How to get rid of cockroaches yourself

The cockroach's place in the biological hierarchy

Cockroach

is an insect from the order cockroach, belonging to the phylum arthropods and the animal kingdom.

Please note that the detailed classification is much more extensive. Let's see how it will look using the example of the most common species - the red cockroach:

• domain (superkingdom) - eukaryotes;
• kingdom - animals;
• subkingdom - eumetazoans;
• phylum - arthropods;
• subtype - tracheal breathing;
• superclass - six-legged;
• class - insects;
• subclass - winged insects;
• infraclass - new-winged insects;
• clade - polyneoptera;
• superorder - cockroaches;
• squad - cockroaches;
• family - ectobiidae;
• subfamily - blattellinae;
• genus - blattella;
• species - red cockroach.

More than 200 million years ago, during the Carboniferous period, cockroaches already lived on our planet. It seems incredible, but cockroaches appeared even earlier than the well-known dinosaurs. Modern families of baleen insects are a little “younger”, since their age is more than 180 million years.

Cockroaches. Types of insects

Today, there are a huge number of arthropod insects around the globe. So how many species of cockroaches are actually known to scientists? There are already more than four and a half thousand species and this is not the limit, since new species are constantly being discovered and they claim that this will continue indefinitely, since cockroaches are constantly changing. They get used to new living conditions, climate, poisons and eventually evolve.

Everyone knows that arthropods are the most resilient living organisms on earth, and their ancestors appeared even earlier than dinosaurs. Entomologists have proven that ancient insects were practically no different in appearance from modern ones. The only thing that has changed is the reproductive system. A shell has appeared that protects the eggs during laying - edema. In ancient times, there was a large loss of offspring due to arthropods leaving eggs to fend for themselves without any protection.

Every country and every continent has its own cockroach.

Cockroaches in Russia and the Near Abroad

Types of cockroaches in the apartment.

• Prusak. At home, you can very often find a red cockroach. Of course, it is familiar to everyone and is considered the most popular in Russia. The body of such an individual is slightly flattened, light brown or dark in color. This insect loves warmth and places where there is a lot of food. That is, it settles in any living space.
• Black beetle. O also prefers the comfort of home, but does not refuse to live in garbage chutes, garbage dumps, basements and other dirty habitats. It can mainly be found in apartments on the lower floors. It often scares people with its appearance, because this species often reaches large sizes.
• White cockroach. Contrary to misconception, the white cockroach does not belong to any particular species. The insect takes on a white, almost transparent appearance after molting. Residents of apartments, seeing white insects, think that these are albinos that were born due to constant darkness. But in fact, albinos do not exist among arthropods. Such insects can be very rarely found, since they most often hide in cracks and other places hidden from human eyes.

Street cockroaches. Kinds .

• Central Asian cockroach. This species of arthropod lives in the south. It differs from its fellows in appearance and ability to fly. The insect has a yellow head and a brown, brown or black belly.

For most people, the sight of pests will cause a storm of negative emotions , but there are also individuals who specifically keep arthropods in their homes as pets.

Decorative cockroaches as pets

• Lucihormetica subcincta. Popularly called the American cockroach. If you look closely, this insect resembles a car with its headlights on. A white stripe stretches along the entire black smooth body, and two bright spots stand out in front.
• Chess cockroach. This insect came from India. Fans of exotic cockroaches consider this type of insect to be the cutest, most original and even beautiful. The pest's back is painted black and white. This war paint serves as protection against enemies in the homeland.
• Dead Head. Also an unusual insect in appearance. The name of the pest is explained by the coloring of the front part, which resembles a frightening mask from movies.

It is worth noting the unusual cockroaches that will take your breath away

• Madagascar cockroach. It has two striking features. The first is the rather large size of the insect’s body. Typically this pest reaches ten centimeters in length. The second is an eerie hissing sound. A very unpleasant and frightening sound that the pest makes when exhaling. There are interesting observations that the Madagascar cockroach often fights with rivals for the right to own a female or territory. And the individual that is defeated most often leaves the battlefield without any part of the body.
• Burrowing rhinoceros cockroach. This insect is native to Australia. It is noted for having the heaviest weight compared to its brothers. One individual can reach more than 37 grams, which is the approximate weight of an average sparrow. And it lives much longer than other species. Life expectancy is ten years.
• American. All cockroaches have wings, but in almost no species they are not developed enough to fly. The American pest has a distinctive ability to move by flight. So, in one second, this insect can fly a distance fifty times greater than its own body.

All types of cockroaches are individual and each requires its own approach. This applies to both keeping them at home and removing parasites from your home. If you know the names of cockroaches, their appearance and features , then you can easily cope with this task. Most species of cockroaches live in residential buildings. They can be both original family members in a terrarium and pests that carry infections and diseases.

Cockroach - description and characteristics

With all the diversity of species, the body of cockroaches has a similar appearance for all, namely a flat body shape resembling an oval and a triangular head. The cockroach also has the following structural and appearance features:

• segmented abdomen, consisting of 7-9 parts;
• long mustache, allowing excellent orientation in space;
• Most insects living in bright habitats have one pair of large eyes, which give the cockroach an alarm signal, for example, when the kitchen light is turned on. The eyes of a cockroach have a mosaic structure, which allows it to perceive objects from different angles simultaneously;
• ancient cockroaches had a long ovipositor, but in modern individuals it is reduced in size;
• It is interesting that some species are able to fly, as they have wings securely hidden under the elytra. It’s good that this quality does not apply to “domestic” insects;
• When running, a cockroach uses six fast and strong legs with sharp claws, thanks to which it easily climbs any vertical surface. Moreover, a cockroach is able to run along the ceiling like a “spider-man” without losing speed.

The cockroach has a length of 2 to 10 centimeters.

general characteristics

Almost all types of cockroaches have a similar structure, but may differ in size and color. They have an oval flat body, a pair of antennae and three pairs of paws. Cockroaches' eyes are located on the sides of their heads, allowing them to see in any direction. Some individuals have no vision.

Insects also have two pairs of wings, but they practically do not fly. Thanks to the presence of a powerful and well-developed jaw, insects can eat solid food. The segments of the insect's abdomen (there can be 8-10 of them) have a set of nerve endings, which allows the cockroach to control its body without a head for some time. The structure of their paws allows them to move along steep surfaces and quickly change direction of movement.

Cockroaches reproduce quickly and increase their population, especially under favorable conditions:

• air temperature about 25°C;
• high humidity;
• availability of food and water;
• presence of hard-to-reach places.

Types of cockroaches

Today, more than four and a half thousand species of cockroaches are known. The vast majority live in tropical climates. It is quite natural that with so many species, there are very few places on Earth where these tenacious representatives of the animal world cannot be found.

Red cockroach

The well-known cockroach that lives in garbage dumps, sewers and other places where there are food remains is the red cockroach. It is this “neighbor” who inhabits numerous city apartments and creates considerable inconvenience

The red cockroach has a second name - Prusak. It was described in the 18th century in the well-known book of Carl Linnaeus - “System of Nature”.

It is interesting that the names that the red cockroach acquired among the people reflect interethnic contradictions. For example, in Russia the cockroach was called the Prussian because it was believed that it was brought to the country from Prussia. At the same time, in Germany, for a similar reason, the insect received the name “Russian”.

Red cockroaches live for about a year. At the same time, the following factors have a strong influence on the duration of its existence:

• water quality;
• amount of food;
• air temperature in the habitat.

The domestic cockroach reacts negatively to the smells of lavender, mint, wormwood, and pine needles, so they are one of the ways to deal with “uninvited guests.”

If you meet a red cockroach and it runs away, this means that there are not so many of them in the house. When cockroaches walk freely without fear of humans, this indicates a large number of individuals and the need to be more active in the fight against them.

Black beetle

Instead of an ordinary Prussian, other animals sometimes live in a city apartment.

The black cockroach is an insect with a black-brown chitinous cover. Unlike their red relatives, these cockroaches reach three centimeters. Black insects are awake mainly at night, looking for leftover food.

It's funny. that the black cockroach does not get along with the red “colleague”, so of the two problems you can only have one. The lifespan of a black pest is 5 years, four of which it spends in the form of a larva. Insects have lost competition to other species and their population is gradually declining.

American cockroach

Oddly enough, the American cockroach originated on the African continent. It was only in the 17th century that “American” was introduced to North America and Europe.

The insect's habitat includes buildings and wildlife. Often the insect lives in ventilation. Outside buildings, the insect is found in rotten trees.

The American cockroach is larger in size than the red cockroach, its length is 3 - 5 centimeters. What distinguishes this animal from its more common counterparts is its ability to fly.

During the day, cockroaches prefer to sleep in the attic or basement in comfortable conditions: high humidity and darkness.

The diet of the American insect includes not only the obvious fish, meat, bread and rice, but also rather unexpected hair, soap, and clothing.

The cockroach spreads more than 30 types of infections. therefore, upon detection, all measures should be taken to expel the pest.

How can you tell if you have an American cockroach? Everything is very simple: if you find droppings in hidden places, find egg capsules 1 cm long, smell a slight smell of pheromones, then the reason is clear - an American cockroach has settled in your home.

Madagascar cockroach

This type of cockroach is as similar as possible to ancient representatives of insects. The Madagascar cockroach (also called the hissing cockroach) lives exclusively on the island of the same name. The species is distinguished by its large size, about 7 cm in length. The lifespan of a hissing cockroach is 5 years.

The Madagascar cockroach is an ornamental pet and is kept in an aquarium.

In natural conditions, cockroaches are useful because they eat rotten plants and dead animals. Unexpectedly, the Madagascar cockroach does not inhabit human housing and does not create any problems.

Less common species

The Turkmen cockroach is found in the southern regions of the Russian Federation. Its length is 2-3 cm. A feature of this insect is the ability to jump and fly.

Oddly enough, a cockroach called the Egyptian cockroach lives in the southern part of the country. It is characterized by a round body and a black chitinous shell.

In our country there is an Asian cockroach living in grass. Its difference from other insects is its lack of fear of bright light.

Deadly European renovation, cockroach wars and GMOs

Residents of the CIS - and more specifically, journalists from non-core publications - put forward their own versions of the disappearance of red cockroaches. True, it is speculative, even without journalistic research, let alone scientific research. Let's assume that the media is right and there really are fewer cockroaches. How realistic are the supposed causes of what happened?

According to one version, red cockroaches were destroyed by European-quality renovation, and specifically by the “chemistry” contained in eurolining, finishing panels, bathroom tiles, suspended ceilings, and so on. Residents believe that the insects left the apartments, unable to withstand the presence of terrible chemicals. But where is the logic here? Insects, much more resistant to poisons and radiation than people, fled, but people stayed and feel very good in houses with an updated design. Most likely, in reality, the fact is that during the repair the plumbing is also repaired, the taps stop leaking, the humidity in the room drops, and the cockroaches become less comfortable.

Another, no less fantastic version is a decrease in the quality of food, genetic modification of vegetables and farm animals, and the like. The same question arises here: why do people eat supposedly bad food and not die, but cockroaches, who are born to eat garbage, turn out to be so sensitive? In addition, it would not be amiss to at least remember that products with genetically modified components are not sold on the territory of the Russian Federation, not to mention the fact that GMOs do not pose any health hazard to anyone. So, it seems that a number of Homo sapiens exaggerate the danger of their own food and, rather, want the unhealthy popularity of their articles, based on intimidation of insufficiently educated segments of the population.

Finally, there is a version that some populations of red cockroaches fight with others and due to these wars, all insects of this species suffer great losses. This doesn't seem true. In a real competition between cockroach populations, one “tribe” would win, whose members could be distinguished from others by the composition of their DNA. However, analyzes show that, at least in France, representatives of the species Blattella germanica, living in cities 900 kilometers apart, are genetically very close. This means that fierce competition and rapid evolution of red cockroaches are not observed now. The lack of genetic diversity suggests that cockroaches are now experiencing a period of stability and there are no unfavorable factors that would actively adjust their adaptation to new environmental conditions.

There are also very strange assumptions - for example, that the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer kills Blattella germanica. Adherents of this theory are not embarrassed by the fact that cockroaches, over hundreds of millions of years of evolution, when the composition of the atmosphere fluctuated very, very strongly, have practically not changed and have always felt normal, and also by the fact that the largest ozone holes are now not growing, but decreasing.

The most likely scenario is this. Since the 1990s, the quality of life in Russia and the CIS countries has nevertheless increased. People renovated their premises and moved to new houses. There were fewer places with unfavorable sanitary conditions. As a result, the number of red cockroaches has actually decreased. But it is impossible to say that cockroaches have completely disappeared: it is enough to go to the dormitory of a university (it does not necessarily have to be a low-rated regional academy!) or to its cafeteria to see old acquaintances.

How a cockroach is born

The reproduction process of cockroaches is quite rapid, so they quickly colonize a new territory.

At the first stage, adult individuals undergo a period of mating games. At this time, females try to stand out with pheromones or sudden movements of their wings, and males fly or fight for the female.

After fertilization, the mother carries the ootheca with her children for about a month. After this time, the capsule is left in a safe, hidden place, after which colorless larvae without wings and chitinous cover emerge from it.

It takes the larva from two to twenty-five months to grow and develop into an adult—an adult insect ready to reproduce.

The most common red cockroach gives birth to several hundred thousand larvae per year.

Representatives of exotic fauna

But not all types of cockroaches are pests. Representatives of some species are very popular among originals, who prefer to have an unusual exotic pet in their home. Today you won’t surprise anyone with an iguana in an aquarium or a dangerous tarantula in a children’s room. So the turn came to the individuals of the cockroach order.

We suggest considering the types of popular exotic cockroaches and their photos.

• The car cockroach looks more than original. Its characteristic features are short elytra of a light shade and a light stripe along the perimeter of the body, and males are also distinguished by bright spots on the pronotum.
• The chess cockroach is the cutest, so to speak, representative of his squad. It has a bright black and white color, which resembles the color of a predatory ground beetle, which helps it not to become prey for some predators. Like representatives of other species, the chess cockroach prefers to hide during the day and go out at night in search of food.
• The next type received the catchy name “Death's Head”, as it has a pattern on the back that resembles a scary mask.
• The Madagascar hissing cockroach is the largest representative of its order. Adults can reach 10 cm in length and surprise with their behavior - they hiss. It may seem that in this way they are trying to scare you away, but this is not entirely true. Undoubtedly, they use this sound to scare away enemies, but often the hissing emitted is just a sharp exhalation. Read more about this species in the article: Conditions for keeping Madagascar cockroaches.
• The rhinoceros cockroach is distinguished by its impressive weight - some individuals can reach a mass of 37 g. Almost like an ordinary sparrow. These insects are long-lived - they can live about 10 years.
• Megaloblatta longipennis is a cockroach native to Latin America that can fly. His wingspan is 20 cm, and when he unfolds them, he becomes truly huge.

And these are not all representatives of the cockroach order. After all, every year there are new individuals that have not been studied before. Insects adapt to poisons, get used to new environmental conditions and again settle in our homes. Some as exotic pets, others as pests.

The damage caused by cockroaches

Obviously, no one enjoys meeting whiskered insects, but the troubles from them do not stop there:

• Chitin shells fall off the cockroach after a period of molting and dry out, settling as dust on surrounding objects and causing allergic reactions in household members. Also, such dust is one of the causes of asthma;
• during sleep, in rare cases, a cockroach can bite a person;
• Having settled in the housing of household appliances, the insect becomes the cause of malfunctions and electrical short circuits;
• in the absence of food remains, cockroaches eat books, shoes, wallpaper, causing frustration and causing material damage to their owner;
• The cockroach carries infectious diseases, so you can get salmonellosis, helminths and gastroenteritis from it.

Use of cockroaches

In addition to wrecking, insects also have useful properties and skills. The Madagascar cockroach is an unpretentious pet for connoisseurs.

In addition, this species takes part in cockroach races, providing entertainment for eager fans.

In China, cockroaches are a favorite high-protein delicacy. They are building special farms to raise these creatures.

Unofficially, the cockroach is used for medicinal purposes in some countries.

Methods for controlling cockroaches

Insecticides

The most effective method of getting rid of cockroaches is to purchase modern products to combat them. Chemicals include powders, gels, aerosols and sprays. Among the items that should be noted are sticky traps, baits and fumigators. When using these products, you must strictly follow the instructions, since most of them are produced using potent poisons and other substances toxic to humans.

Homemade devices

Making a trap for cockroaches at home is not difficult. Take a small glass jar and wrap newspaper around the outside. Using this design, the cockroach will crawl into the container. To prevent him from getting out the same way, lubricate the inner walls with something slippery, such as Vaseline or oil. As bait, place sugar or part of a sweet fruit at the bottom of the jar. A similar design can be made from a plastic bottle, cut at a distance of 10 cm from the bottom. If caught insects are thrown out alive, they will most likely return to you or your neighbors.

Traditional methods

To repel cockroaches from your home, use vinegar, baking soda, onion or boric acid. They can also be used in conjunction with other methods. It is worth noting that all these substances repel the cockroach, but do not destroy it, so there is no guarantee that the pest will not return after disappearing.

Cockroach with jetpack

Even though people for the most part do not like cockroaches, we must admit: these are extremely important animals and they have always been so. Yes, they, regardless of their desire, tolerate allergens and pathogens of various diseases. But at the same time, cockroaches serve as an important link in food chains: they eat and decompose things that other insects rarely take on. In addition, cockroaches gave rise to termites, which was discovered relatively recently, in 2007.

Scientists from the UK determined the relationship between cockroaches and termites by analyzing a number of genes. Judging by the results of their research, the ancestors of termites were some cockroaches (not red ones!), capable of feeding on wood due to special bacteria in the intestines. Termites have become more social than their cockroach grandfathers. Actually, this is where the main differences between the two groups of insects end.

Due to their size, cockroaches serve as a convenient object for biomechanical research. Here are a couple of examples. In 2002, a scientific article was published, the authors of which studied stabilization in cockroaches of the species Blaberus discoidalis. They glued miniature guns to the backs of insects and forced them to walk under slow-motion cameras. At some point, the cannon fired a short (10 millisecond) shot to the right or left, powerful for its size, designed to destabilize the cockroach and drop it on its side. However, the insects did not turn over and returned to their previous trajectory of movement at the next step.

Having measured the reaction speed of cockroaches, the researchers came to the conclusion that stabilization of their position in space is provided here not even by the nervous system (it cannot work so quickly), but by the mechanics of the limbs.

In 2021, a new study was released in which the authors describe how the movement of cockroaches in very tight spaces inspired them to create a soft robot to search for earthquake victims.

Russian scientists also did not stand aside. Although, as we found out, they were not interested in the disappearance of red cockroaches from apartments, domestic luminaries of science and technology created a robot based on their knowledge of the Blaberus giganteus insect. According to the designers, employees of the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, they were faced with the task of making the robot as cockroach-morphic as possible. It seems that it worked.

The robotic cockroach will scare those who are afraid of real insects: its length is 10 centimeters. It runs a third of a meter in a second, so it’s difficult for a person to catch it. Like foreign designers, Kaliningrad scientists believe that their development can be used as a means of searching for objects in hard-to-reach places.