Facts About Cockroaches

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American-cockroach

Cockroaches are those insects that are despised by all not only for the appearance but also because of its unhealthy habits.

Fact 1

Cockroaches belong to the animal kingdom and class insect. They have been living on the earth from the time of the dinosaurs some million years ago and have well adapted themselves to the various environment of the earth. There are nearly 4000 species of cockroaches living in different parts of the world and among them about 70% inhabit the United States of America.

Fact 2 Types Of Cockroaches

Cockroaches are named according to the places they thrive in. All cockroaches commonly prefer to live in homes and buildings where the environment is warm and there is food and water near at hand. Some of the species of cockroaches are:

  1. American Cockroach – It is the largest in size among all others that live in homes. Although it is so named, it came to North America from Africa around 1600s by trading ships.
  2. German Cockroaches – This is the most common species of cockroaches and is seen nearly in all countries including the United States. A German cockroach can live for nearly 200 days or a little less.
  3. Brown-banded Cockroaches – This variety of cockroaches are so called because they have two light bands across their brownish bodies. The female cockroaches have smaller wings as compared to the males and they usually hide their eggs under furniture and such other places so that the eggs are not easily visible. These cockroaches also have a life span of 150 to 180 days.
  4. Oriental Cockroaches – These cockroaches are native to Africa and are darker than other species. They move from one area to another mostly through the sewage pipes because they prefer cooler and nastier areas. They have strong unpleasant odor and are considered as the dirtiest of all varieties.

Fact 3 Description

Cockroaches are mostly over 50 cm long. However their sizes vary according to the weather and environment where they live. They all have two antennae or feelers as we commonly call them, two eyes, six legs and some have wings but most of them cannot fly. They get their wings only when they are adults. They have a glossy brown cover that they change sometimes. When required, they flatten their bodies and crawl through the thinnest of crevices and drains and pipes.

Fact 4 Habits

Cockroaches are the dirtiest pests among all. They eat practically everything starting from thrown away foods to leather, paper and also the book binding gum. Their smell is extremely unpleasant and they are detected mostly by their odor. They can make noises or a chirping sound also. The Madagascar cockroach makes a hissing sound. Cockroaches can live without food for I month and without water for about 2 weeks. The females can give birth to about 150 babies a year.

Fact 5 Cockroaches As Pests

Cockroaches are the worst pests that live among humans and are the carriers of some of the deadliest of diseases. Since they thrive mostly in dirty areas, and also wastes of kitchens, they easily spread harmful diseases like allergies and asthma attacks by crawling on the foods that we unknowingly eat. Restaurants also are infested by cockroaches if they are not well maintained and cleaned regularly.

Cockroaches are considered to be recyclers of wastes and decaying organic matter and thus do well to the environment.

Fact 6 How To Keep Away Cockroaches

The best way to eradicate cockroaches from homes is by keeping the house clean, covering all waste baskets properly and disposing them regularly. You can use vacuum cleaners to pull them out of their hiding places and seal those areas. If the situation is uncontrollable, you need to call the professional pest controllers.

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