Cockroaches

Cockroaches

• Carboniferous period (300 million years ago)

• Similar form today (have evolved very little)

• E.g. Blaberus giganteus

  • Giant Cave Cockroach

  • Neotropical species

• Spanish: cucaracha

• Latin: blatta

What order?

Blattaria

• 3500 + species

• Tropical origin

• Native species live in fields and woods

• Madagascar hissing cockroaches kept frequently as pets

Cockroaches of the Southeast

• American

• Oriental

• German

• Brown Banded

• Smoky-Brown

• Australian

• Brown

• Woods

• Surinam

• Cuban

Cockroaches of main concern in NC

• American

• Oriental

• German

Most important cockroach species

• American

• German

• Oriental

• Brown-banded

Smoky brown cockroach

uniformly dark

American cockroach

lighter colors on thorax

Oothece

egg cases

Life history

• Hemimetabolous

• Eggs protected inside a thick-walled ootheca until deposited.

• Embryonic development occurs outside of the female (in most species).

• Nymphs exude aggregation pheromones

  • Studies show that the presence of this pheromone reduces development time from nymph to adult.

American cockroach stages

• Eggs

  • ca. 14 eggs/case

  • Hidden in cracks

  • Hatch in 1-2 months

• Nymphs

  • 10-13 molts (nymphal stage)

  • 6-12 months

• Adult

  • Female 1 case/week

  • 12-24 cases/summer

  • Longevity

    • One year or more

  • Lifespan (all stages)

    • 2 years

American cockroaches are ______.

Large, reddish brown to dark brown

• 4-5 cm long

• Commonly aboard ships

• Reports of sailors wearing gloves to bed to keep cockroaches from gnawing their fingernails

Habitat of the American cockroach

• Commercial establishments

• Grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries

• Boiler rooms, steam tunnels, basements

• Inspection:

  • Warm, humid areas, drains

  • Fermenting liquids

  • Beer soaked bread for trapping

Oriental cockroach stages

• Eggs

  • ca. 16 eggs/case

  • Deposited by female 2 days after formation

  • Hatch in 2 months

• Nymphs

  • 6-7 molts

  • 2 months

• Adult

  • 4-8 cases/female

  • 128 young/female

  • Longevity

    • 3 months

Oriental cockroaches are ______.

2-3 cm long, black color

• Male has short wings, Female has just a trace of wings

Habitat of the Oriental cockroach

• Cool, damp sites

• Basements, crawl spaces, under sidewalks

• Garden stones, sewer pipes, floor drains

• Inspection:

  • Cool, humid areas

  • Fecal smears

  • Egg cases, live and dead cockroaches

German cockroach stages

• Eggs

  • 30-40 eggs/case

  • Carried by females for 3 weeks

  • Deposited just prior to hatching

• Nymphs

  • 6-7 molts

  • 2 months

• Adult

  • 4-8 cases/female

  • 300 young/female

  • Longevity

    • 3-6 months

German cockroaches are ______.

• Small (12-16 mm), light brown to yellow, with 2 longitudinal stripes that are darker brown on the thorax

Habitat of the German cockroach

• Home and farm

• Kitchens, bathrooms, sinks, showers

• Inspection:

  • Sink cabinets, dripping faucets, moist areas

  • Dark, humid places

Brown banded cockroach stages

• Eggs

  • 13-18 eggs/case

  • Attached to surfaces

  • Hatch in 50 days

• Nymphs

  • 6-8 molts

  • 6 months

• Adult

  • 14 cases/female

  • 250 young/female

  • Longevity

    • 6 months

• Males fly

Brown banded cockroaches are ________.

Light brown to yellow color

• Mottled reddish-brown wings on female; lighter wings on male

• Slightly larger than German cockroach but has 2 wide bands across the dorsum of the abdomen most noticeable in nymphs

Habitat of Brown banded cockroaches

• Warm temperatures

  • Refrigerators, clocks, television sets, stereo equipment

  • Behind pictures, cabinets, closets

• Egg cases attached to rough surfaces

  • High, dry sites

• Inspection:

  • Warm, humid areas

  • Fecal smears, cast skins, egg cases

Australian cockroach stages

• Eggs

  • 24 eggs/case

  • Deposit egg cases in cracks

  • Hatch in 30 days

• Nymphs

  • 6-8 molts

  • 6 months

• Adult

  • 1 case every 10 days

  • Longevity

    • 6 months
      

Australian cockroaches are ______.

Reddish brown to dark brown color.

• 2.5 cm long

  • Similar in appearance to American cockroach, but with yellow streak on base of outer margins of wings.

Habitat of the Australian cockroach

• Unable to become permanently established in the North.

• Repeatedly introduced from the South.

• Develop in damp but warm places.  

• Found mostly on first floors of buildings.

• Problem in greenhouses.

Pest status of cockroaches

• Feeding habits

  • Material of animal or plant origin

  • Destroy/contaminate food and other objects

  • Starchy materials

    • Book bindings, cheese, beer, leather, hair, wall paper, toe nails, parchment, postage stamps

• Odor

  • Abdominal scent glands

  • Fecal pellets

  • Regurgitation

  • Odor is noticeable in infected buildings.

  • May also ruin food that they contact.

Mechanical transmission of Pathogens

• Capable of transmitting microorganisms such as bacteria

  • Contaminate food and/or food preparation surfaces

Allergies to cockroaches

• Specific components of allergy?

  • Cast skins

  • Excrement

  • Whole bodies

• Several proteins have been identified as allergens.

• Once hypersensitized, people can experience a severe reaction by entering the room where cockroaches are present.

Exposure to cockroach allergens are an important cause of ______.

asthma-related illness and hospitalizations among inner city children.

• Leading cause of pediatric ER visits

Prevention and control

• Sanitation

  • Clean up and remove clutter

• Eliminate entry

  • Caulking and sealing

• Physical control

  • Vacuum, trap, etc.

• Biological Control

  • Parasitic wasps, nematodes, fungi

• Chemical Control

  • Residual pesticides, baits

Some generations of cockroaches can _______.

be repulsed by the presence of glucose →is an issue because glucose is used in many traps to lure cockroaches

The German cockroach produces the _______.

greatest amount of offspring per female