The American cockroach is very adaptable and can often resist pesticides. It has more than 50 taste buds, it is capable of regenerating tissue, and its sense of smell is three times superior to that of other insects. This is an insidious enemy in your home.
The American cockroach is now common in tropical climates. They are the largest species of cockroaches and pests found in homes. The American cockroach is considered one of the fastest running insects in the world, traveling at speeds of up to 50 body lengths per second. And, unlike most cockroaches, it is also capable of flying short distances using its wings. In large infestations, there is a strong odor from the secretions produced by these insects.
Origin of the species and description
Like other cockroach species found in the United States, the insect originated in tropical Africa.
Slave ships were the main means of transport for these insects. European ships sailing to the New World via Africa arrived with an unexpected colonizer: the American cockroach.
Acting from the late sixteenth century to the early nineteenth century, American cockroaches actively conquered America and Europe.
The ecology of the slave ship created meeting places for various species of animals, both living and dead, including cats, rats, pigs, goats, poultry and monkeys, as well as American cockroaches.
Female American cockroaches that invaded ships in West Africa were laying eggs that would hatch in 24 to 38 days. Ships were often left in African ports while they slowly filled with captured slaves from villages near and far, giving the cockroaches plenty of time to breed.
Ships made repeated transatlantic voyages between Europe, Africa and America, and cockroaches multiplied, since methods of controlling them in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were not very effective: they were smoked out or doused with boiling water.
Cockroaches and other pests devoured food products intended to support human life. Cockroaches even spoiled insect specimens collected by Henry Smithman, an English entomologist who sailed on these ships to study the termites and ants of Sierra Leone in the late eighteenth century.
Appearance and features
The American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, is one of the most common cockroach species and can grow to approximately three to five centimeters in length. Both males and females are approximately the same size. In males, the wings extend slightly beyond the abdomen, while females may appear wider in the abdomen. Both sexes have additional articulated appendages at the tip of the abdomen. The insect's body appears flat, which makes it easy to penetrate through cracks and other openings into the house.
Adult American cockroaches are reddish-brown or red in color. The area behind their heads is outlined in yellow. You can study the photo of our hero in detail.
Danger to humans
Americana does not bite, but is still a dangerous pest. American experience of living with this species shows that the odorous secretion secreted by the insect can spoil the taste of food. When the concentration of individuals in the population is high, the smell of the secretion becomes too strong.
Americana is a mechanical carrier of pathogenic bacteria. As the cockroach runs through food, it leaves bacteria on the food and can cause poisoning or an infectious disease.
House dust containing body particles and excrement of American cockroaches causes allergies and asthma attacks in people suffering from these diseases.
Where does the American cockroach live?
American cockroaches usually live outdoors. They prefer warm, moist places such as flower beds and under mulch. They live in trees. American cockroaches are very common in the sewer systems of many American cities.
American cockroaches enter homes to find water or food. They can easily pass under doors if the weather conditions are uncomfortable for them. Basement windows and garages are also common passageways. When American cockroaches enter homes, they often go to bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and basements.
Feed base
The American cockroach is one of the most omnivorous cockroach species. Originally feeding on decaying organic matter, today they eat almost anything that can be found in a human home:
- starch in book bindings;
- dead skin flakes;
- hair;
- glue;
- any human food;
- animal corpses;
- glossy paper;
- dirty clothes.
Cockroach food
The strong jaws of the large species are capable of grinding almost anything. This is one of the reasons why the American cockroach has been declared a pest in the United States.
Interesting!
The same size, but preferring a natural habitat, the Florida cockroach is not a pest.
What does the American cockroach eat?
The American cockroach is an omnivore. It consumes any decaying organic matter, is a scavenger and will eat almost anything. It prefers sweets, but has also been observed to consume paper, boots, hair, bread, fruit, book bindings, fish, peanuts, old rice, putrid sake, the soft interior of animal hides, cloth, and dead insects.
Outdoors, American cockroaches feed on leaves, tiny particles of wood, fungi and algae. They also eat small insects. Indoors, American cockroaches forage under appliances, in drains, in kitchen cabinets and on the floor. They eat crumbs, leftover food and spilled food they find. They will also eat pet food left out overnight.
Dangerous “neighbors” and methods of dealing with them
The appearance of “uninvited guests” in the apartment causes many troubles. In addition to aesthetic discomfort, insects pose a threat of spreading dangerous viral infections that lead to serious diseases. The sex hormone secreted by the female is a strong and toxic allergen. The consequences of contact with American cockroaches are not comforting - asthma attacks, urticaria, erosion, atopic dermatitis and other troubles. Particles of decaying chitinous cover, shed by insects during the molting process, irritate the respiratory tract of house residents.
Features of character and lifestyle
The American cockroach is most likely to be found in and around restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, home kitchens, and other food preparation areas. Cockroaches generally prefer warm, damp areas. Like most indoor pests, they seek out sources of food and water, as well as a safe place to rest and breed.
Females produce many egg capsules, 14-16 eggs each hatching in 50-55 days into grayish-brown "nymphs". American cockroaches prefer to lay their eggs in protected, moist areas. Nymphs will molt 9 to 13 times before reaching maturity.
Effect of temperature
A comfortable temperature for American cockroaches is about 30 degrees Celsius.
When the temperature outside drops, you may find that American cockroaches have appeared indoors. They get into air ducts, around utility pipes, small cracks and crevices, sewer connections and under doors. They can be found near bathtubs, clothing baskets and bathroom fixtures.
Flying cockroaches
They will fly in high temperatures. They can move from building to building.
Habitats
Adults and nymphs can be found in a variety of places. In the north they can usually be found in warm tunnels or in large public buildings. They are often found near sewer access, near garbage and pumps.
Nymphs can be found in dark basements and floor drains. In basements, they can be found in corners high on walls or in floor drains.
American cockroaches also prefer damp areas and access to water. Indoors they will choose dark, damp places.
Outdoors, they can be found in moist, shady areas such as yards, hollow trees, woodpiles and mulch. Sometimes they can be found under roof tiles or attics.
How to get rid
In cold climates, they move indoors to search for a warm environment and food. I penetrate into apartments and houses through sewer connections, under doors, through air ducts, and other openings. The insect population is removed using insecticides.
It is necessary to close cracks and crevices through which parasites penetrate. Another way to prevent the appearance of cockroaches is to carefully check new furniture, boxes, suitcases, and grocery bags.
Reproduction of American cockroaches
Like other cockroach species, the American cockroach lays its eggs in an egg capsule called an "ootheca".
The oothecae are about 8 millimeters in size, dark brown in color and symmetrical in shape, each capsule containing about 16 eggs. The female cockroach lays an egg capsule within a day of formation and produces a new egg every nine to ten days.
During her one-year life, a female American cockroach produces an average of 10 egg capsules, but can reach a maximum of 30. The ovary contains enough water to grow the eggs until they hatch. Young American cockroaches hatch in 24 to 60 days. The rate of development from egg to adult depends on the ambient temperature.
Egg capsules
Female American cockroaches make protective cases for their eggs. They are in the form of capsules. After forming a capsule, the cockroach deposits it in a warm, humid room.
American oothecae are about 38 mm long. They are dark in color - reddish or black-brown. Homeowners often find these pods in basements, laundry rooms, or kitchens. They can be under cabinets or behind appliances. American cockroaches also store their egg capsules behind objects in garages and sheds.
When the eggs hatch, tiny nymphs emerge from the capsule. As they grow, small cockroaches shed their skin. Given plenty of food, American cockroaches can develop from egg to adult in as little as 5.5 months.
Life cycle of a cockroach
The American cockroach has three life stages: egg, several larval instars, and adult. The life cycle from egg to adult averages about 600 days, and the adult life span can be an additional 400 days.
Nymphs emerge from the egg in about six to eight weeks and mature in about six to twelve months.
Adults can live up to one year, and an adult female will give birth to an average of 150 children in her lifetime. Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity affect the development time of the American cockroach. Outdoors, the female prefers moist, hidden places.
Eggs: Female American cockroaches lay their eggs about a week after mating. At the peak of her reproductive period, she may lay down two capsules per week. Females produce on average one ootheca per month for ten months. The female deposits a capsule near a food source, sometimes sticking it to the surface using a special secretion from her mouth. The deposited ootheca contains water sufficient for the development of eggs. When stored, the shell of the egg turns brown or black after a day or two. It is about 8 mm long and 5 mm high.
Nymph: The nymph stage begins when the egg hatches and ends with the emergence of the adult cockroach. The number of molts of the American cockroach varies from six to 14. The first instar American cockroach turns white immediately after hatching, then turns grayish-brown. After molting, subsequent cockroach nymphs are white and then reddish-brown, with the posterior edges of the thoracic and abdominal segments being darker in color. The wings are absent during the nymphal stages, and the wing flaps become visible in the third or fourth instar. Complete development from egg to adult takes about 600 days. Nymphs, like adults, actively obtain food and water.
Adult: The adult American cockroach is reddish-brown in color with a pale brown or yellow stripe along the edge of the pronotum. Males are longer than females because their wings extend 4–8 mm beyond the tip of the abdomen. Males and females have a pair of slender, articulated paired appendages at the tip of their abdomen. Male cockroaches have cerci with 18 to 19 segments, while females have 13 to 14 segments. Male American cockroaches have a pair of palps between the cerci, but females do not.
Head structure
The cockroach's head is triangular in shape, and it is covered on top by a shield connected to the first segment of the chest. Therefore, you can see that only the back of the head peeks out from under the shield, and the rest of the head looks down. On both sides of the head there are compound eyes consisting of 1800 fragments. As a result, the insect perceives all objects in the form of a mosaic made up of many colored pieces. The eyes of cockroaches are not designed for detailed study of objects, but at the same time, the color resolution of these insects is 5 times higher than that of humans.
In addition to these, one might say, compound eyes, on the front of his head there are 2 simple eyes, the functions of which have not been studied to this day. Experts say that thanks to these simple eyes, the insect can navigate perfectly in the dark.
The cockroach's long whiskers serve as organs of touch, smell and temperature determination. The whiskers are distinguished by the fact that they have nerve shoots that constantly send signals to the pest’s central nervous system. With the help of their whiskers, insects contact each other, and they can transmit and perceive the necessary information. After each molt, the whiskers of individuals grow by 1 segment, so you can determine how old the cockroach is. An adult may have about 80 of them, but this does not mean that the cockroach is 80 years old. Only specialists can do the calculations.
The insect's oral apparatus has a rather interesting structure, since each part of it is designed to perform separate functions. For example:
- The upper lip (lambrum) has a movable connection with the head and on its inner surface there are receptors that signal the composition of food.
- With the help of the lower jaw (mandible), the insect firmly holds food. The lower jaws look like curved plates with sharp teeth.
- With the help of the upper jaws (maxillae), the insect chews, grinds and grinds food. They are located above the lower jaws and are armed with chemoreceptors.
- The lower lip (labium) covers the oral opening from below and consists of several parts. Thanks to the presence of this lip, food particles do not fall down. In addition, the lower lip has taste and tactile receptors that help find food and analyze its origin.
- In the cavity of the oral pharynx there is a salivary gland and something similar to a tongue, thanks to which cockroaches drink water.
It is believed that the oral apparatus of these insects has not undergone significant changes over such a long period of their existence.
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Social structure and reproduction
Female cockroaches do not need a male to lay eggs, but they do enjoy company. A new study shows that virgin female cockroaches living socially produce offspring faster than virgin females living alone.
It's not particularly pleasant to imagine happening under the refrigerator, but female American cockroaches can produce eggs through parthenogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction. Like many other arthropods that can reproduce in this way, cockroaches tend to only do so if males are not available. Offspring born through parthenogenesis develop only from the mother's egg, so they have less genetic diversity than offspring created by sexual reproduction.
In American cockroaches, eggs produced by parthenogenesis have lower survival rates than eggs produced by copulation, but the offspring of single mothers are able to survive and mate.
The researchers found that a lack of males could not be the sole cause of parthenogenesis. Females should be able to discriminate not only the general absence of males, but also the proportion of males associated with them and the probability of finding a mate at a particular population density.
To test the influence of the social environment, the researchers placed female cockroaches in different situations. In the control group, the male and female were kept together and were allowed to mate. In other cases, females were kept with one, two, three or four other females. The third group of females were kept with castrated males. The researchers also tested the effects of adding pheromones, chemicals that insects use to communicate, to groups of all-female cockroaches.
The researchers then calculated the number of eggs laid in each condition and how long it took the females to lay the eggs. They found that virgin cockroaches alone lay eggs through parthenogenesis in an average of 13 days, give or take about four days. Virgin cockroaches kept in groups were significantly more likely to re-lay eggs. For example, female cockroaches kept in formation began laying eggs after an average of 10 days, give or take a couple of days.
Cockroaches have a sense of solidarity. Virgin cockroaches kept in all-female groups lay their second clutch of eggs much earlier than virgin cockroaches left alone (an average of 18 days versus 25 to 30 days for isolated cockroaches).
Adding pheromones did not shorten the cockroaches' time to parthenogenesis, although being with castrated males delayed the process more than with females, the researchers found.
By synchronizing parthenogenesis, females in a group can benefit by ensuring the survival of more of their offspring, the researchers wrote. Cockroach nymphs hatched together will be safe, which may counter the disadvantage that they hatch at lower rates than offspring produced through sexual reproduction.
The researchers added that this may be a very primitive example of female cooperation. While male cockroaches housed together tend to fight until they bite off each other's antennae. Females, on the contrary, huddle together and, apparently, even coordinate their reproductive schedules. This is due to the general ecology of the population, as males tend to leave colonies to avoid inbreeding, while conspecific females stick together.
Ways to get rid of pests
Today there are a huge number of ways to exterminate insects. They are constantly being improved, since cockroaches have the ability to adapt to chemicals and not react to them in any way.
A cockroach can easily tolerate even increased radiation. For this insect, the lethal dose is fifteen times the human dose.
If there are a very large number of pests in an apartment or other premises, then it is best to contact professional services who can clear the area of pests in two or three times. But if there are several cockroaches, you can try to fight them yourself:
- Freezing. At low temperatures, females cannot reproduce, and adults die due to cold and lack of food. The only negative is that this operation can only be carried out in winter and in latitudes where there is sub-zero temperature.
- Various drugs that can be purchased in stores. For example, sprays, gels, creams, traps. You should be very careful in rooms where small children and pets live.
- In addition to chemical agents, it is worth using ultrasonic or electromagnetic repellers. By themselves, these devices are not so potent, but coupled with poisons they will help rid the room of pests once and for all.
- Folk remedies. These insects are very afraid of the smell of tansy, wormwood, mint, and lavender. It is worth noting that such aromatherapy should be used as a preventive measure, and not as the main means of control.
- Treating floors and other surfaces with a solution of water and vinegar, turpentine or kerosene.
Why and how to breed cockroaches at home
An interesting fact is that while some people are coming up with ways to exterminate cockroaches, others are catching mustachioed insects and putting them in aquariums as pets. But there are also those who do not remove pests, but use them as the main food for their exotic animals.
To breed American cockroaches you will need an aquarium or any other similar device. It is best to treat the top of the walls with Vaseline or other greasy cream to prevent insects from escaping. But before raising a cockroach, you should make sure that it will not bring negative consequences to relatives and pets.
To create a comfortable environment, these insects require good ventilation and high temperature. The bottom of the aquarium must be covered with wood chips, sawdust, paper, cardboard or other natural material.
You should always make sure that the cockroach has enough water and food. Food should be varied and healthy. For example, it could be fish or meat products, fruits, vegetables, cereals, bread, grass, etc.
Natural enemies of American cockroaches
It may seem that cockroaches are winning the war against humanity. They outnumber us, they will likely outlive our species, and it is a never-ending battle just to keep them out of our basements, kitchens, and attics. But people have allies in the fight against cockroaches. Without these natural predators, cockroaches would be ankle-deep in some places. So thank centipedes, ants, frogs, lizards, snakes and even scorpions for this. These predators love to catch and eat cockroaches. Mice treat cockroaches like a chocolate bunny; they bite off the head, eat the entrails, and discard the tough legs and wings.
Cats are also ferocious enemies of cockroaches. Running cockroaches are great entertainment for cats. However, you should discourage your cat from eating cockroaches. They have thick, cartilaginous exoskeletons, fragments of which can become lodged in a cat's throat. They can also be rough on your cat's digestive system, leading to vomiting. Although cockroaches are not poisonous, they may have been poisoned by pesticides.
If you are really bothered by cockroaches and want a pet to eliminate them, you can try getting a gecko. These ferocious lizards have suction cup legs and kill cockroaches where they live, under sinks, around baseboards and in other narrow cracks. However, you may have trouble sleeping to the sound of scurrying geckos squelching crunchy cockroaches in the dark.
Breeding in insectariums
American cockroaches are of little interest as pets. They are very similar to the usual Prussians. Therefore, the percentage of hobbyists keeping this species in insectariums is very small.
But periplanets are often bred for other pets: reptiles and small insectivorous mammals. Since, unlike other food insects, the American cockroach is an excellent flyer, it is not difficult for it to escape from the container and even fly to a neighboring house.
The advantage of American cockroaches is their trouble-free reproduction in captivity. It is enough to place cardboard egg trays in a container and place a feeder. But it is necessary to ensure that any individual does not run away to scare the neighbors.
Population and species status
The American cockroach has spread throughout the world thanks to commerce. This cockroach is often found in commercial and large buildings such as restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries and anywhere food is prepared and stored. The American cockroach is rarely found in homes, but infestations can occur after heavy rain. They can grow in huge numbers, with more than 5,000 sometimes found in individual sewer pits.
Outdoors, American cockroaches are found under shingles and in attics. Cockroaches live outside but will roam indoors in search of food and water or to avoid extreme weather conditions. In Florida, areas such as trees, wood piles, garbage structures, and organic waste piles around homes provide ample food, water, and hiding places for cockroaches.
Mass migrations of American cockroaches are a common occurrence. They migrate into houses and apartments from sewers through water pipes, as well as from trees and shrubs located next to buildings or with branches hanging over roofs. During the day, the American cockroach, which reacts negatively to light, rests in shelters near water pipes, sinks, bathtubs and toilets, where the microclimate is suitable for survival.
