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COCKROACH (ORDER BLATTARIA or BLATTODEA)

Cockroach, (order Blattodea), also called roach, any of about 4,600 species
of insects that are among the most primitive living winged insects, appearing today much
like they do in fossils that are more than 320 million years old. The word cockroach is a
corruption of the Spanish cucaracha. The cockroach is characterized by a flattened oval
body, long threadlike antennae, and a shining black or brown leathery integument. The
head is bent downward, and the mouthparts point backward instead of forward or
downward as is the case in most other insects. Male cockroaches usually have two pairs
of wings, whereas females, in some species, are wingless or have vestigial wings.

The female produces eggs in egg cases (called oothecae). These are sometimes held
protruding from her body or may be glued in protected areas. After the female deposits
an egg case, the soft white nymphs emerge. As their exoskeleton hardens, it turns brown
in colour. The structure and large size (certain species have a wingspread of more than 12
cm [4.7 inches]) of cockroaches have made them objects of interest in the biological
laboratory.

The cockroach prefers a warm, humid, dark environment and is usually found in tropical
or other mild climates. Only a few species have become pests. The insect damages more
material than it consumes and emits a disagreeable odour. The diet of the roach, which
includes both plant and animal products, ranges from food, paper, clothing, and books to
dead insects, especially bedbugs. Insecticides are used in roach control.

The American
cockroach (species Periplaneta
americana), a native of Africa and
the Middle East, is 30 to 50 mm (up to
about 2 inches) long, is reddish
brown, and lives outdoors or in dark
heated indoor areas (e.g., basements
and furnace rooms). During adult life,
a period of about 1.5 years, the female
deposits 50 or more oothecae, each
containing about 16 eggs
that hatch after 45 days. Nymphal life lasts from 11 to 14 months. The American
cockroach has well-developed wings. However, most species are not good fliers.
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COCKROACH (ORDER BLATTARIA or BLATTODEA)

The German cockroach (Blattella

germanica), a common
household pest, is light brown with
two dark stripes on the prothoracic
region. The female produces the
ootheca 3 days after mating and
carries it for about 20 days. Three or
more generations may occur yearly.
Because it is small (about 12 mm [less
than 0.5 inch] long), this cockroach
often is carried into homes in grocery
bags and boxes. It has spread
throughout the world thanks to human transport, including long-distance transport by
ship.

The brown-banded cockroach (Supella

longipalpa) resembles the German
cockroach but is slightly smaller. The male
has fully developed wings and is lighter in
colour than the female, whose wings are
short and nonfunctional. Both sexes have
two light-coloured bands across the back.
The adult life span is about 200 days, and
there may be two generations annually. 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
climates.

The Oriental cockroach (Blatta

orientalis) is considered one of the
filthiest of household pests. It is
oval, shiny black or dark brown, and
25 to 30 mm (1 to 1.2 inches) long,
with a life cycle similar to that of the
American cockroach. The male has
short fully developed wings, and the
female has vestigial wings. This
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COCKROACH (ORDER BLATTARIA or BLATTODEA)

cockroach has been distributed by vehicles of commerce from its Asiatic origins
to all the temperate regions.

Wood roaches are not domestic pests in eastern and central North America,
despite their name. The Pennsylvania wood cockroach (Parcoblatta
pennsylvanica) is found under logs and stones in northern latitudes. The male
and female are so different in appearance that they were once considered
separate species. The male, 15 to 25 mm (0.6 to 1 inch) long, has wings that
extend past the abdomen. The female is smaller and has much shorter wings.
The brown-hooded cockroach (Cryptocercus punctulatus) digests wood with
the aid of certain protozoans in its digestive tract.

Some authorities consider cockroaches to be a suborder of either the

order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids) or the order
Dictyoptera (mantids and cockroaches).

Britannica (Last update Sep.2, 2022) Cockroach. Retrieved from:

https://www.britannica.com/animal/cockroach-insect / https://www.britannica.com/editor/The-
Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419
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COCKROACH (ORDER BLATTARIA or BLATTODEA)

German Cockroach
(Blatella germanica)

Appearance

 Adult is 10 – 15 mm in length.
 Pronotum (head shield) has 2 dark longitude stripes.
 Male is light yellowish brown in color with longer tongue
shaped body.
 Female is darker in color with plump abdomen.

Lifecycle

 Female produces 4 – 9 oothecae (egg case), each oothecae contain 37 – 44 eggs.

 Nymphs take 30 – 60 days to mature into adults.
 Adult life cycle is more than 100 days.

Habits

 Major pest in restaurants, hotels and apartments.

 Prefers dark and secluded areas to harborage such as under the cupboard and behind a refrigerator.

American Cockroach
(Periplaneta americana)

Appearance

 Adult is 35 – 40 mm in length, one of the largest pest

cockroaches.
 Shining red to chocolate brown in color.

Lifecycle
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COCKROACH (ORDER BLATTARIA or BLATTODEA)

 Female produces 10 – 90 oothecae (egg case), each oothecae contain 14 – 28 eggs.

 Nymphs take 150 days to develop into adults.
 Adult life cycle is 100 days to 3 years.

Habits

 Prefers warm and humid environment such as drains and sewers.

Brown Banded Cockroach

(Supella longipalpa)

Appearance

 Adult is 10–14 mm in length, one of the smallest pest

cockroaches.
 Yellow-brown stripes across the abdomen.

Lifecycle

 Female produces up to 13 oothecae (egg case), each oothecae

contain 16 eggs.
 Nymphs take 55 days to develop into adults.
 In ideal temperature conditions (30°c), adult lives 90 – 115 days.

Habits

 Prefers warm and humid environment such as drains and sewers.

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