Types of cockroaches
Domestic cockroaches have become such familiar guests in a person’s home that many are not even surprised when they meet them, for example, in the kitchen. However, few people know that there are many types of domestic cockroaches, and they are quite different from each other. And if you meet at home not the usual Prusak, but, for example, a large black cockroach, then some especially impressionable owners can be really scared.
A long time ago in Russia, large black cockroaches, which were considered a sign of prosperity and well-being in the house, were in charge of the houses. Although today they have been practically replaced by their red counterparts, no, no, and there will be a black cockroach somewhere. Let's find out what these insects are and what you can expect from them.
Among the many cockroaches kept at home, Madagascar hissing cockroaches are the most famous. It is they who are shown in films and videos as terrible huge insects, designed to shock with their size and appearance. But in fact, they are very friendly and peaceful creatures that, with proper care, can be wonderful pets.
The most famous and least loved domestic insect - the red cockroach - is known primarily as an unwanted guest in the apartment and a consumer of various food leftovers near the bin and on the table. And how often the Prussians catch the eye of an ordinary resident of a city apartment, just as many questions arise about these pests. In order to confidently and quickly get rid of kitchen invaders, you need to get to know them better.
Few people know that in addition to the usual red cockroaches, there are a large number of other species of these insects. These are black cockroaches, and American, as well as Madagascar hissing cockroaches, chess cockroaches, rhinoceros cockroaches and many others. Let's take a look at photos of some of them...
American cockroaches have long expanded their natural habitats by moving into human dwellings. It is warm here, there is water and food, and there are much fewer natural biological enemies. You can even say that cockroaches feel much better and more comfortable in an apartment than in their natural habitat.
Over many millions of years of evolution, cockroaches have managed to adapt to a huge variety of living conditions. This group of insects has reached the greatest species richness in the tropics, where more than 4,500 species live, differing both in size and appearance, as well as in reproduction characteristics and in general way of life.
Almost all cockroaches are relatively harmless to humans (except for the infections they carry), for the most part they do not bite, do not have venom glands, and can only frighten with a hiss or their terrible appearance.Although, even the sight of an ordinary Prusak can shock some especially impressionable ladies.
Several species of so-called domestic cockroaches live in a human dwelling. The most common among them is the red cockroach, or Prussian - a small, but very mobile and rapidly breeding insect. It is from him that apartments and houses that are not in the most ideal sanitary condition suffer the most.
At one time, red cockroaches almost everywhere ousted black cockroaches from the human dwelling - larger and more terrible in appearance, but at the same time, pests less adapted to life in apartments. The black cockroach does not know how to crawl on glass (which the Prussian can cope with very easily), breeds slowly and is more demanding on the temperature regime. Moreover, female black cockroaches lay egg capsules immediately after their formation, and the Prussians living right there eat these capsules with pleasure. And the Prussians themselves wear their capsules (ootheca) on themselves and protect until offspring are hatched from them.
Another type of cockroach common throughout the world is American, large, red and slender. In our country, he is not so familiar, since he experiences cold winters with difficulty.
But in the terrariums of amateurs there are a variety of types of cockroaches - Madagascar, famous for their horns, hissing and participation in cockroach races, as well as Colombian (white with a black head), and incredibly beautiful banana cockroaches - salad color and able to fly.
Yes, and in the wild nature of our country there are several unusual species of cockroaches.Among them is the Far Eastern relic cockroach, unique in its ability to reproduce without the participation of males and even use wood as food.
In terms of the variety of species, cockroaches can only be compared with aquarium fish, and therefore it is very reckless to consider all cockroaches similar to Prussians. You can learn more about different types of cockroaches and how they look in photographs from the relevant publications on our website.