including wallpaper, books;
• pieces of furniture;
• cloth;
• soap.

An indispensable condition for these creatures to live is water. If she is not there, they will quickly leave the room. In some cases, when there is an acute shortage of food, aggressive individuals can attack a person, feeding on particles of his skin and leaving harmful microbes for last. The Prussians are characterized by cannibalism.

Harm and benefits of cockroaches

Cockroaches can poison a person’s life, cause harm to health and property, their frightening appearance and unpleasant smell make living with such neighbors impossible, but in wildlife these creatures perform important functions, participate in the processing of nitrogen and support the normal life of the planet’s ecosystem.

It is necessary to survive them from the apartment, but perhaps you should not treat them so dismissively and use the most humane methods to fight them. Knowledge about the characteristics of the representatives of the order, the reproduction and life of cockroaches will make it possible to force pests to leave the home without harm to people and the insects themselves.

In our article we will look at the structure of cockroaches. Traditionally, very unpleasant associations are associated with these insects. But in fact, these animals have a number of unique characteristics. Let's talk about this.

Classification

The structural features of cockroaches determine their systematic position. These animals are representatives of the Arthropoda phylum, the Tracheinobreathing subtype, the Insect class, and the Cockroach order.

Like other representatives of this systematic unit, their characteristic features are the presence of three parts of the body - the head, trunk and abdomen, a fat body in the cavity, striated muscles and an exoskeleton in the form of a cuticle.

Etymology

The name of this insect appears in several languages. At the moment, scientists have not been able to establish the exact origin of this word. Translated from Chuvash it is translated as “running away”. And this is no coincidence. Cockroaches hold the record for the fastest movement among all land insects.

And it is very difficult to catch him. The fact is that in a second, cockroaches can change the trajectory of their movement more than two dozen times. Perhaps that is why, translated from the Turkic language, its name means “to diverge.”

Habitat

There are more than 4 thousand species of these insects in nature. Despite such diversity, the structure of cockroaches and their lifestyle are similar: they all love warmth and moisture. Therefore, most species live in the tropics. Some species have adapted to the cold climate of the northern regions, where they feed on moss and lichen. There are also known cave cockroaches that have lost the ability to see.

Sinanthropus animals

According to popular belief, if cockroaches have settled in a house, this is a sign of wealth and prosperity. It is unlikely that those who have ever tried to get rid of these annoying insects will agree with this. Since ancient times, cockroaches have settled in human dwellings. After all, it provides these animals with everything they need: constant temperature, moisture and food. Animals that live with humans are called synanthropes. In addition to this species, these include ticks, flies, mosquitoes, mice, pigeons, and ants.

External structure of a cockroach

A distinctive feature of this type of insect is the oval shape of the body. Its dimensions vary from 2 to 9 cm. The head is triangular and flat. In front it is protected by the pronotum. There are eyes on the sides of the head, which allows these creatures to see in all directions.

A distinctive feature of the structure of cockroaches is the gnawing type of mouthparts. They consist of paired upper and lower jaws and two unpaired lips. This type of mouthparts is designed for grinding any type of food. This is possible due to the presence of numerous chitinous teeth on the jaws. There is also one pair of bristly antennae on the head.

The thoracic region is represented by three segments, to which a pair of legs is attached. Running type limbs. Each leg consists of five segments and ends in claws. This structure allows cockroaches to move even on steep surfaces.

On the chest there are wings - double lamellar folds of integument.

The structure of the wings of cockroaches has its own characteristics. By origin they are double lamellar folds of integument. On the outside, they are protected by dense elytra, which have tube-like thickenings - veins. These structures perform a supporting function. The wings are thin, mesh. In some species the flying apparatus is reduced.

The abdomen of cockroaches consists of 8-10 segments. In each of them there are nerve nodes and spiracles - openings through which the trachea opens outward. This structure explains the fact that cockroaches can live for a long time without a head.

The abdomen ends in a special structure - the cerci. Visually, it resembles a bristly antennae. Its presence is proof of the ancient origin of cockroaches. The sex of these animals can be determined by the structure of the abdomen. In males, the genital plate is located here, but in females the ovipositor is located inside the body.

Cockroaches are represented by the cuticle. The middle layer of this substance contains pigments that determine the body color of insects. Cockroaches can be black, red, white, or yellowish-brown.

Features of the internal structure

The organ systems of cockroaches are typical of insects. The muscles are well developed, capable of contracting at high frequencies. For example, the American cockroach is capable of covering a distance of 75 centimeters in a second. On the limbs of these insects there are thin hairs that perceive even the slightest air movement. Therefore, cockroaches are quite difficult to catch.

The digestive system is through-type. In cockroaches, the structure of its organs has the same plan as in all arthropods. But all insects have developed salivary glands, but lack a liver. The organs of the digestive tract include the oral cavity, subpharynx, pharynx, esophagus, crop, gizzard, and intestines. From the last section, undigested products enter the excretory system, which is represented by the Malpighian vessels. The presence of a crop and the complex process of breaking down organic substances allows cockroaches to live for several weeks without food.

The circulatory system is not closed. It is represented by a tubular heart and a single vessel. The blood is colorless. It mixes with the cavity fluid, forming hemolymph. This primitive structure is explained by the fact that the function of gas exchange is carried out by the respiratory system, represented by spiracles. There are ten pairs in total.

What is a fat body

The internal structure of the cockroach is characterized by the presence of loose connective tissue in the body cavity. It is called the fat body. This tissue occupies all the space between the internal organs.

The cells of the fat body are trophocytes. Their cytoplasm contains various inclusions. Thanks to this structure, this tissue participates in metabolic processes, the accumulation of fats, carbohydrates, and calcium compounds.

Uninvited guests

The structural features of cockroaches and physiology determine their favorite habitat - human habitation. There are all comfortable conditions here: warmth, water and darkness.

Getting rid of cockroaches is often quite difficult. They get clogged into the smallest cracks, cracks, cavities in wallpaper or ceramic tiles. Therefore, all hard-to-reach places will have to be treated with chemicals.

Reproduction

Cockroaches are dioecious individuals with noticeable sexual dimorphism. The latter is manifested in morphological differences between males and females. Anyone can identify them. The male is smaller. Its wings are better developed, which allows it to fly short distances. The last segment on the male's abdomen has specialized outgrowths called styli.

The structure of cockroaches determines their ability to internally fertilize. After mating, the female lays eggs covered with a protective membrane - edema. This is typical for cockroaches. This means that the eggs hatch into larvae that look like adult insects. It is called imago. At first the larva is deprived of wings. It grows, molts and develops into an adult insect. This period lasts about four weeks. Individuals become sexually mature only after three months.

Cockroaches are very prolific. Over the course of her life, one female gives birth to more than a hundred individuals. She lays eggs repeatedly. And for this she does not have to constantly mate. The fact is that sperm can be stored in the female genital ducts for a long time.

Species diversity

They are not fiction. This kind actually exists. They acquire this unusual color for these insects as a result of molting. Over time they darken.

Furniture is special. It has a bright red color. The wings of such an insect are transparent, with brown stripes on them. His favorite treat is starch and everything that contains it. These are mainly book bindings. Therefore, they settle not in kitchens, but in libraries and archives.

The most common species in the south is the Central Asian cockroach. It can be recognized by its yellow head and dark belly. They jump high and are able to fly short distances. It is practically omnivorous and feeds on leftover food, plants and waste.

So, the peculiarity of the structure of cockroaches is the presence of three parts of the body, a dense chitinous cover, six walking legs and a pair of wings. are synanthropic animals. This means that cockroaches prefer to settle in human dwellings. Here they have all the comfortable conditions: warmth, moisture, darkness and a sufficient amount of food waste.

For several millennia, cockroaches have coexisted with humans. It is quite difficult to get rid of them, since they are tenacious and easily tolerate most poisons. There are many species of such insects (about 4 thousand), most of which live in our climate zone. But the good news is that only some species prefer to settle in human houses. The majority of cockroaches live in the wild.

In addition to the usual red-haired Prussian, large black cockroaches, whose body size reaches 3 centimeters, can also live in a person’s home. Such cockroaches, insects that feed on leftover food, are quite common. For them, the freshness of food does not matter at all; they can even feed on the remains of other pests. Insects of this type prefer to create colonies on the street, near human homes. In rare cases, you can find them in apartment buildings. If, nevertheless, black cockroaches were noticed in the apartment and it is not known how to get rid of them, then you should consult with specialists by contacting a special service. They will produce quickly and efficiently.

The black cockroach got its name because of its specific appearance (chitinous cover, painted black with a metallic tint). It is very easy to distinguish a male from a female, just look at their wings. In the male they will be much longer, but in both of them they are not adapted for flight. The special structure of the black cockroach gives them the opportunity to survive in any environment.

External structure

Looking at the external structure of a black cockroach, you can distinguish the abdomen, chest and head. The segments joined together form the head section. The black cockroach's vision and sense of smell are very well developed. It is noteworthy that the male sees much better than the female. The eyes of individuals are located on the sides of the head, which allows them to increase their visibility by 180 degrees. Arthropod antennae located in the front are responsible for the sense of touch. When moving, the insect probes its path with them, placing them forward and to the sides.

At the bottom of the head there is an oral apparatus, in the middle of which there is a pharyngeal opening. Its constituent parts are: the upper lip - a protrusion resembling a tongue, a pair of upper jaws, a pair of lower jaws and tentacles.

The oral apparatus is quite powerful; the special structure of the cockroach allows it to easily cope with both soft and hard food.

The thoracic region of the black cockroach is divided into three segments, each of which has a pair of limbs attached. The last segment of the tarsi is equipped with a sucker and a pair of marigolds. This structure of the black cockroach allows it to move along the surface even at 90 degrees.

Internal structure

The internal structure of the black cockroach has an advanced system for insects. The cockroach's brain is completely absent. It is replaced by nerve endings that run throughout the insect’s body, and the most important node that gives off impulses is located in the head section. The pest has a multi-chambered heart; thanks to its work, the blood flow is distilled from the back of the body to the front. Since the internal structure of the black cockroach promotes the evaporation of the secretions of its glands, this gives the insect a very unpleasant odor.

The chewing mouthparts secrete special enzymes that speed up the digestion of food. Even the most unsuitable leftovers will be absorbed by the body thanks to the chitinous partitions located in the stomach. This internal structure of the cockroach makes it possible to eat any organic material (paper, soap, leather goods, etc.).

Why are cockroaches scary?

In addition to the disgust and feeling of disgust caused when meeting such insects, they can also cause irreparable harm to a person’s health or his property. Such a neighborhood should not be treated negligently. If black cockroaches appear in the apartment, what they eat is not so important, in any case, it is better to contact specialists and immediately begin exterminating them.

Insects of this type can cause a person a lot of trouble:

• infect and spoil products with your waste products and pathogenic bacteria;
• disable equipment, short circuit contacts, chew through insulating material;
• the substance that covers the body of the black cockroach can carry worm eggs and pathogens of dangerous diseases (dysentery, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, etc.);
• can bite a person painfully;
• with extensive colonies they can greatly pollute their habitat;
• spoil home furnishings, clothes and indoor plants;
• during molting, they shed chitinous scales, which can cause allergies;
• can cause fire and fire by shorting out the electrical wiring.

In addition to harm, black insects can also bring benefits to humans. Based on the larvae of such pests, a tincture is prepared, which is taken in the treatment of certain diseases, for example, to stop asthma attacks. There are special laboratories in which black cockroaches are bred precisely for such purposes. Over the entire period of its existence, a female insect can lay no more than 3 cocoons with eggs, and the life expectancy of a cockroach is about one year.

Means of struggle

If you notice new neighbors in your living space and don’t know how to get rid of black cockroaches in the apartment, then the first thing you should do is look around. Cockroaches appear only where it is damp, warm and there is something to eat. Left behind crumbs, dirty trash cans, wet baseboards and sinks are the best environment for a colony of black cockroaches to settle and reproduce.

When starting to fight insects, first of all you need to isolate what the cockroaches feed on, and also carry out a general cleaning in the apartment. Next, you can begin choosing a pest control product.

Pencil "Mashenka"

This product contains a cementing substance and a poisonous substance – chloropyphos. Mashenka, a cockroach pencil, has been developed in such a way that when it gets into the insect’s stomach, the components of the product stop the functioning of all vital organs.

Pencil against cockroaches refers to. Their purpose is a contact effect, that is, the cockroach must definitely try this remedy.

The action of the chalk is aimed exclusively at one individual, unlike other means.

When one cockroach dies, the rest of its relatives are not infected, even if it returns to the colony. Therefore, to increase the chances of destruction, you should treat as large an area in the apartment as possible.

"Tiuram"

This cable powder against cockroaches is an insecticide and is highly effective. The product is based on peritroids, thanks to which high-quality and rapid elimination of insects occurs. After treating the premises, pests do not appear there for many years. It is not difficult to buy Tiuram for cockroaches; it is available in any specialized store, and can also be ordered online.

Advantages of Thiuram powder:

1. practicality (a minimum dose is sufficient to eliminate insects);
2. safe for people and pets;
3. not aggressive towards the treated surface;
4. has a long-lasting effect.

"Regent"

You can buy the drug Regent for cockroaches in bottles (ready-made solution) or in sachets (granulated) and dilute it yourself. This product was originally used to treat crops against pests in agriculture, and then began to be successfully practiced on domestic cockroaches.

Regent contains fipronil, which acts on the pest in an intestinal and contact manner. Once in the body of a cockroach, it causes paralysis of the nervous system, which leads to failure of internal organs. The insect does not die immediately, but carries the poison on its legs and back to the colony and infects all its relatives. This drug is very dangerous for humans and should be used with great caution.

The advantages of this drug include the following:

• highly effective action of the substance, which allows you to treat the room no more than once a year;
• the ability to destroy insects even with immunity to certain poisons;
• no unpleasant chemical odor;
• profitability (the cost of the drug is not high, and 2 sachets of this product will be enough to treat an apartment);
• ease of use (no specific skills are required to formulate the correct proportions of the drug and treat the room with it).

The negative aspects associated with the treatment of the premises include the fact that the final death of insects will occur only after three days. Housing becomes unsuitable at this time, since the main substance of the Regent drug is very toxic.

Ultrasonic cockroach repeller

The most modern tool in the fight against black cockroaches is an ultrasonic repeller. Its action is based on creating a powerful negative effect on the insect’s nervous system. The sound waves emanating from the device force cockroaches to leave their usual habitats in the apartment.

One device will be enough to cover 100 square meters of room with an ultrasonic wave. Therefore, you don’t have to spend a lot of money; you can buy a single copy of a cockroach repeller. Such modern devices are in quite high demand, despite their high cost. This is easily explained by their high efficiency and safety for humans.

Available means

There are many folk methods that cope no less effectively with black pests. Knowing for sure what helps against cockroaches, you can try one of the methods. Before use, you should thoroughly clean the apartment, isolate garbage and limit access to food. But do not forget that traditional methods of getting rid of insects will not have the same effect as special chemicals and poisons. Such methods are more suitable for the prevention or destruction of a small population of cockroaches.

The most well-known and relatively effective methods of pest control are the following:

Regardless of which drug or method is chosen to combat cockroaches, the main thing remains your own safety and the health of loved ones. Before using a toxic chemical, be sure to read the instructions.

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

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

Cockroach: description, characteristics, structure

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The mouth is turned downwards.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where do cockroaches live?

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

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

How to distinguish a female cockroach from a male?

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

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

Marbled cockroach Nauphoeta cinerea – male below, female above

Does the white cockroach exist?

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

What animals eat cockroaches?

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

Types of cockroaches, names and photos

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

• (Prussian) ( Blattella germanica)

It got its name due to the erroneous assumption that the insect was brought to Russia from Prussia. The Prussian cockroach is one of the most common synanthropic species, whose life is spent 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 ordinary soap.

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

• (Blatta orientalis)

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

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

• (Periplaneta americana)

In appearance 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, the bark of palm trees, sewers and ventilation tunnels. Thanks to their flattened body shape, they easily penetrate people’s homes through the smallest cracks and gaps, where they hide in attics and basements during daylight hours.

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

• Madagascar hissing cockroach(Gromphadorrhina portentosa)

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 the cockroach is about 60 g. The back of the body is brown, the pronotum is brown-black. Madagascar cockroaches do not have wings. In times of danger and during mating games, they are capable of making loud sounds reminiscent of hissing. What’s interesting: the female cockroach hisses only to scare away enemies, and the louder the male cockroach hisses, the more chances he has for the female’s favor. Some individuals, in addition to hissing, can whistle.

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

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

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

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

• Turtle cockroaches(Corydiidae)

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

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

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

• Sarawak cockroach ( Rhicnoda natatrix)

Lives on the island of Kalimantan.

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

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

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

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

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

Flying cockroaches, names and photos

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

• (Prussian) ( Blattella germanica)

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

• Lapland cockroach ( Ectobius lapponicus)

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

• Asian cockroach ( Blattella asahinai)

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

• (Periplaneta americana)

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

• Megaloblatta longipennis And Megaloblattablaberoides

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

• Blaberus giganteus

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

How do cockroaches reproduce?

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

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

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

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

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

Female and cubs

Most species of cockroaches are ovoviviparous; some are viviparous.

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

Nymph (larva) of the Australian cockroach

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

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

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