Cockroaches are among the oldest living creatures. According to scientists, they appeared on our planet about 300 million years ago , developed and divided into different species. Currently, scientists know about the existence of approximately 5,000 species of cockroaches . And only about 30 of them are able to live next to people. We can say that they are directly dependent on us, because we unwittingly provide them with warm living conditions, food and other amenities. But have you ever thought about what kind of cockroaches live next to us and how they appeared in the first place? In addition, in some regions of our country they suddenly began to disappear. Scientists still don’t know exactly what this is connected with, but they have several interesting assumptions.
Fear of cockroaches is called insectophobia or entomophobia
When did cockroaches appear?
Cockroaches appeared on our planet during the Carboniferous period, approximately 300 million years ago . In those days, there were no continents yet and the outlines of the supercontinent Pangea were just beginning to appear on the globe. The fauna mainly consisted of amphibians, and the plants were conifers and other trees. Also in those days, deposits of coal appeared, which we still use as fossil fuel. In general, cockroaches are very ancient creatures, even older than dinosaurs .
At the time of the appearance of cockroaches, nature looked like this
Structure of a black cockroach
Black cockroaches have a simple structure of the gnawing type mouthparts:
- The upper jaws have teeth that are used for digesting food;
- Taste buds are located in the appendages of the oral cavity;
- The inner side of the oral apparatus has an identical structure in comparison with other insects;
- The body cavity also has a similar structure in comparison with other arthropods. The peculiarity lies in the merging of the primary and secondary parts;
- Muscles are attached to the external skeleton.
The digestive system consists of the following parts:
- Oral cavity;
- Pharynx;
- Goiter;
- Masticatory stomach;
- Esophagus;
- Digestive secretion that promotes the digestion and absorption of food;
- Hindgut for removing excrement from the insect's body.
Features of cockroaches
From ancient times to this day, the favorite place of cockroaches is loose forest litter. Moist conditions and nutrients are retained underneath. And these insects eat any organic remains, both plant and animal origin. It turns out that they practically cannot die from hunger. In addition, they withstand the effects of radiation and can survive even after terrible disasters. So, they managed to survive mass extinctions and serious wars between people.
Many people have probably seen red cockroaches
The secretive lifestyle greatly affected the appearance of insects. They have very powerful legs and a dense body. Their jaw opens horizontally - it is believed that with their help they grind food more easily, dig holes and even drag things from one place to another. These structural features of the body arose millions of years ago and persist to this day. Cockroaches were the dominant group of insects for a long time and only then were replaced by larger and stronger beetles. Indeed, in the course of evolution, real strongmen like the dung beetle (Onthophagus taurus) appeared on our planet. I have already talked about him in this material.
The strongest animal in the world looks like this
Reproduction of black cockroaches
The life cycle of cockroaches is divided into 3 main forms of development (egg, larva, adult). Summer time is considered a favorable period for the reproduction of insects. Females begin to lay eggs in a chitinous cocoon containing 16 embryos.
The female, who is preparing to increase her offspring, has a slightly enlarged belly, and for several days she leaves the eggs in a quiet and secluded place. The period of development and hatching of new individuals is 44 days. After this time, new individuals begin their life cycle of development, which can range from several months to 5 years.
Why do cockroaches appear in houses?
The answer to this question is obvious and has already been partly given at the beginning of our article. Human houses are very warm and full of food - that's why insects live near us. Red cockroaches (Blattella germanica) do especially well. They are predominantly nocturnal and feed on almost everything, from leftover human food to soap. It is important to note that they appeared in Russia only in the 18th century. It is believed that they reached our places together with the soldiers, because in those days various wars very often took place.
Scientifically, red cockroaches are called Blattella germanica
But black cockroaches (Blatta orientalis) have lived in Russia for a very long time. They love warmth and moisture very much, so they feel best in village houses and basements. It is believed that they appeared in our area hundreds or even thousands of years ago and their real homeland is tropical regions. But scientists still have no evidence for this assumption. Since today there are fewer village houses, and life is not easy for black cockroaches in urban conditions, their numbers are gradually declining. Some scientists even propose to list them in the Red Book.
Black cockroach (Blattella germanica)
Cockroaches living in the apartment
There are varieties of cockroaches that can only grow in an apartment. They are not able to live in nature and lead a parasitic lifestyle, existing at the expense of humans. They need warmth, water, food, and all this is “provided” to them by the owner of the home. Apartment cockroaches multiply quickly, privatizing the provided space. One female with an ootheca (a capsule with eggs) is enough for the colony to fully recover after two months.
Red cockroach or Prusak
Small, agile insects with long whiskers are red cockroaches. They received this name for the color of their chitinous cover, which has various brown shades. The larvae are born white and then gradually darken. Their appearance causes horror among apartment owners, as individuals multiply at tremendous speed. I help them survive:
- mustache – a locator for orientation in space;
- hard chitinous cover;
- tenacious legs that allow you to crawl on any surface;
- movement speed;
- reproduction rate;
- the ability to adapt to the poisons with which they are poisoned.
Where did the Prussians come from? Judging by the name, they come from Prussia. In Germany they believe that this is a “Russian” species. There are no reliable sources about their past. And if earlier the red cockroach behaved modestly and came out to eat at night, now it can be seen on the table during the daytime.
Note: With a significant increase in the cockroach family in one apartment, they are able to independently regulate the number, eating weaker individuals and slowing down the reproduction process.
Black beetle
Domestic cockroaches also include black ones. They got their name due to their black-charcoal body color, but some individuals are distinguished by their gray or brown color. Under a tough cover they have wings, which the males use for jumping. They appear in apartments, crawling out of garbage cans, sewers and basements.
Black cockroaches reach 3 cm, they are larger than Prussians, and their reproduction rate is higher. Their colony emits a characteristic unpleasant odor that gives away their habitat.
The main danger is related to lifestyle. Having climbed out of the trash can and run across the table, a black cockroach carries an infection on its legs, infecting people. Black longhorned beetles love open spaces and live on streets in regions with warm climates. And only where it is cold do they inhabit apartments.
Note: Usually black individuals settle no higher than the 5th floor and prefer unsanitary conditions. Their favorite habitat is dirty, unkempt apartments.
White cockroaches
Longhorned beetles are also white, but this is not a separate species unknown to science. Where did the white colored individuals come from? They acquire this color during the molting process, which they experience 5-7 times during their lives. At this time, the insect is vulnerable and tries to hide in a secluded place, so it is difficult to see the white individual.
There are no white albino cockroaches. Sometimes the chitinous cover acquires this color due to contact with some chemical, for example, bleach. The photo reflects the appearance of an ordinary and white representative of the fauna.
Furniture cockroach
This species was discovered about 50 years ago. Furniture cockroaches appeared in the central regions of the country and in the Urals and quickly spread to other territories. They are similar to the Prussian, but differ in their small size and striped wings.
Their favorite food contains starch, so they prefer to live where there is wallpaper paste and book spines. Cockroaches in apartments inhabit living rooms and work rooms, but are more often found in libraries, archives, and warehouses. Nests are created under wallpaper and in dry wooden shelves.
American cockroach
It is known that the birthplace of the American cockroach is Africa. From there he migrated to other countries by sea on ships. But if in its homeland the barbel lived in wild conditions, then in other parts of the world it settled in human habitation.
Possessing a narrow and elongated body, it is able to fly short distances with the help of wings. This species is huge, reaching 4 cm in length. Protected by a brown chitinous cover. Less common than Prussians and black cockroaches. It cannot be found in northern latitudes, since the death of the colony occurs already at t = 0 C.
Note: unlike its relatives, this species is more mobile and aggressive. Individuals can bite sleeping people or pets.
Egyptian and Turkmen cockroaches
These species are found in the south of Russia and in the regions of Central Asia. The appearance of the female Egyptian longhorned beetle resembles a small turtle. She grows up to 4.5 cm and during puberty brings 3-5 clutches, 20 eggs each. The male is 2 times smaller. Individuals are black in color and capable of flight.
They live in rodent burrows, livestock pens, and residential buildings. Their main diet is leaves and animal feces. The species is relatively harmless to humans because it does not hunt for food.
The Turkmen cockroach inhabits the same areas. He looks like a Prussian, only with a darker belly. Thanks to its wings, it is distinguished by its ability to fly short distances. It settles more often in places where livestock live. It is a carrier of dangerous infections. Animals can eat it and become infected.
For your information: another species that lives in people’s homes is the Central Asian cockroach. It is found in the southern regions of the country. You can recognize it by its black belly and yellow head.
Why are cockroaches dying out?
Scientists notice a decrease in the number of not only black cockroaches, but also red ones. In the 1990s, cockroaches were found in many Russian homes, but today they are rare. Scientists cannot say for sure what is causing their sudden disappearance. There is a popular belief that cockroaches have fled due to the active use of smartphones and Wi-Fi. There is, of course, no evidence of this. A much more likely version seems to be that people actively used various insecticides and they led to a noticeable reduction in their numbers.
To prevent cockroaches from infesting your apartment, it is important to keep it clean.
Also, the disappearance of cockroaches can be explained by the improvement of sanitary conditions in apartments. Previously, many homes were cluttered with many objects. But now most apartments remain clean and there are no particular problems with insects. But, unfortunately, cockroaches are still found in dirty houses. Although they are not the most dangerous carriers of diseases, there is plenty of dirt on their paws.
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Despite the fact that these are far from the most pleasant creatures in the world, they cannot be allowed to become completely extinct under any circumstances. The fact is that the lives of many other animals and even plants depend on them. You can read about the nightmare that will happen to our planet if cockroaches become extinct in this material.
White cockroaches
Often, white cockroaches may appear in the apartment. This insect does not represent any new species, since an ordinary cockroach can acquire a white tint after molting. Cockroaches molt up to 10 times in their entire life.
After molting, a cockroach may have a white, almost transparent color, which often makes it difficult to find these insects. After some time, when the insect grows a new shell, the cockroach takes on a classic appearance. As a rule, this takes the insect about a couple of weeks.
Cockroaches can change their color under the influence of chemicals that are used to control them. As a rule, this happens if ineffective chemical components are used, to which insects have developed immunity. After some time, they regain their natural color.
Where do cockroaches come from?
Of the five thousand varieties of cockroaches, only a few of them live in houses and apartments in Russia. Why do they choose your apartment to live in? In each case the reason is individual:
- Dishes periodically left overnight in the sink;
- Migrating individuals from neighbors;
- Accumulated trash and food waste;
- A cockroach brought from the street or from guests and much more.
Once at least one cockroach has entered the room, there is a high probability that their numbers will soon increase significantly. Pests often appear in clean rooms; do not forget that cockroaches are omnivores and can even feed on paper.
How they live and develop
These insects cannot provide anything against predators of various kinds. Their only salvation is to run away, and they have developed this well throughout their evolution. Because of this, activity begins only in the dark, and during the day the Prussians prefer to sit in a shelter.
Red-haired longhorned beetles live not only indoors, but also settle in open areas, in nature. The main wild population lives in the Middle East and Asia. Wildlife is unpredictable and dangerous, the habitat is not very suitable, due to which the number of “flocks” is much smaller than the population living together with humans.
To successfully reproduce, they require certain parameters:
- air temperature not lower than 20 degrees Celsius;
- availability of a water source;
- the presence of any food.
Small and large brown cockroaches are afraid of low temperatures and begin to die at -5 degrees. This allows you to get rid of them using the freezing method.
Research shows that such pests can only live in rooms that are heated in winter. They settle in the kitchen, because there are supplies of food there, which remains on the tables and falls behind the tables.
If they lack their usual food, they can consume various materials (glue, leaves of house plants, leather, soap, etc.).
The life cycle of long-horned beetles is not long and is 1 year under normal conditions (temperature approximately 20 degrees). If the room has a high air temperature, they live less. Despite this, the female manages to hatch a significant number of similar individuals.
If we compare the reproductive abilities of black, Madagascar and red pests, the red one is the undoubted leader. They emerge from the egg as a small copy of an adult representative of the species, differing only in the absence of wings (called a nymph).
Nymphs shed their “skin” six times in 60 days. During this period they grow to the size of an adult insect.
The female carries several eggs at the end of her body. They develop in a special capsule - edema, within 2-4 weeks.
When the time comes, she lays down a capsule that contains about 20 small white “spears.” After some time they become darker. They begin to eat regular food from the first days of life.
Danger of cockroaches
In addition to their frightening appearance, these insects are dangerous because, while moving and absorbing waste and excrement, they carry worm eggs on their bodies, and are carriers of many infectious diseases.
Moving from garbage to food products, cockroaches carry most intestinal infections, especially dysentery, gastroenteritis and diarrhea. Constant shedding provokes allergies to chitin and dust. There are known cases when longhorned beetles climbed into the ears of sleeping people, and also gnawed the skin on the eyelids and ears.
American cockroach
Before us is a native of Africa. Subsequently, the insect arrived on cargo ships in America and Europe. This type of cockroach is extremely good at adapting to new living conditions. Although the homeland of insects is characterized by a hot climate, it was not difficult for them to adapt to life in a completely unusual climate. Individuals spend the warm season in the open air, and during periods of frost they begin to invade human houses, finding there enough resources to survive.
Even the cold climate of our country has succumbed to American cockroaches. Apartment buildings have become an excellent refuge, providing insects with everything they need to survive.
An unpleasant feature of the species is their increased activity. They are very mobile and at certain moments can show aggression towards sleeping residents and their pets.
Having retained the biological memory of a warm homeland, the American cockroach remained extremely sensitive to low temperatures: its death occurs when the temperature drops below 0 degrees Celsius.
