What is the secret of such fertility of domestic cockroaches? What structural feature makes them vulnerable to temperature changes? Is food that is familiar to us humans suitable for cockroaches?

Let's look at the main points in the life cycle of these unsightly arthropods to choose the most effective methods fight them and get rid of an unpleasant neighborhood.

Cockroaches are ideal creatures from an evolutionary point of view. These arthropods are capable of surviving in truly extreme conditions.

They can survive without food for about 30 days, and without water for up to 7 days, they are very difficult to catch up with (cockroaches move at a speed of 22 m/s) and almost impossible to drown.

Surprisingly these insects can survive without a head for a week, dying after this period from hunger!

Having met this timid and nimble arthropod in your own kitchen, you are unlikely to be interested in its gender.

Most likely, there will be an instinctive desire to catch the insolent person and destroy him on the spot, using the right slipper that comes to hand as a weapon.
At the same time, many are interested in whether cockroaches have sex. Yes, they do have sexual differences, with males being more modest in size, having a genital plate (stylus) at their disposal and having more developed wings compared to females.

How do cockroaches reproduce?

Reproduction occurs sexually, with the participation of both females and males.
The process is preceded by mating games, when a female individual “attracts” a mustachioed partner by emitting an odorous secretion produced by the glands.

At the same time, the male, in an attempt to please, spreads his wings, trying to demonstrate exclusive flight skills.

If a couple has formed, then mating occurs and the male individual, using the genital plate, fertilizes the female, and then disappears back home.

In the female, a special membrane sac is formed in the back of the body - an ootheca, in which she forms a clutch.

It's amazing how quickly domestic cockroaches multiply! The male needs a split second to mate. Moreover, in the future the female can use the “saved” (excess) gametes to fertilize new clutches.

The female drags the formed ootheca with larvae along with her for 2-3 weeks, but the process of maturation of the offspring can drag on indefinitely under unfavorable conditions (lack of water, uncomfortable temperature, lack of food).

The clutch in a leathery capsule can consist of 20-50 individuals for Prussians and 10-20 for black cockroaches.
At the same time, the red female is more fertile (more than 12 clutches), in contrast to her black friend (up to 20-22 clutches over the entire life cycle).

The lifespan of these arthropods ranges from 4 months to 4 years.

The development of small cockroaches occurs in accordance with this scheme:

1. 1. Larval stage developing in a container with eggs (lasts 2-5 weeks).
2. 2. The nymph stage, during which many metamorphoses occur with the young creature. Thus, being born absolutely white, tiny and without a protective chitinous layer, cockroaches molt several times (8-9), acquiring standard color and size. The development process takes from 1.5 months to several years (under unfavorable conditions).
3. 3. Adult stage, reaching sexual maturity. Prussians mature into adults faster (in 2-6 months), while their black counterparts take longer - 6 months-2 years. Insects remain sexually mature for 200-220 days, and during this period you can greatly increase your population.

Delicacies for uninvited guests: what cockroaches like to eat

Any organic food is a treat for a hungry insect. However, these arthropods prefer high-calorie foods:

• sugar;
• bread;
• baking;
• fruits;
• meat;

They don’t disdain the organic remains from yesterday’s dinner decomposing in the trash can.

In case of total hunger, insects can even be content with:

• soap;
• book bindings;
• paper;
• particles of skin or dandruff;
• glue or paint;
• synthetic products (for example, nylon tights).

Females are more voracious; they require 20-50 mg of food to survive, while males are content with half the volume.
At the same time, insects do not spend energy maintaining body temperature; they require a tiny amount of food to survive.

Temperature Armageddon for the domestic cockroach

The most comfortable temperature for a cockroach to exist is in the range from +2 to +28C.

Meanwhile, they belong to cold-blooded insects, their active life activity directly depends on the air temperature. If the thermometer readings tend to the 0 mark, then all physiological processes in the cockroach slow down.

A temperature of -1 already poses a threat to the life of insects; at -5 and above they die en masse.

Knowing at what temperature cockroaches freeze, you can rid your home of their invasion by artificially creating an “ice” period: open windows and balconies on a winter day when the frost is more than 5C.

However, it is critical for these arthropods and heat(more than 30C) since they cannot regulate their body temperature.

In this case, the insect loses too much moisture, and eventually dies from dehydration and overheating: 35C - this is the temperature at which cockroaches die in summer.

In unfavorable conditions, insects stop reproducing and their lifespan is reduced.

In search of more comfortable places for their existence, mustachioed neighbors are exploring new territories. Therefore, taking into account the temperature at which cockroaches and their larvae die, it is possible to create an unbearable environment for their habitat.

What you didn't know but would like to know about the life of cockroaches

Do cockroaches eat bedbugs?
No, unfortunately, cockroaches ignore these pests. However, if there is insufficient food (if the population has grown too large), they can include bug eggs in their diet.

Do cockroaches have wings?
Yes, these arthropods have a couple of well-developed wings. Of course, they won’t fly, and they won’t be able to, but they will be able to plan effectively in case of danger.

Do mice eat cockroaches?
Yes, they do, these rodents are omnivores and have an excellent appetite.

Do battering rams have brains?
Yes, even they have a brain located in their head. But these insects also have a group of nerve cells (ganglia) scattered throughout the body, which control motor and signaling functions - which is why a headless cockroach can exist for some time.

Do spiders eat cockroaches?
Of course, a mustachioed insect can be an excellent source of building protein.

Do cats eat cockroaches?

Most often, domestic furries are disdainful of dining on these arthropods, but if they wish, they can also profit from them. This situation is complicated by the fact that cockroaches are carriers of many dangerous diseases, and a cat that eats an infected insect runs the risk of getting sick.

Can cockroaches live in a refrigerator?

The conditions in the freezer are simply unbearable for them, but in the refrigerator compartment, where +5C is maintained, insects can feel quite comfortable.

Do cockroaches have blood?

Yes, these insects have blood, but it is white. Cockroaches have an open circulatory system, with organs washed by blood and no small blood vessels.

What animal eats cockroaches
The hedgehog is a fan of cockroaches; he feasts on them, supplying his body with protein.

It is perhaps difficult to find a person today who does not know who the red cockroach is. An encounter with this insect could occur in your own apartment, at school, in a friend’s house, in the dining room and many other places where some kind of food exists. Sensing a potential threat, the cockroach quickly begins to look for a secluded place in which to hide. This is probably all that many people can say about this insect. But in fact, it has interesting characteristics that may tell you how to get rid of it.

Main characteristics

The red cockroach is one of the representatives of the suborder of cockroaches, which has about 2,400 species. People call it . But this is far from his only nickname - if you collect the names that residents most often use different countries, then their number will be about 20.

Prussians are in many ways similar to other representatives of their suborder. They are united biological features, appearance and demeanor.

Body structure

The red cockroach has an incomplete development cycle. The length of its body can reach 13-16 mm, most of which is hidden under the wings. The abdomen, prothorax and head remain visible to the eye. These insects are colored in various shades of brown and have two dark stripes on the prothorax.

The structure of the male and female is different. Males are characterized by a narrow body, not covered by wings on the last segment. The abdomen ends in a wedge-shaped area. Females have a more rounded and wider body, completely covered by wings.

The wings of this insect are fully developed, but despite this, it is unable to fly. When falling from a height, a cockroach will swing them intensively to ensure easy gliding and a painless landing.

One of the main organs is the antennae. With them, he explores the territory in search of food and communicates with other individuals from his colony. Loss or injury of one of the whiskers is serious problem for an insect, so cockroaches constantly clean them in order to be able to contact with the outside world.

Features of existence

Red cockroaches are mainly nocturnal. They are forced to hide in daylight because they are completely defenseless against the enemy, so they run and scurry around very quickly in search of reliable shelter. Owners of infected apartments can observe this picture when they turn on the light in the kitchen at night.

Advice! It should be remembered that red cockroaches come to houses where there is free access to food supplies and water. Therefore, do not leave food on the tables and close the taps in the kitchen and bathroom tightly.

But don’t think that if you hide food from them, they will immediately leave the room or die of hunger. Representatives of this species are able to feed on things that are absolutely unsuitable for humans - paper, plants and even household chemicals. Regular toilet soap will do for them, and a rotten leaf will last for a week. And don’t forget about accidentally spilled cereals behind the work surface of the kitchen unit - for a cockroach this is an entire food warehouse.

These insects have fairly similar nesting site requirements to bed bugs. Both the first and second will be most comfortable where their back and belly are in contact with any surface. Such a narrow space gives them a feeling of security and provides additional warmth.

If we talk about other possible habitats, then this could be any dark, quiet corner where they can hide from human eyes.

Harm to humans

The red cockroach has rather weak jaws that cannot bite through human skin. But they can bite off dead particles while you sleep. Therefore, it is believed that the Prussian does not bite.

The main harm is mold, mildew and pathogenic bacteria that cockroaches carry on their paws. And since they go straight from the garbage disposal to the dinner table, the possibility of infection entering the human body is quite high.

The red cockroach can bring the following diseases:

• tuberculosis;
• dysentery;
• meningitis;
• gastroenteritis.

Therefore, if you notice this insect in your kitchen, it is better to refrain from eating food that was left on the table.

Fighting methods

Without food, representatives of this species can live for quite a long time, but the lack of water is destructive for them - without it they live no more than a week. They also cannot tolerate low temperatures. It is on these facts that some that suggest are based.

Boric acid

• kitchen cabinets and bedside tables;
• trash bin compartment;
• space under the sink;
• in the corners of the room near the junction of the baseboard panels;
• under the refrigerator;
• behind the stove, etc.

Attention! If there is a child in the apartment who crawls on the floor and often puts everything in his mouth, then you should take care of his safety and limit access to the room being treated.

Homemade trap

Second folk method- This is making a sticky trap. Double-sided tape is glued to a thick sheet of paper around the perimeter, and the bait is placed in the center. Even if the cockroach gets to the food, it will be with losses (paws or whiskers). And the return journey will promise him guaranteed death.

Another type of trap is a glass jar with the edges smeared with Vaseline or vegetable oil. Bait is placed inside.

Important! These methods have little effectiveness, since they are not able to have an effect on cockroach eggs. Therefore, after a short period of time they will appear in your apartment again.

Freezing

The advantage of this method is the following: at sufficiently low temperatures, cockroaches are not able to move, which often happens when using chemicals. They simply lose the ability to move and die when the thermometer reaches a critical point for their existence.

Advice! Freezing must be carried out together with neighbors, since this insect is distinguished by its ability to run quite quickly. While the temperature drops to the required level, your cockroaches can already sit in the room located at the other end of the ventilation pipe.

Ultrasound device

They have gained great popularity among the population, which emit high-frequency sound waves that affect cockroaches. The human ear does not perceive these vibrations, so apartment residents will not experience any discomfort.

Manufacturers claim that to achieve a positive result, it is necessary to use several similar repellers at once. But consumer reviews indicate that if the apartment is quite seriously infected, then this remedy is not the most effective.

Cockroach traps

This device saves only in case of a small accumulation of insects. It is installed in places where cockroaches are likely to accumulate and edible bait is placed inside.

The first two types of traps must be cleaned from time to time by shaking the insects into a container of water. The rest work automatically and do not require constant human supervision.

Chemicals

If we talk about the toxicity of modern chemical preparations for red cockroaches, then the most harmless to humans are crayons. These insecticides paralyze insects and are more suitable for creating obstacles to their movement. For example, so that insects do not come to you from your neighbors. It is impossible to get rid of the existing numerous colonies with their help.

Cockroach gels are the most effective insecticide. They contain special substances that cause disorders nervous system insects and lead to rapid death. The fatty base of the drug prevents it from drying out quickly, and attractants play the role of bait. Gels are popular due to their cost-effectiveness, which cannot be said about aerosols, and their insignificant toxic effect on the human body.

Attention! Gels should only be applied to a dry surface and should not be allowed into the mouth.

Cockroaches are a source of spreading a large number of germs and infections. This becomes especially dangerous when there are small children living in the house. The Prussians outlived historical dinosaurs, have the ability to survive a nuclear attack, go without food for a long time and even live for a couple of days with their heads torn off. Therefore, it will not be easy to scare and remove these insects. But, like all living organisms, they have vulnerabilities that can be exploited in pest control.

The main fears of cockroaches

Despite their tenacity, the Prussians are still endowed with weak points. Here are some examples of what cockroaches are afraid of:

Cockroaches are also eaten by more common pets - dogs, cats, hamsters. In nature, these insects feed on frogs, hedgehogs and birds.

Boric acid is the enemy of the Prussians No. 1

It is impossible not to note the effectiveness of this product in the fight against cockroaches. Harmful insects do not easily disappear, but also suffer a painful death. When boric acid gets inside a cockroach, it burns all its organs. This drug can be used in two ways:

Traditional methods

Folk remedies made at home are also considered effective methods for removing Prussians. The most effective ingredients are herbs and aromatic oils. Cockroaches do not like the smell of almost all herbs that have strong aromas. This list includes: elderberries, mint leaves, anise, tansy, Bay leaf and wormwood.

Tansy and wormwood are placed under the bed and in other places where pests accumulate. You can also make a decoction of tansy: add a glass of herb to a five-liter jar of boiling water. The decoction is used after cooling.

Question. What could be more disgusting than a cockroach in a sandwich?
Answer. Half a cockroach.

Eating cockroaches, cockroach dishes. Extreme cuisine.

This simple joke conveys the attitude of most people towards the humble person of the cockroach. Although there are those who believe that in the foreseeable future we will all change our minds about these insects. According to some scientists and nutritionists, over time, cockroaches will turn into a tasty and healthy pate for us, which can be spread on bread, like peanut butter. Or turn it into a casserole with Italian pasta.

We have to realize that these are nothing more than representatives of the order Blattodea, just another group of six-legged living quietly, calmly, like other innocent representatives of the earth's fauna, and for the most part are quite clean, peaceful and funny. It is no coincidence that a site has appeared on the Internet called “Caring for Cockroaches”, where everyone can get advice on keeping (including heating and bedding composition), feeding and breeding these insects. There is also a Cockroaches Home Page, launched by the Blattodea Culture Group, formed in 1986, with the mission of “promoting the study and cultivation of cockroaches on a global scale.”

This organization regularly publishes a newsletter with information about individual species. With articles related to this topic, encourages the practice of free exchange of "surplus stock" between members of the organization. We should also keep in mind that there were and are many peoples and cultures in the world for which cockroaches are an important source of food. True, only a few of these people live within the boundaries of the so-called civilized world. Although Nicolas Cage ate a cockroach in one of his films (“Vampire’s Kiss”), the appearance of these insects on the table of Euro-Americans will put the most daring and adventurous of them to flight. By the way, Cage later said that this was the stupidest thing he had ever done, and not because he was particularly disgusted or had terrible taste, but because the press and fans, even now, years later, remind him of that scene with questions : “Did you really eat a cockroach then?”

Yes, it is safe to say that when cockroach products appear on the market, manufacturers will need a massive and most inventive PR campaign to bring them to the consumer’s table. First, let's get to know these insects better. Cockroaches have lived on Earth for at least 250 million years and, in a certain sense, are very advanced living organisms. Thus, they are armed with a “compound eye” consisting of two thousand individual lenses, whereas the human eye has only one. The hairs on the legs provide the cockroach with a sense of touch, the antennae provide an organ of smell, and two small “antennae” at the back act as movement indicators. So if someone tries to sneak up on a cockroach from behind, they will warn them of the danger and allow them to escape in time.

The cockroach's mouth detects not only the taste, but also the smell of food. As the insect grows, it outer shell is reset several times and replaced with a new one. A cockroach is capable of holding its breath for 40 minutes and spends 75% of its time at rest, that is, resting. The largest cockroaches live in South America - they reach 15 centimeters in length and have a wingspan of up to 30 centimeters. Cockroaches ignore the courtship process for reproduction. When the female is ready to mate, she releases pheromones that attract males. Some females mate only once and then carry eggs for the rest of their lives. Females of some species produce seven capsules (oothecae) ​​during their lifetime, each containing up to 48 eggs. The lifespan of some cockroaches does not exceed 140 days. But at the same time, the offspring of one female can easily produce more than 35 thousand cockroaches in a year.

Decapitated, this insect is able to live for another week, since, unlike us, the cockroach's brain is not localized in the head, but is distributed throughout the body. Therefore, the cause of death of cockroaches is often thirst and “accidents”, such as a collision at full speed with a wall. Entomologists admit that man's long relationship with the cockroach began with people's interest in these insects as food. Considering the availability of such a valuable source of protein in any hut and cave. Later, when man began to prepare for the winter, the number of cockroaches probably increased significantly, and they turned into his constant companions.

And now I want to refute one common opinion. Never in the history of relations between humans and cockroaches has the latter been associated with any specific diseases, which distinguishes it favorably from fleas and mosquitoes, which are considered carriers of plague and malaria, respectively. Nevertheless, today people perceive cockroaches as carriers of infection, which, apparently, is explained by the love of these insects for dark and damp places. However, I digress, since what was said has nothing to do with eating cockroaches.

The cockroaches that we see in our homes and on city streets really shouldn’t be eaten. But there are approximately 3,950 more species whose representatives we may never have seen in our lives. They can become the food of our future, since they are capable of satisfying the need for food from the rapidly growing population of the Earth, a need whose level exceeds the productive potential of the planet. Simply put, getting protein from cattle is perhaps the least efficient method ever used. Agriculture. Too many forests are being destroyed to supply supermarkets around the world with steaks and hamburgers. On the other hand, everyone understands that a shoebox is enough to breed countless cockroaches.

I'm exaggerating, of course. Cockroaches, as a protein source of the future, will not be bred in boxes, but on special “cockroach farms.” The insects will be offered a carefully designed diet, and in relation to it there will be a whole system of norms and controls, similar to that which operates today in other sectors of animal husbandry. Perhaps, over time, society will reach such a level of tolerance towards cockroaches that no one will sue a restaurant if they find parts of this insect in their salad. Moreover, there will be delicious signature cockroach salads! And this is not a joke at all.

Based on materials from the book “Extreme Cuisine”.
Jerry Hopkins.

There are several thousand species of cockroaches in the world, but not all of them are synanthropic insects, i.e. coexisting next to humans. They are among the most ancient creatures on Earth and can live in countries with climates ranging from very hot to temperate, not found except in the inhabitants of the North Pole.

It's hard to even say what cockroaches are afraid of. After all, these insects outlived the dinosaurs, practically without changing their appearance, and in modern world they can survive radiation levels ten times greater than what humans can tolerate.

Even one cockroach seen indoors is an indication that its entire family lives somewhere nearby, since they live in colonies. At the same time, each individual leaves a scent trail behind itself so that others can easily find it.

Cockroaches are so common in the modern world and have become so firmly established in our lives that many people experience real fear when meeting them, which is scientifically called blattophobia (fear of cockroaches). Like other phobias, it most often results from severe fear in childhood.

A scary movie or a strong negative reaction from loved ones to these insects or one’s own traumatic experience lays the foundations for why some people are afraid of cockroaches in adulthood.

Severe blattophobia must be treated with professional psychotherapeutic methods, for example, with the help of hypnosis. Neurolinguistic programming is also effective in helping you stop being afraid of cockroaches. Fear of cockroaches, from this point of view, is a manifestation of certain models created by man himself, but which do not work very well. Using various techniques, these models are changed so that blattophobia begins to recede and eventually disappears completely.

Although cockroaches are associated with dirt and waste, they can also appear in an apartment where cleanliness is maintained. On its paws, a nasty guest can carry dangerous bacteria and worm eggs, which is especially dangerous when there are small children in the house who put everything in their mouths. The chitinous coverings shed during the molting period and various secretions of these insects can cause allergies, including asthmatic attacks. When moving inside household appliances or in electrical outlet, cockroaches can cause short circuit. All these factors force people to get rid of unwanted neighbors as soon as possible.

We fight cockroaches using traditional methods

In apartments, cockroaches prefer to live close to sources of water (leaking pipes, sewer drains) and food. The ideal place that combines both conditions is the kitchen. True, during the day an insect can rarely be found in the kitchen (except in very dirty homes), from which the logical conclusion follows that cockroaches are afraid of light.

In addition, when the lamp is turned on at night, they quickly scatter. In fact, you need to figure out why cockroaches are afraid of light sources. Like many other living creatures, these insects lead a more active life at night, hiding during the day in various crevices. At night, the sudden switching on of a lamp, accompanied by human steps, signals to cockroaches that danger is close and forces them to quickly run away from such a place.

Impact on cockroaches with industrial drugs

For a long time, chemists have tried to determine what smells cockroaches are afraid of and use this in industrial developments. The chemical method today is the most effective way getting rid of various insects in the house. The most common insecticides come in the forms of aerosols, gels, crayons and poison traps.

But it is worth remembering that highly active chemical substances, contained in insecticides, can affect not only insects, but also the health of the person himself, especially with direct contact with them.

Toxic vapors can lead to a weakening of the immune system and the development of new or exacerbation chronic diseases. The use of aerosol and gel forms of insecticides is especially dangerous if there are small children or pets in the house who may inadvertently eat poison intended for insects. Since the weight of a pet is usually small, there is an increased likelihood of problems with its health after increased weight loss.

Preventing the appearance of cockroaches in the house

Even after completely getting rid of uninvited guests, you need to follow simple rules to prevent their new visits. You will have to seal all the cracks and cracks through which nasty insects can enter the house, and treat these cracks with powder boric acid or insecticidal chalk. In addition, there should be a fine mesh on the ventilation holes. At night, be sure to wipe the surface of the bathroom and kitchen sink dry and water indoor plants in the morning, not at night, fix dripping taps and leaking pipes, depriving cockroaches of access to water.

All food that is not refrigerated should be stored in tightly sealed jars or resealable bags to prevent food odors from remaining. Cabinets and the trash can area should be wiped down regularly with detergents, try to regularly get rid of food waste.