Cockroachs

Cockroach

General characteristics:

They have lived on Earth for 300 million years, while most species live in forests. Only ten species concern public health and they are omnivorous insects. The ootheca or egg sac carries the eggs in a protective membrane and they are very resistant to insecticides compared to adults. They are encountered in every part of the world where there are humans. They carry many diseases (salmonella, plague, typhus, diarrhea, helminths) and can cause allergies such as asthma, skin irritation, especially with dust containing dry feces, or dried body parts, etc. They have many natural predators, such as spiders and wasps. They carry pathogenic bacteria and fungi in their body and circulatory system.

Where do we find cockroaches:

In dark places with: humidity, organic matter, quietness, like in basements, sewers, kitchens, food cabinets, behind electrical appliances such as coffee makers, stoves, refrigerators, toasters, in paper warehouses, etc.

Cockroach

GERMAN COCKROACH

It is 12-15 mm long, brown in color, with two dark stripes on the chest. It has a pair of wings along its body. It is very fast and climbs very easily. It is an omnivorous insect and is active at night. Its life cycle ranges from 12 to 15 months, while it reproduces very quickly. We find it very often in home or industrial kitchens. It prefers high temperatures and humidity.

AMERICAN COCKROACH

It is 28-44 mm long and of red-brown color. The male has longer wings than its body and the female has shorter wings, as they barely cover the abdomen. It is fast and can fly. The female has an ootheca, which carries 6-28 eggs for several days before depositing it in a safe place, and the eggs hatch in 1-2 months. We find them in large populations in drainage shafts, in basements, in rooms with high humidity, in horizontal and vertical drains and in building interiors.

ORIENTAL COCKROACH

It is 25-30 mm long and has dark brown to black color. Females have short wings, whereas in males they cover more than half of the abdomen. It runs, but it cannot fly. The female has an ootheca carrying 12-18 eggs that hatch in about 2 months. It withstands lower temperatures compared to other species of cockroaches and thus it is found outdoors, in garbage, under foliage, in parks, etc.

SUPELLA

It is 10-15 mm long and has yellow-brown color. Both sexes have wings, but the male has longer ones and he can fly. The female has an ootheca carrying 14-16 eggs that hatch in about 1-2 months, while it takes 3-4 months for them to turn into reproductive adults. They are widely dispersed throughout houses, as they prefer to make nests where there is wood ( beds, libraries, floors, etc.).