Foogle Business - The Cockroach - How to get rid of the Roach - Roach Information - Roaches

THE COCKROACH - also called Roach, any insect of the suborder Blattaria - Order of Dictyoptera. There are more than 3,500 species. An order of insects comprising the cockroaches - suborder Blattaria) and the mantids - suborder Mantodea, occurring mainly in tropical regions. Cockroaches are oval and flattened in shape; some have a single well-developed pair of wings, folded back over the abdomen at rest, while in others the wings may be reduced or absent. They are usually found in forest litter, feeding on dead organic matter, but some species, e.g. the American cockroach - Periplaneta Americana, are major household pests, scavenging on starchy foods, fruits, etc. In most species the females produce capsules - the oothecae, containing 16 - 40 eggs. These are either deposited or carried by the female during incubation.

The word cockroach is a corruption of the Spanish cucaracha. Cockroaches are among the most primitive living, winged insects, almost unchanged for more than 450 million years, and are among the oldest fossil insects. The cockroach is characterized by a flattened, oval body; long, threadlike antennae; and a shining, black, mahogany 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. The male usually has two pairs of wings; the female, often wingless or with vestigial wings, carries eggs in egg cases, called the ootheca, that protrude from her body. After the female deposits an egg case, soft white nymphs emerge, hardening and turning brown in color upon exposure to air.

The structure and large size - certain species have a wingspan of more than 12 cm, that is nearly 5 inches. There size and the stigma they invoke, has 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 odor. The diet of the roach, which includes both plant and animal products, ranges from food, paper, clothing, and books to dead insects, especially bedbugs.

The American Cockroach - species Peripla ne ta americana, is 30 to 50 mm long, this is up to about 2 inches, reddish brown, and lives outdoors or in dark, heated indoor areas. It likes warm basements and furnace rooms. An adult live for about 18 months and during this time, 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, a native of tropical and subtropical America, has well-developed wings and can fly long distances.

The German Cockroach - species Blattella germanica, is a common household pest sometimes mistakenly called a water-bug. It is light-brown with two dark stripes on the prothoracic region. The female produces the ootheca three days after mating and carries it for about 20 days. Because it is small, about 12mm, less than half an inch long), this cockroach often is carried into homes in grocery bags and boxes. It has spread throughout the world by ship. Three or more generations may occur every year. This cockroach is abundant around the water pipes of the Croton Aqueduct in New York City, and has became known as the Croton bug, which might be a sub-species.

The Brown-banded Cockroach, species - Supella supellectilium, resembles the German cockroach but is slightly smaller. The male has fully developed wings and is lighter in color than the female, whose wings are short and nonfunctional. Both sexes have two light-colored bands across the back. The adult life span here, 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, species Blatta Orientalis, is considered one of the filthiest of household pests. It is oval, shiny black or dark brown, 25 to 30 mm 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 cockroach has been distributed by vehicles of commerce from its Asiatic origins to all the temperate regions.

Wood Roaches are not domestic pests. Parcoblatta pennsylvanica, the common Wood Cockroach, 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 long, has wings that extend past the abdomen; the female is smaller and has much shorter wings. Cryptocercus punctulatus digests wood with the aid of, in the same way the Termite does, certain protozoans in its digestive tract.

Insecticides are commonly used in roach control.

Cockroaches have been about for over 450 million years, this is far longer than humankind has been around, in its present state. When Roaches first developed, humans were still probably some primitive fish. The irony is that scientists believe that the Cockroach will be around long after we are gone, as well. This creature is infamous for not only being the creepiest creepy crawly but it the creature that will survive a Nuclear War.
Cockroaches are also considered to be one of the worst household pests, because they contaminate food with their faeces, leaving dangerous bacteria and engender allergens whilst giving off an unpleasant odor which can stink the house out.

ALLERGIES - An abnormal reaction by the body to certain substances, including pollen, dust, certain foods and drugs, fur, moulds, etc. Normally all foreign substances, called antigens, that enter the body are destroyed by antibodies. Allergic people, however, become hypersensitive to certain antigens, and these are called allergens. So that whenever they are encountered in future they stimulate not only the normal antibody reaction but also the abnormal symptoms of the allergy, such as sneezing and skin rashes. Allergic conditions include hay fever, some forms of asthma and dermatitis, and urticaria. Treatment includes the use of antihistamines and corticosteroids and desensitization.

Many people develop allergies to cockroaches, and allergens are formed from breathing in dried roach feces that float in the air, along with normal house dust - skin-flakes, just like dustmite faeces.

Cockroaches prefer damp, warm, dark places typical of the basements of many homes. Roaches will eat anything they find and chew up. They can carry germs from the sink or bathroom onto dishes and other food surfaces, thus spreading bacteria that cause food poisoning.
How To Treat Cockroaches

The best way is not to get them in the first place. Be aware of their possible presence, and lay traps even if you do not have them.

Take away their food source; any creatures population is dependant on their food supply. Wipe off your kitchen counters and dining room table. Clear away all food and remnants of food no matter how small, like on a dirty plate. If your place is spotless, there is a good chance you will not have roaches. The sign of a dirty kitchen is the Cockroach.

Find out where they might be living and treat. Reduce the number of hiding places they need for shelter in your home. Cockroaches like dark tight, small places. Try to remove as much rubbish as your can.

Seal holes in walls around plumbing and electrical lines between apartment units.