What varieties of cockroaches look like

A cockroach is an insect. It belongs to the superorder of cockroaches. Heat-loving, moisture-loving, very mobile creatures with a long mustache. They are mostly nocturnal. Different types of cockroaches are common around the world. In total, more than 7570 varieties are read. On the territory of Russia they live in human houses, basements, cellars, porches. Dangerous the spread of pathogenic microflora. Decorative cockroaches are kept as a pet.

General characteristics of the detachment

Cockroaches on lat. Blattoptcra, or Blattodea. They belong to the order of cockroach, cockroach, insect family. Genus - Polyphaga. Species differ in body size, appearance, behavior, but structure everyone has the same thing. What does a cockroach look like:

• The body is elongated, oval, flat. Length from 1.7 cm to 10 cm.
• The head is heart-shaped or triangular.
• Oral apparatus gnawing. Jaws are well developed.
• Large eyes black color.
• The back is powerful, large with transparent wings.
• Elytra hard, dense. Some species are shortened or absent altogether.
• Legs jogging, lower legs with spikes.
• The abdomen is flat, elongated. At the end are the genitals. In modern species, a hidden ovipositor. A pregnant female can be recognized by the presence of the ooteka — capsules at the end of the body.

A photo of the cockroach is presented below.

Biology

Representatives of cockroaches are thermophilic, hygrophilous creatures. They run fast, activate activity at dusk. During the day they hide under snags, stones, in burrows of rodents, bark of stumps, in an apartment - in crevices, under the floor, furniture. Omnivores feed on animals, plant debris. Some species have developed cannibalism. At home, in the absence of food residue, they can nibble on toilet paper, glue, books, leather bindings.

Interesting!

Hardy insects adapt very well to environmental conditions. Heat-loving species in Russia have learned to live in apartments, people's homes. Can live without food about a month, without water 9 days. A week cockroach lives headless, even continues to bear offspring. The lethal dose of radiation for cockroaches exceeds the human by 15 times.

Various breeds reproduce sexually, parthenogenetically. To start egg formation mating is required, the ingress of seminal fluid into the body of the female. After that, she can reproduce her offspring all her life without the participation of a male. Embryos develop in the ooteca, which the female of many species discards before the birth of the cubs. Some species of cockroaches are viviparous. In one clutch, from 15 to 60 eggs. Over the course of her life, a female carries up to 300 individuals. Cockroach cub outwardly similar to imago, but darker cover and smaller size. The maximum life span of insects is 6 years in artificial conditions, 4 years in the natural environment.

Exotic cockroaches live in the tropics. In our area, red, black cockroaches became widespread. They are synanthropic, do not live in the wild.There are 55 species in the territory of the former Soviet Union.

Exotic cockroaches

The brightest representatives live in the tropics. In our area they are bred as pets.

Madagascar cockroach

The largest view. Body size reaches 10 cm. The creature is non-aggressive, non-hazardous. It lives perfectly in artificial conditions. The color is dark brown. The body is divided into segments. Mistakenly, Madagascars are called Moroccan cockroaches.

Females are always larger. These are viviparous individuals. The larvae jump out of the mother’s body, then she drops the edema. For a while, a caring mother protects them, feeds them. The Madagascans do not encounter such a thing as cannibalism. They live friendly with the whole family. They feed on protein foods, fruits, vegetables, cookies. A close-up photo is presented below.

Interesting!

Madagascar cockroaches run very fast, respond well to light. Thanks to these abilities, they began to be used in gambling - cockroach races. The insect flees from the light through a dark maze, at the end there is a treat, finish and victory.

Egyptian Cockroach Turtle

The official name of the species is Polyphaga aegyptiaca. The body is flat, oval, almost round. The size of females is 45 mm, males - 25 mm. The body color of males is dark red, brown, female - black, brown. Round cockroaches do not have wings, they resemble a turtle. An enlarged view of the insects in the photo below.

They live in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Crimea. Egyptian cockroach feeds on feces, dry leaves, organic residues, is a cleaner in nature. They can live in livestock buildings, people's homes. At one time, the female lays up to 18 eggs. A young cockroach looks like adult individuals. Sheds 4 times. Life expectancy is 4 years.

Turkmen, Turkestan

Official name Shelfordella tartara, or Blatta lateralis. Body size no more than 3 cm. Males are slimmer, females have a wider, massive abdomen. The males have wings, the females do not. The color of young cockroaches is unusual - the chest is light brown, red, the abdomen is dark. Arthropods do not run very well, but quickly hide in the narrowest crevices when danger occurs. A photo of a Turkmen species near further.

It lives in Central Asia, Russia. Settles in landfills, rooms with animals, on farms, in people's homes. They move poorly on smooth surfaces, motionless. Omnivores will never be left without food. Life expectancy of not more than 5 months.

Interesting!

The female does not carry an ooteca, drops a few days after the formation of the eggs, which is why babies often die.

Marble, Ash Cockroach

In Latin it sounds like Nauphoeta cinerea. Homeland is Africa. A tropical cockroach lives well in captivity, so it is often bred at home. The female is 30 mm in size and the male in size is 25 mm. Children of cockroaches look like adults, but smaller in size. Photo and description of spotted cockroach:

• The body is elongated, flat, gray in color with bright spots. The mustache is straight.
• A long cockroach runs fast, moves freely on any surface.
• In captivity often bred as food for exotic animals. Insects are unpretentious, breed quickly, eat almost everything - fruits, vegetables, plants, meat.
• A gray cockroach adapts well to environmental conditions, can settle in a person’s house.

Wood cockroaches

Street species almost never settle in apartments, live in rotting organic matter, under the bark, and eat there. This genus includes 12 species. The largest is the Parcoblatta pennsylvanica of Pennsylvania. Reaches the size of 4.5 cm. It is a native of North America. It has an elongated body of dark brown color.Males have long transparent wings, but the insect does not fly very well. In females, this part of the body is completely absent. A beautiful cockroach with a long, even mustache.

It breeds quickly, about 60 pups are selected from one ootek. The female drops the capsule a week before the birth of the babies. Different types of wood cockroaches live from 2 to 4 years.

Argentine Woody or Spotted Cockroach

Official name Blaptica dubia. A beautiful insect with spectacular colors. Males and females of the same length - 4.5 cm. The male is slender, the body is elongated, on the back there are long transparent wings. In females, the wings are poorly developed, but the wide abdomen is divided into segments, painted in light brown, dark brown.

A striped cockroach with five longitudinal stripes often becomes a pet. It is common in nature in South America. Lives in limestone, forest litter. Leads a digging lifestyle. It feeds on plants, organic residues. Females carry ooteca with themselves, are viviparous. About 20 larvae are born at a time. Pregnancy lasts 60 days. Over a year of life, only 3 ooteks are formed. Argentines live 2 years.

American cockroach

Latin name Periplaneta americana. Synanthropic view from tropical Africa. Outwardly resembles a red prusak. Body length up to 5 cm. The color of a tropical cockroach is bright - with brilliantly red, yellow stripes on the back. Well-developed wings, insects can fly a short distance. More often use flying ability to go down.

In the natural environment they live in decaying foliage, plants, under the bark, in collector systems, electrical wiring, pipes, attics. Active at night. They feed on animal, plant food, as well as toilet paper, glue, wiring, hair, soap, leather products. Brazilian cockroaches often become food for scorpions, millipedeslizards.

Varieties of cockroaches in Russia

In our area, there are two types of cockroaches - red or the Prussians (lat. Blattella germanica) and black. They lead a similar lifestyle, slightly differ in appearance. They are synanthropic species, live in apartments, do not inhabit the wild. Wet, dark rooms with food, water are chosen. Often populate kitchens, corridors, baths, toilets. Examples of wrecking can be seen in the photo.

Red cockroaches

They lead a nocturnal lifestyle, are omnivorous creatures, but the main food is food waste, slop, leftover food on the tables. Cockroaches pests breed fastlive up to 2 years. In one clutch up to 60 eggs. Throughout her life, the female reproduces up to 300 cubs. Carries Ooteku with him, hides in a secluded place a week before birth. Young larvae are outwardly similar to adults, but smaller in size, with no wings.

The body is long, flat, oval in shape. The abdomen of females is wider. The head is small. The type of symmetry is well manifested. The color is light brown, almost red. Nymphs are always darker. The body is covered with a dense chitinous cover. The mustache is long, the males are often broken, crooked, deformed. A photo of this type of cockroach can be seen below.

Black cockroaches

The body is massive, black in color, the head is large, lowered to the bottom. Powerful jaws, large eyes, twisted mustache. Life expectancy is about 4 years. The female drops the oteka a week after the formation of the eggs. In one masonry up to 60 pieces. The population multiplies very quickly. Under favorable conditions, the larva turns into a sexually mature individual in 3 weeks.

It leads a nocturnal lifestyle; more often it settles in the bathroom and toilet. Omnivores. Many cockroaches live in an apartment where unsanitary conditions reign. To kill insects used chemicals, trapspoisonous bait.

In our area, redheads annoy people black cockroacheswith which there is a constant, merciless war. A biased attitude towards all cockroaches was formed. But many species of this family are harmless, harmless and even useful.