The word cockroach is taken from the Spanish cucaracha. The cockroach is characterizable by a flattened oval body, long stringlike antennae, and a shining black or brown leathery integument. The head is bent downward, and the mouthparts are directed backward instead of forward or downward as is the case in most other insects. The male usually has two pairs of wings, whereas the female, who in some species, is wingless or holds vestigial wings. The female generates eggs in egg cases (called oothecae). These are occasionally held protruding from her body or might be stuck in protected parts. After the female generates an egg case, the soft, white nymphs emerge. As their exoskeleton toughens, it turns brown in shade. The shape and huge size (some species demonstrate a wingspread measurement of more than 12 cm [4.7 inches]) of cockroaches have made them a keen area in the biological laboratory.
The cockroach likes a warm, humid, dark living environment and is frequently found thriving in tropical or other mild temperatures. Only a small number of species have become pests. The insect inflicts damage upon more material than it eats and has a disagreeable scent. The eating habits of the roach, which includes both plant and animal produce, ranges from food, paper, clothing, and books to dead insects, particularly bedbugs. Insecticides are utilized in roach killing.
The American cockroach (species Periplaneta americana) is 30 to 50 mm long (up to about 2 inches), reddish brown, and lives in an outdoor habitat or in dark, heated indoor locations (e.g., basements and furnace rooms). During adult life, a period of about 1.5 years, the female generates 50 or more oothecae, each containing usually 16 eggs that hatch after 45 days. Nymphal life goes from 11 to 14 months. The American cockroach, a native of tropical and subtropical America, possesses well-developed wings. However, many species are not gifted at flying.
The German cockroach (Blattella germanica), a common pest in the household and sometimes erroneously labeled a waterbug, is light brown with two dark stripes on the prothoracic region. The female creates the ootheca three days post mating and carries it for generally around 20 days. Because it is tiny in size (about 12 mm [less than 0.5 inch] long), this cockroach often is introduced into residences in grocery bags and boxes; it has been spread throughout the globe by boat. Three or more generations may breed yearly. This cockroach, found in abundance around the water pipes of the Croton Aqueduct in New York City, has become known as the Croton bug.
The brown-banded cockroach (Supella supellectilium) is similar to the German cockroach but is even smaller. The male possesses totally developed wings and is lighter in shade than the female, whose wings are short and nonfunctional. Both sexes have two light-coloured bands over the back. The adult life span is generally about 200 days, and there might be two generations a year. Eggs may be deposited in clothes, wood molding, or cracks in the floor. With the advent of heated buildings this cockroach became established in cooler temperatures.
The Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) is considered one of the filthiest of household pests. It is oval, shiny black or dark brown, 25 to 30 mm (1 to 1.2 inches) long, with a life cycle resembling that of the American cockroach. The male possesses short, fully developed wings, while the female has vestigial wings. This cockroach has been distributed by vehicles of trade from its Asiatic origins to all the temperate regions.
Wood roaches are not domestic pests. Parcoblatta pennsylvanica, the common wood cockroach, can be found in logs and stones in northern latitudes. The male and female are so differing in appearance that they were originally considered unique species. The male, 15 to 25 mm (0.6 to 1 inch) long, possesses wings that extend beyond the abdomen; the female is smaller and possesses much shorter wings. Cryptocercus punctulatus consumes wood with the help of particular protozoans in its digestive tract.
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Tags: brisbane pest exterminator, pest control brisbaneMay 19th, 2010UncategorizedRead More >No Comments