The cockroach Prusak, the photo of which is shown below, is a classic representative of the "uninvited guest" in any home. The fight against this type of insect has been going on for millennia and has not yet been crowned with complete success.

Almost always there are owners of houses and apartments who study all kinds of information in order to get rid of the Prusak. However, to defeat a cockroach, you need to know about the characteristics of its life cycle and nutrition. Below will be provided a description of the most important characteristics of such an insect.

Appearance and general information

Prusak belongs to the cockroach family. It is a synanthropic (non-domesticated, but associated with a person), flightless insect, which regularly brings a number of inconveniences to the owners of houses and apartments.

Red cockroaches (Prusaks), as well, are of two sexes. The body length of an adult varies between 1-1.5 cm. In males it is wedge-shaped, in females it is rounded. Prusak has hard chitinous wings that cover the body from above. Despite this, this type of insect is only capable of planning, and not full-fledged flights.

In the photo of Prusak cockroaches, you can see that they have a characteristic red or brown color. On the chitinous membrane of insects, the appearance of individual more saturated pigment stripes may be noted. At the head end of the cockroach there is a mouth apparatus, eyes and antennae, which it uses as sensitive organs.

The total life span of an average Prusak is 20-30 weeks. After this period, he dies a natural death.

Why exactly "Prusak"?

Many people wonder why cockroaches are called Prusaks. Where did this name come from? There is an opinion that these insects were brought to St. Petersburg and Moscow after successful battles with Prussia. When the soldiers were taking the captured valuables home, the cockroaches "arrived" with them. Accordingly, they received the nickname "Prussians", coming from the name of the country.

Nevertheless, in contrast to this opinion, the Germans, on the contrary, call this species of insects "hares", believing that they were brought from Russia. It is practically impossible to establish the truth at the moment, however, it is precisely because of such historical events that the traditional now red cockroaches are called Prusaks.

Life cycle features

If everything is already extremely clear with how the Prusak cockroaches look, then you need to dwell in more detail on their reproduction.

The entire life cycle of insects can be represented in the following sequence of stages:

• Egg;
• Larva (nymph);
• Sexually mature individual (imago).

Traditionally, cockroaches lack the pupal stage characteristic of other insects. Nymphs hatch from the egg, which visually already resemble adults. They differ in size and color. Over time, several molts occur, and the larvae grow and acquire all the characteristic features of an imago.

Females lay their eggs in a special protein capsule - ooteca. Visually, it resembles a leather bag. In it, the eggs are arranged in 2 or more rows. One such ooteca contains, on average, up to 40 future individuals. The black cockroach Prusak, or rather its female, can lay up to 60 eggs.

In most cases, the ootheca is attached under the abdomen. The female carries it with her until the eggs ripen. When the moment of hatching comes, she leaves her "bag" in a secluded place. After a short period of time, small cockroaches crawl out of it, which practically immediately lead the usual way of life for these insects.

Why are cockroaches dangerous?

Despite the general discomfort that people experience in the presence of the Prussians, a number of other important negatives of such a neighborhood should be noted:

• Cockroaches carry a variety of bacteria. Their everyday activity can cause dysentery, food poisoning or allergies. The chitinous membrane of the Prusak's body remains a very powerful antigen.

• Cockroaches can bite people. Mostly the places of damage are the earlobes, the area around the lips and eyes. Small children often suffer. Their skin is very delicate and the Prussians are not averse to feasting on it.
• Cockroaches crawling into household appliances can cause a short circuit and disable the devices.

One way or another, but when the Prussians appear in a house or apartment, you need to actively start a fight with them or.

Bullying methods

How to get rid of Prusak cockroaches in an apartment? Here is one of the most important questions asked by all people faced with a similar problem. At the moment, there are quite a lot of various effective means that will allow you to forget about the Prussians in the house forever.

All of them can be conditionally divided into the following large groups:

• Specialized insecticides. These include sprays, gels, poisoned baits, and the like. You can find a wide variety of relevant substances in stores. Almost everyone will be able to find the right product for themselves. The main thing is to ask about the effectiveness of the corresponding spray or gel before buying.
• Fumigators. A group of devices that works on the principle of evaporation of insecticides when heated. There are smoke, traditional electric and. In all cases, the active substance enters the air and contributes to the destruction of insects in hard-to-reach places of an apartment or house.
• Scarers. A group of fashionable, but not always effective devices. They use ultrasound or electromagnetic pulses to repel cockroaches. Sometimes it helps, but often there are times when the desired result cannot be achieved.
• Folk methods. A group of means and methods for controlling cockroaches, which are based on many years of experience in home-baiting of Prusaks. The most popular are ammonia and homemade traps.

The red cockroach Prusak is always an uninvited guest in any home. It is necessary to start the fight against it in a timely manner to prevent the spread of the insect colony.

More information about red cockroaches (Prusaks) in the video:

These insects together make up a whole Detachment of Tarakanovs... A common feature of all representatives is an oval body, crowned with a triangular head with long antennae. So, what kind of cockroaches are there?

Tropical

Green cockroach (banana).

Inhabitant of the rainforests of Florida, Ecuador and Cuba. It differs from domestic cockroaches in its bright light green color of the integument and in its large size. Many people breed them in the terrarium as pets.

The banana varieties of cockroaches, the photos of which are just below, fly perfectly with the help of transparent wings and are able to dig holes in the ground.

Brown cockroach or turtle.

Earth insects that live in secret. In nature, they live in the warm forests of Burma, India and Thailand.

Big enough creatures reaching 2 cm in length... All integuments of the body are painted in a rich chestnut color. All individuals have transparent wings. In males, they are long, capable of briefly lifting the host into the air. In addition, the wings are decorated with a pale yellow transverse border.

Females are not so elegant, their small wings are devoid of patterns and do not even allow them to rise above the ground.

Marzipan cockroach.

Exotic from North America. Frequent inhabitant of terrariums... It is not particularly large in size, reaching a length of no more than 4 cm. The covers have a noble cherry color. The wings are very poorly developed, the elytra are short and square.

Females are distinguished by a wider body. They carry the ootheca for a day, then hide it in the litter or attach it to the bark. From above it is cemented with chewed pieces of soil and bark.

Marble cockroach.

It is bred in terrariums as decoration or food for hedgehogs, lizards and spiders. In nature, it lives in South America. The male can grow up to 3 cm in length, the female - up to 2.5 cm... The body is colored chestnut. Lighter specks are located on the integumentary wings, which form marble patterns over the entire surface. There are dark brown lines on the cervical plate.

The marble cockroach has no other differences from its relatives. Like the rest, this species lives in the upper layer of the earth and is omnivorous.

Madagascar cockroach.

A popular ornamental species found in many terrariums. It has huge dimensions compared to other species. Body length of an adult male reaches 5–8 cm, females - 6-9 cm.

No wings even in mature individuals. Covers can be red or chestnut colored.

Despite their enormous size, these giants are distinguished by their peaceful nature and increased fearfulness... During the day they hide in a bed of leaves and grass, and at night they get out. At the slightest suspicion of danger, they begin to strongly hiss... The sound is produced by spiracles located throughout the body.

Forest

It is a large genus of insects that live in forest areas around the world.

Lapland cockroach.

It lives in forests and steppes throughout Europe. His dimensions not very big, the length of the body is about 1 cm. It is painted gray or brown with a yellowish tinge. Pronotum with blurred black spots. Adult females have long wings, protected by large elytra.

ATTENTION! This view has an interesting feature. Males are active during the day, they live on plants. Females wake up at night, prefer to stay on the ground, hiding in the deciduous bedding.

Steppe cockroach.

Lives in the forest-steppe and steppes of Eurasia. Differs in small size and inconspicuous inconspicuous coloring... The length of its body does not exceed 8 mm, the integument is beige with a gray tint. A well-defined black arch runs along the pronotum.

This variety has a pronounced sexual dimorphism. In females, the elytra are short, covering only half of the body. Longitudinal dark lines run along the back. In males, the elytra are long, ending outside the body. There are no black stripes.

Steppe dwellers live only one warm season... In winter, they lay ootecs, and they themselves perish. By summer, larvae emerge from the clutches, which become adults by June.

Common forest cockroach.

Large specimens from Central America. In length can grow 6–8 cm... The body and elytra are pale brown in color with darker patches and a black spot on the pronotum.

An omnivorous species that lives inside the leaf litter. When attacking enemies, it releases a strong-smelling secret designed to scare away.

And again about the mustachioed

These insects are surrounded by a huge number of myths. For example, the tale of the notorious. This is not a monster! In fact, young nymphs who have just molted may appear light-colored.

Another popular misconception is poisonous cockroaches. Such people simply do not exist in nature! But many species secrete an unpleasant-smelling secret that scares off enemies.

Therefore, if you find uninvited guests at home, you should either, or.

Below are high quality and reliable remedies for cockroaches:

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Those who have never seen them can familiarize themselves with domestic cockroaches - photo below:

It turns out that cockroaches can not only harm humans! There are cockroach species that are used as pet food, and decorative varieties that serve as a decoration for the terrarium. We examined both huge representatives and small cockroaches, photos of all types are above in the article.

Watch a short video on how the Madagascar cockroach hisses:

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Cockroaches are a numerous insect suborder numbering several thousand. But the most famous representatives were those that are often found in apartments and houses of a person. In Russia, domestic cockroaches are represented by three types: red, black and furniture. It is they who bring discomfort to people.

Varieties of pests

• apartment cockroaches;
• other.

All of them belong to synanthropus - creatures that fully or partially depend on man and live in close proximity to him. In each country, the types of domestic cockroaches are different. In Asia, this is the Asian representative of cockroaches, in the USA and Europe -. Household cockroaches living in apartments and houses in Russia are also found in the CIS and neighboring countries.

Red cockroach

The most popular representatives of this species of insects live in apartments, private houses, basements. Another name "Prusak" was given to him because of assumptions that Prussia was his homeland. And in European countries it is called the Russian cockroach. The simplest nickname for a red barbel is.

Description of appearance

A photo of a domestic cockroach clearly shows what physiological characteristics it has:

• an elongated oval body of a red hue, 15 to 20 mm long;
• a small head with a large, long mustache located on it, a powerful jaw;
• 3 pairs of fast;
• a pair of transparent wings, covered with brown rigid elytra.

• indoor flowers;
• wallpaper, paper;
• rubber;
• organic waste.

The presence of a constant source of moisture is a prerequisite for the comfortable living of mustachioed insects.

Furniture cockroach

The lesser-known brown-striped inhabitant of Russian cities looks the same as the red-headed relative, which is why there is confusion between them. The insect became widespread in large cities after the 50s of the last century. The furniture cockroach gets its name from the staple diet of paper and glued coatings in cabinets.

External differences and the habitat of the furniture pest

In morphology, this species of cockroaches is very close to its ginger relative. He has the same proportions and body dimensions. The color of the elytra is lighter brown or reddish, without blotches and spots. The wings themselves are transparent with brown transverse stripes.

Females are colored brighter reddish and have an oval body shape. In males, the body is more elongated. The limbs of both sexes have a light shade.

Cockroaches move briskly, maneuvering between furniture partitions and bookshelves. Their main habitats are:

• offices and workplaces;
• libraries;
• paper archives;
• industrial premises;
• bookshelves and desks in residential apartments.

Reproduction and nutrition of a brown-striped cockroach

Insects reproduce quickly and can produce large offspring in their lifetime. One female lays up to 18 ootheca in her life, in each of which 10 - 15 eggs are formed. Translucent nymphs without wings are born from the capsule. After several molts, they become full-fledged individuals.

The furniture pest chooses everything that contains paper and starch as food. It can be wallpaper glue, covers of old books, cardboard, dust of wooden floors. A prerequisite for the residence of brown-striped barbel is the presence of water. They cannot live without it for a long time.

Harm from domestic cockroaches

Cockroaches are of different types, but they all appear on their bodies and limbs. Crawling on different surfaces of a residential or office space, they leave behind particles of bacteria that can get into a person's food and cause poisoning.

For many people, the presence of cockroach nests in the room causes a strong allergic reaction. These insects produce a kind of extract that allergy sufferers are sensitive to.

To prevent possible health problems, you need to deal with household pests in all available ways: use it yourself or contact the sanitary service for.

Most people study the varieties of cockroaches, their characteristics and external signs in order to fight them more effectively. Knowing the exact characteristics of reproduction and behavior, it is easier to choose poison for insects.

Among people, there are those who choose different types of exotic cockroaches for keeping at home. They are engaged in breeding insects for various reasons:

• Taking part in the race.
• For feed.
• For the study of habits and household content.

Today there are about 4.5 million species of cockroaches. Therefore, each person can easily pick up a suitable copy.

Scientists pay a lot of attention to the study of habits and characteristics. After all, some species stand out for their special behavior or bright colors. Among the materials presented on the network, it is easy to find information about most species. Although there are those for which there is practically no data.

To understand which species should be dealt with, which ones can be bred, you should familiarize yourself with popular insects.

Among all types of domestic cockroaches, furniture is distinguished, the existence of which became known in the last century. The body of an insect can have a different shade and size. Most often, their body is colored red. There are 2 light stripes on the abdomen. The cockroach has no wings.

There are also black cockroaches, the body length of which reaches 1.2 cm. They have long legs, so they quickly move and jump.

Furniture species are considered pests, since they are found on bookshelves, near wallpaper. Their main food is foods that contain starch. They also feed on paper.

The population of red and black cockroaches increases if the indoor temperature is maintained at 28 degrees.

Such small cockroaches are not bred or raised at home. They are trying to get rid of them using a variety of means, aerosols and gels. Often, specialists are involved who carry out the processing. But before that, they study how home furniture cockroaches look, what types of cockroaches are present in housing.

To process rooms in which furniture, black or red species are identified, use the following means:

• Sprays and aerosols.
• Gels, pastes.
• Pills.
• Crayons.
• Folk remedies.

If huge populations are found in a dwelling, then the processing is carried out by specialists. They are attracted by apartment owners. They have effective drugs.

Heat-loving insects

Among the known species of cockroaches in the apartment, heat-loving insects stand out. They prefer climatic regions in which the temperature practically does not decrease.

Some types of heat-loving cockroaches are found in Russia. As a rule, residents of the South of Russia encounter them. They have characteristic features by which they are distinguished by both specialists and ordinary people.

The living conditions suitable for increasing the population may vary. Pests reproduce well both in residential premises, as well as in warehouses and basements. Their development requires an optimal temperature range as well as an acceptable level of humidity.

Since domestic cockroaches look in the photos that are presented on the network, they also look in reality.

Information about what a Vietnamese cockroach looks like is of interest to residents of the south. After all, it is in this area that this species is found. Their habitats:

• Garbage bins.
• Landfills.
• Residential buildings in which adequate sanitary conditions are not maintained.

In natural conditions, insects are found between stones. Body shade is reddish brown. The head is colored yellow. These insects are distinguished by jumping and using their wings. The main source of food is waste, vegetation, and organic debris.

Flying cockroaches are raised to feed reptiles. To do this, they study how small cockroaches look, which individuals to select for feeding.

Egyptian cockroaches

The heat-loving species of cockroaches include Egyptian ones. They are found in Asia, as well as in the Crimea and the Caucasus. Males have wings, while females do not. Body shade is brown.

Body length varies in the range of 2.5-4.5 cm.

They are found in living quarters, on livestock farms, as well as in burrows. The main food is excrement, organic residues. They need a constant source of moisture. You will not find such cockroaches in the kitchen.

The population of Egyptian insects is growing rapidly, as each clutch contains 12-18 eggs.

Life expectancy is 3-4 years.

If an Egyptian pest enters the animal's body, then the likelihood of developing infectious diseases (paratyphoid fever) increases.

Those specialists who are interested in exotic cockroaches should pay attention to the record holders. Around the world, many interesting facts have been recorded that are related to insects.

In the process of selecting insects, various qualities were considered:

• Travel speed.
• Features of the internal structure of cockroaches.
• Description of cockroaches.
• External characteristics.

The selection is carried out by specialists who carefully study insects, their habits, habitat and other parameters.

American cockroach

Among the exotic cockroaches, the American species is distinguished. They stand out for their high travel speed. In 1 second, insects overcome 70-75 cm.

Such species prefer warm climates. If the temperature drops to zero, then they die. Such phenotypes stand out in large sizes. Their body length reaches 5 cm. The shade of the cover is brown, light red or red.

The structure of the American cockroach is interesting. This species has a powerful oral cavity. Therefore, it crushes solid elements. Insects settle in colonies. In one colony there can be about 9,000-10,000 thousand. They are found in buildings with high humidity.

The laid eggs are buried by pests in the soil. Parents practically do not care about offspring. The mating period is easy to determine, since at this time the female representatives exude a certain aroma.

The structural feature of American cockroaches is the maturation of the egg without preliminary fertilization.

Among all the species of Madagascar cockroaches, the hissing one stands out. It is large in size. The body length reaches 9–10 cm.

When studying hissing species, special attention is paid to the structural features of the respiratory system. After all, every exhalation is accompanied by a hiss.

The Madagascar cockroach is a viviparous phenotype. The parents take care of the larvae after birth. A hiss can be heard if strangers appear near the larvae.

Madagascar cockroaches are found in forests, in places where the level of humidity is high. They are often bred at home in order to study the structure of the cockroach's body, its habits.

Madagascar insects are also used as food. They are consumed by reptiles and snakes.

At home, this species is kept by both beginners and specialists. A terrarium or plastic container is prepared for them, which is complemented by a lid. Openings are prepared in plastic containers through which fresh air enters.

The bottom of the container is covered with:

• Coconut substrate.
• Pre-shredded paper used for writing.
• A mixture of clay and sand.
• Dried sawdust.
• Stones.

Stones and driftwood are placed at the bottom, which are used by insects as a shelter.

The most terrible and beautiful species of cockroaches

Although all types of these phenotypes are studied by specialists, special attention is paid to exotic insects. They stand out for their interesting appearance, special design. Due to the fact that the structure of cockroaches is more interesting, they are bred at home.

These insects are also popular because they have a unique color. Among the known species, there are individuals of red, blue and white shades. Some varieties are distinguished by a unique external structure.

Among all the existing types, specialists show a particular interest in several.

A distinctive feature of this insect is its considerable weight (from 30 to 40 grams). Their body length reaches 8-9 cm. They have a wide abdomen. The head is decorated with eyes that have a triangular shape. The paws are covered with small thorns.

In natural conditions, it lives in the forests of Australia. For shelter, leaf litters are used. They use the same vegetation as food. Among all trees, eucalyptus is distinguished, which has a special taste.

The life cycle is 8–10 years.

Lovers of exotic insects keep such cockroaches at home. Various containers are used for their content. Since these species are considered clean, there will be no unpleasant air in the house. The container is filled with eucalyptus leaves and substrate. They build passages and labyrinths in the soil.

It is not necessary to equip the terrarium with a cover, since these species do not move on slippery surfaces. Therefore, cover the container with a lid only at night.

For lighting, fluorescent lamps or fluorescent lamps are used. Their dwellings are not placed on the window, since ultraviolet radiation is contraindicated for insects.

Acceptable temperature range - from 24 to 28 degrees. The moisture content is about 80 percent. Sawdust or other substrate is sprayed to moisten; vegetation, fruits and oak leaves are used as feed.

Chess cockroach

Due to its unique color, this insect is brought up by many exotic lovers. This insect has several names: seven-point, domino, desert, chess. The presence of white spots is a protective paint. A similar color in a formidable beetle that spits poison in a stressful situation. Their body structure is similar to that of a black cockroach.

For the first time, they learned about its existence in India. In natural conditions, insects live in tree crowns, thickets, leaves. Some individuals settle under stones. They leave their hiding places after darkness falls.

Body length - from 2 to 2.5 cm.

The carapace has bristles to which the substrate sticks. Therefore, insects are easily and quickly camouflaged. In a stressful situation, an unpleasant odor comes from the Prusaks, which is released through the abdominal glands.

Such insects are often preferred by beginners. After all, these phenotypes are peaceful in nature. For their breeding, special conditions are not required, so there will be no content.

For chess types, plastic boxes are suitable, which are complemented by lids, or small terrariums. If plastic boxes are used, holes are formed in them for air to enter. Peat or sawdust with coconut substrate is placed on the bottom. Additionally, driftwood or pieces of bark are introduced, which insects use for shelter.

Little car

Habitat - tropical forests of Venezuela, as well as Colombia. The male pronotum has orange headlights.

Elytra of insects are shortened and have a square shape. They are painted yellow. There are black stripes on the edges. The abdomen is also painted in the same shade. A light stripe is concentrated along the rim.

The body length of adults is from 3 to 4 cm.

Dead Head

Homeland - rainforests, which are concentrated in South America. Their body length reaches 7 cm.

A dead head is an insect that is classified as a prey species. They are fed to bearded agamas, frilled lizards in the house. The carapace of the dead head features a skull-like pattern made up of unique patterns. Therefore, this phenotype received such a name.

Although the number of species of insects that are bred at home is small, there are some really interesting specimens among them. Some have a unique color, others have a speed of movement or considerable weight. Each person will easily select a phenotype that is suitable for the parameters and conditions of detention.

Before choosing a specific species, they study its habits and conditions of detention. Some varieties are not suitable for beginners, as they require special nutrition and substrate. Therefore, experts recommend studying the relevant literature, in which all the features are recorded.

Video about the varieties of cockroaches

As a rule, a cockroach is an unwanted guest. He brings a lot of problems with him, since he is a carrier of infections, and getting rid of numerous colonies is quite problematic. But if you know what types of cockroaches exist, then you will quickly find the most suitable means for dealing with the individuals operating in your kitchen. And, perhaps, you would like to have an exotic pet from the same order of insects, which can become a winner on a cockroach race, serve as food for your pet, or play the role of a pet of the whole family himself.

Why do these insects live in apartments and houses? The answer is very simple - because in the conditions of the Russian winter in the open air, they are simply not able to survive, and it is quite problematic to find a source of food in cold weather. That is why they rush to warm buildings, where food is abundant and the most comfortable conditions for their habitation are created.

The main signs of apartment cockroaches

All representatives of cockroaches living in residential premises have a number of characteristic features:

• their life consists of three stages of development: egg, larva, imago;
• the female bears eggs in a special capsule - ooteca;
• larvae and adults are very similar in appearance;
• the home cockroach is oriented with the help of tactile antennae;
• the insect is omnivorous and has a gnawing mouth apparatus that is able to grind any food.

• The car cockroach looks more than original. Its characteristic features are short elytra of a light shade and a light stripe along the perimeter of the body, and males are also distinguished by bright spots on the pronotum.
• A chess cockroach is the cutest, if I may say so about him, a representative of his squad. It has a bright black and white color, which resembles the color of a predatory ground beetle, which helps it not to fall prey to some predators. Like representatives of other species, the chess cockroach prefers to hide during the day and go out in search of food at night.
• The next species received the catchy name "Dead Head", as it has a pattern on its back that resembles a terrible mask.
• The Madagascar hissing cockroach is the largest member of its squad. Adults can reach 10 cm in length and surprise with their behavior - they hiss. It may seem that in this way they are trying to scare you away, but this is not entirely true. Undoubtedly, they use this sound to scare away enemies, but often the hissing is just a sharp exhalation. Read more about this species in the article:.
• The rhino cockroach is distinguished by its impressive weight - some individuals can reach a mass of 37 g. Almost like an ordinary sparrow. These insects are long-lived - they can live for about 10 years.
• Megaloblatta longipennis is a cockroach native to Latin America that can fly. His wingspan is 20 cm, and when he unfolds them, it becomes really huge.

And these are far from all representatives of the cockroach squad. After all, every year there are new individuals that have not been previously studied. Insects adapt to poisons, get used to new environmental conditions and again settle in our homes. Some as exotic pets, others as pests.