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:

Insecta

Subclass
:

Pterygota

Infraclas
s:

Neoptera

Superord Dictyoptera
er:
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.

JAPANESE COCKROACH

The Japanese

cockroach (Periplaneta

japonica),

also

known

as

the Yamato cockroach,[1] is a cockroach native to Japan that is adapted

to cooler northern climates.[2][3][4] It has a flexible univoltine or semivoltine
(one or two year) lifecycle, depending on the timing of its hatching, and is
unusual in being able to spend two winters as diapause nymphs before
reaching maturity.[3]
Periplaneta japonica
Scientific classification
Kingdom
:

Animalia

Phylum:

Arthropod

a
Class:

Insecta

Order:

Blattodea

Family:

Blattidae

Genus:

Periplanet
a

Species:

P. japonica

Binomial name
Periplaneta
japonica
Karny, 1908
Freeze tolerance
Nymphs have been observed in the wild hibernating in sub-freezing
temperatures
[5]

during

winter

months

in

snow-covered

habitats.

Overwintering nymphs were able to survive laboratory supercooling

experiments in the -5 C to -8 C temperature range, enduring twelve

hours of tissue freezing,[6] as well as recover from burial in ice. [1] The
ability to walk on ice was also found to be unique among several
cockroach species tested.[1]
Physiology
Initial first-instar nymphs are dark brown, with white or brownish white
tips of the maxillary and labial palps. Adults measure 2535 mm in length,
and have a shiny, uniformly black to blackish-brown body, with
brown tarsi and maxillary and labial palps. The adult male's wings extend
slightly beyond the body's length, while the female's wings are around
half the body's length.[7]
Unlike most cockroaches, the major hydrocarbon in P. japonicas cuticular
lipids is cis-9-nonacosene.[8] Males have significant amounts of cis-9heptacosene not found on females.[8] Glucose, myo-inositol, scyllo-inositol

and trehalose were found in overwintering nymphs and are thought to be

a factor in their freeze tolerance.[6]
Habitat
Primarily an outdoors species, populations are adaptable to living indoors
in houses and buildings where food is stored, prepared, or served.[7][9]
Defense
P. japonica nymphs that are alone or in sparse populations accumulate a
viscous secretion along its rear dorsal surface, droplets of which it can be
splashed some distance toward a threat through a shaking action. A study
found that the presence of an aggressive species of ant, Formica exsecta,
triggered this defensive response, rendering the ants helpless.[10]
Invasive species
Originally

from

Japan, P.

japonica has

spread

to China, Korea and

southeast Russia, though it is considered a common pest primarily in

central and northern Japan.[4][7][9][11]
The species was found in New York City in 2013, the first time the species
was found in the United States.[12] It was found by an exterminator
beneath plantings inHigh Line, a Manhattan park, and was able to survive
over a cold winter.[13] Scientists who confirmed the identity of the species
through genetic testing theorize that it may have been imported in the
soil of ornamental plants used in the park.

2.

ORIENTAL COCKROACH
Oriental cockroach

Scientific classification
Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Arthropoda

Class:

Insecta

Order:

Blattodea

Family:

Blattidae

Genus:

Blatta

Species:

B. orientalis

Binomial name
Blatta orientalis
Linnaeus, 1758
The oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis), also known as the waterbug,
is a large species of cockroach, adult males being 1829 mm (0.71
1.14 in) and adult females being 2027 mm (0.791.06 in).[1] It is dark
brown to black in color and has a glossy body. The female Oriental
cockroach has a somewhat different appearance from the male, appearing
to be wingless at casual glance but has two very short and useless wings
just below her head. She has a wider body than the male. The male has
long wings, which cover two thirds of the abdomen and are brown in color,
and has a narrower body. The odd male is capable of very short flights,
ranging about 2 to 3 meters. The female oriental cockroach looks
somewhat similar to the Florida woods cockroach, and may be mistaken
for it. Originally endemic to the Crimean Peninsula and the region around
the Black Sea and Caspian Sea,[1] its distribution is now cosmopolitan.[2]
Habitat
The oriental cockroach tends to travel somewhat more slowly than other
species. They are often called "waterbugs" since they prefer dark, moist
places. They can often be found around decaying organic matter, and in
sewers, drains, damp basements, porches, and other damp locations.

They

can

be

found

outside

in

bushes,

under

leaf

groundcover,

under mulch, and around other damp places outdoors. They are major
household pests in parts of the northwest, mid-west, and southern United
States.[3]
Adaptation
In order to thrive, cockroaches need a place to hide. They prefer warm
places and a relatively high humidity if possible; they also need a source
of food/liquid. The optimum temperature for oriental cockroaches is
between 20 C (68 F) to 29 C (84 F). Female oriental cockroaches have
vestigial tegmina (reduced forewings) and males have longer tegmina.
Cockroaches are mainly nocturnal. Oriental cockroaches can be elusive in
that a casual inspection of an infested dwelling during the day may show
no signs of roach activity.
Oothecae
Signs of cockroaches are their oothecae, which are egg cases. The
blackish brown oothecae of the oriental cockroach are 1012 mm (0.39
0.47 in) long, with indistinct egg compartments housing 1618 eggs.
[1]

These oothecae are formed a day after mating, and typically deposited

a day or two after formation, though it can be deposited up to 7 days

later. It is typically deposited in a sheltered area or attached to a substrate
by oral secretion.[1] They are initially a yellow white, turning reddish brown
then blackish brown.[1] They lose viability at temperatures below 0 C
(32 F).[1] They hatch on their own in about 42 days at 29.5 C (85.1 F)
and 81 days at 21 C (70 F).[1]
Pest Control
Oriental cockroaches can be harder to get rid of than other roaches.
Although adults can be fairly easily killed by the application of residual
insecticide, the insecticides can get washed away, and two months later
females can hatch new nymphs.