COCKROACH AND ITS TYPES

INTRODUCTION TO COACROACHES:
Cockroaches are insects of

the

order Blattodea,

sometimes

called

Blattaria, of which about 30 species out of 4,600[1]total are associated with

human habitats. About four species are well known as pests.
Among

the

best-known

pest

species

are

the American

cockroach, Periplaneta americana, which is about 30 mm (1.2 in) long;

the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, about 15 mm (0.59 in) long;
the Asian cockroach, Blattella asahinai, also about 15 mm (0.59 in) in
length;

and

the Oriental

cockroach, Blatta

orientalis,

about

25 mm

(0.98 in). Tropicalcockroaches are often much bigger, and, contrary to

popular opinion, extinct cockroach relatives and 'roachoids' such as
the Carboniferous Archimylacris and the Permian Apthoroblattina were not
as large as the biggest modern species.
The

name

"cockroach"

comes

from

the

Spanish

word

for

cockroach, cucaracha, transformed by English folk etymologyinto "cock"

and

"roach".

The

term cucaracha (sp. cuca "bug",

and raxa "streak"

(modern Spanish raya)) originally was used for the wood louse (the sow
bug), but later was used to mean the palmetto bug (the flying cockroach).
It is from this later Mexican usage that English-speaking Americans began
using the term for regular (non-flying) cockroach
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom
:

Animalia

Phylum:

Arthropoda

Subphyl
um:

Hexapoda

Class:
Subclass
:

Insecta
Pterygota

Infraclas
s:

Neoptera

Superord
er:

Dictyoptera

Order:

Blattodea

NOTABLE SPECIES
Cockroaches are generally rather large insects. Most species are about the
size of a thumbnail, but several species are bigger. The world's heaviest
cockroach is the Australian giant burrowing cockroach Macropanesthia
rhinoceros, which can reach 9 cm (3.5 in) in length and weigh more than
30 g (1.1 oz). Comparable in size is the Central American giant
cockroachBlaberus giganteus, which grows to a similar length but is not as
heavy. According to the Guinness World Records, the longest cockroach
species is Megaloblatta longipennis, which can reach 97 mm (3.8 in) in
length and 45 mm (1.8 in) across.[16] A Central and South American
species, Megaloblatta blaberoides, has the largest wingspan of up to
185 mm (7.3 in).[17]
Cockroaches have broad, flattened bodies and relatively small heads.
They are generalized insects, with few special adaptations, and may be
among the most primitive living neopteran insects. The mouthparts are on
the underside of the head and include generalised chewing mandibles.
They have large compound eyes, two ocelli, and long, flexible, antennae.
The first pair of wings (the tegmina) are tough and protective, lying as a
shield on top of the membranous hind wings. All four wings have
branching longitudinal veins, and multiple cross-veins. The legs are sturdy,
with large coxae and five claws each. The abdomen has ten segments and
several cerci

Blattella germanica, German cockroach

Blaptica dubia, South American/Peruvian Dubia cockroach

Blatta orientalis, Oriental cockroach

Blattella asahinai, Asian cockroach

Blaberus craniifer, true death's head cockroach

Blaberus discoidalis, discoid cockroach or false death's head

Eurycotis floridana, Florida woods cockroach

Gromphadorhina portentosa, Madagascar hissing cockroach

Laxta granicollis, bark cockroach

Parcoblatta pennsylvanica, Pennsylvania woods cockroach

Periplaneta americana, American cockroach

Periplaneta australasiae, Australian cockroach

1.

GERMAN COCKROACH

German cockroach
Scientific classification
Kingdo
m:

Animalia

Phylum
:

Arthropoda

Class:

Insecta

Order:

Blattodea

Family:

Blattellidae

Genus:

Blattella

Species
:

Blattella
germanica

Binomial name
Blattella germanica
Linnaeus, 1767

The German

cockroach (Blattella

germanica)

is

small species of cockroach, typically about 1.1 to 1.6 cm (0.43 to 0.63 in)
[1][2]

long. In colour it varies from tan to almost black, and it has two dark,

roughly parallel, streaks on the pronotumrunning anteroposteriorly from

behind

the

head

to

the

base

of

the

wings.

Although Blattella

germanica has wings, it can barely fly, although it may glide when
disturbed.[3] Of the few species of cockroach that are domestic pests, it
probably is the most widely troublesome example. [4] It is very closely
related to the Asian cockroach, and to the casual observer the two appear
nearly identical and may be mistaken for each other. However, the Asian
cockroach is attracted to light and can fly rather like a moth, which the
German cockroach can not.
Biology and pest status
Blattella germanica occurs widely in human buildings, but is particularly
associated

with restaurants, food

processingfacilities, hotels,

and

institutional establishments such as nursing homes. In cold climates, they

occur only near human dwellings, because they cannot survive severe
cold. However, even though they would soon die in the outdoors on their
own, German cockroaches have been found as inquilines ("tenants") of
human buildings as far north as Alert, Nunavut.[5]Similarly, they have been
found as far south as Southern Patagonia.[6]
Previously thought to be a native of Europe, the German cockroach later
was considered to have emerged from the region ofEthiopia in Northeast
Africa,[7][8] but more recent evidence suggests that it actually originated in
Southeast Asia.[4][9]Whatever the truth of the matter, the cockroach's
sensitivity to cold might reflect its origin from such warm climates, and its
spread as a domiciliary pest since ancient times has resulted from

incidental

human

transport

and

shelter.

The

species

now

is cosmopolitan in distribution, occurring as a household pest on all

continents except Antarctica, and on many major islands as well. It
accordingly has been given various names in the cultures of many
regions. For example, although it is widely known as the "German
cockroach" in English-speaking countries, in Germany in turn, it is known
as the Russian roach.[10]
Diet
German cockroaches are omnivorous scavengers. They are attracted
particularly to meats, starches, sugars and fatty foods. Where there is a
shortage of foodstuffs, they may eat household items such as soap, glue
and toothpaste. In famine conditions they turn cannibalistic, chewing at
each other's wings and legs.[12]
Reproduction
The German cockroach reproduces faster than any other residential
cockroach,[13] growing from egg to reproductive adult in approximately 123
days.[14] Once

fertilized,

female

German

cockroach

develops

an ootheca in her abdomen. The abdomen swells as her eggs develop,

until the translucent tip of the ootheca begins to protrude from the end of
her abdomen, and by that time the eggs inside are fully sized. The
ootheca, at first translucent, soon turns white and then within a few hours
it turns pink, progressively darkening until, some 48 hours later, it attains
the dark red-brown of the shell of a chestnut. The ootheca has a keel-like
ridge along the line where the young emerge, and curls slightly towards
that edge as it completes its maturation. A small percentage of the
nymphs may hatch while the ootheca is still attached to the female, but
the majority emerge some 24 hours after it has detached from the
female's body. The newly hatched 3mm-long black nymphs then progress
through

six

or

seven instars before

becoming

sexually

mature,

but ecdysis is such a hazardous process that nearly half the nymphs die of

natural causes before reaching adulthood. Molted skins and dead nymphs
are soon eaten by living nymphs present at the time of molting

2.

ASIAN COACROCHES (Blattella asahinai)

Blattella asahinai
SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom

Animalia

:
Phylum:

Arthropod
a

Class:

Insecta

Order:

Blattodea

Family:

Blattellida
e

Genus:

Blattella

Species:

B.
asahinai

Binomial name
Blattella asahinai
Mizukubo, 1981

Blattella asahinai, the Asian cockroach is a species of cockroach that

was first described in 1981 from insects collected onOkinaw

Island, Japan.[1]
Description
The Asian cockroach is nearly identical to the German cockroach (Blattella
germanica) except for a few minor morphological differences. Like the
German cockroach, it is about 1.6 cm (0.63 in) long, is tan to brown in
color, and has wings. However, its wings are longer than the German
cockroach, and there is a difference between a groove in the abdomen

between the two species. There are other differences. The quickest way to
tell the difference between the two species is that the Asian cockroach is a
strong flyer (almost like a moth) and is attracted to light, unlike the
German cockroach.[1] This species tends to prefer the outdoors, whereas
the German cockroach prefers living indoors.
Distribution
Blattella asahinai is found in tropical and subtropical climates, and was
first identified in theUnited States in 1986 in Lakeland, Florida. It has since
expanded throughout much of Floridaand is spreading into other southern
states. In addition to Florida, it is reported in Alabama,Georgia, South
Carolina, and Texas.[1] Its population reaches its zenith in late August and
declines rapidly with the onset of cool weather (Snoddy and Appel 2007).
During adverse weather conditions such as cold weather or dry conditions
the Asian cockroach will burrow down into the leaf litter (Snoddy and
Appel 2007).
Beneficial insect
According to entomologist Bob Pfannenstiel (Beneficial Insects Research
Unit, Weslaco, Texas), this omnivorous species also feeds, under certain
conditions, on the eggs of lepidopteran pests of annual crops. Asian
cockroaches ventured west into Texas in 2006, and became the most
common predator of bollworm eggs in the state's Rio Grande Valley
region. The bollworm threatens cotton, soybean, corn and tomato crops.[2]