Prussian cockroach: who is this red pest in the house and how to deal with them

What does a red cockroach look like: photo

Description of the red cockroach

Name: Red cockroach, Prussian
Latin: blattella germanica

Class: Insects - Insecta
Squad: Cockroaches - Blattodea

	Habitats:	where is the food
	Dangerous for:	stocks, products, leather
	Attitude towards people:	bites, contaminates food

The size varies from 1,1 to 1,6 cm. The color varies from yellow-brown to almost black. The main difference from other relatives is the presence of two dark stripes in the region of the pronotum.

Male and female.

Male and female individuals have wings, but do not fly. Sometimes they plan a little, but do not stay long in the air. Females increase in size after the mating season. The body shape of males is narrow, while females are rounded.

The head is triangular in shape. She has compound eyes and a long mustache. Whiskers they find food and contact with each other. The length of the body and antennae is the same. The legs of this species of cockroaches are strong and spiked, long in relation to the body. They provide fast movement.

Habitat

Prussians live everywhere.

The homeland of the Prusak is South Asia, and when travel and trade began to be actively carried out, they quickly spread throughout the European continent. Moreover, they even replaced many local species.

Prussians live all over the planet. The exception is the Arctic. They withstand temperatures not lower than 5 degrees below zero. In the mountains above 2 m, they also do not survive.

Pests prefer cabinets, stoves, sinks, tubs, vents, baseboards. The activity of the insect is noted at night. Arthropods are very fond of damp environments.

Their unpretentiousness and ability to easily survive in different situations have made them a real problem for catering establishments and hospitals.

The life cycle of the Prussians

Life cycle of cockroaches.

These cockroaches go through an incomplete cycle of transformation: egg, larva and adult. After mating female and male individuals, the development of the egg capsule - ootheca begins. Ooteka initially has a soft and translucent structure. When exposed to air, it becomes solid and white. After 2 days, the capsule becomes brown.

One ootheca contains 30 to 40 eggs. Females push out mature capsules. The larvae grow in eggs. Nymphs come out. This is the second phase of development. The nymph has a dark color and no wings. Nymphs molt 6 times. The size of the nymph does not exceed 3 mm. Within 2 months, an adult is formed from the egg. The life span of females is 20 to 30 weeks. During this period they produce from 4 to 9 ootheca.

Diet of the Prussians

The Prusak is classified as an omnivorous scavenger. He eats meat, starch, fatty foods, sugar. In the absence of food residues, it can eat leather shoes, cloth, paper, soap, glue, toothpaste. Pests also tend to be cannibalistic. From 2 to 3 weeks, the Prussians can live without food, and without water - no more than 3 days. The most comfortable places are:

The natural enemies of the Prusak

The enemies of the Prusak include spiders, centipedes, pet birds, cats, and dogs. It is worth noting that cats and dogs catch pests just to play with them.

Harm from the Prussians

Insect damage is:

• the spread of about 50 pathogens of viral and microbial infections;
• provoking allergies and worsening asthma;
  

  Prussian invasion.

• the appearance of an unpleasant odor;
• food spoilage;
• spoiling things;
• impact on the psyche;
• infection with helminths and protozoa;
• loss of the type of finishing materials and disabling electrical appliances.

Reasons for the appearance of the Prussians

Red cockroaches are synatropes, their way of life is closely connected with people. They live all the time in a dwelling and actively spread with the help of a person. In fact, these animals are domesticated on their own.

• unsanitary conditions - dirty floors, unwashed dishes, scattered food;
• dysfunctional neighbors - pests enter through a vent or slot;
• faulty water and sewer pipes - a humid environment contributes to active reproduction;
• accidental hit along with things.

Character and social structure

The Prussians are very friendly, they always act in a coordinated manner and have a certain attitude. They have special pheromones that different individuals leave indoors. They are in the excrement that the Prussians leave along the paths and in their passages. In the secretions, these substances evaporate and they orient themselves in this way.

There are several different notes:

Cockroaches actively breed, live in a colony and are considered very sociable. In their society, everyone is equal, both young and old. Their main task is to search for food, they inform each other about the location of food.

Control measures

Protection of premises from cockroaches is a matter of paramount importance. People try all possible means. During the years of this war, the Prussians gained good immunity to classic insecticides and many pesticides.

Hydroprene and methoprene are more effective drugs. They delay development and molting.

This species is not threatened with extinction, despite the active fight against it. Moreover, in a certain region at one time you can not meet individuals at all, or vice versa, there are so many of them that they will walk around during the day, from a lack of food.

Conclusion

Prussians carry a large number of diseases. To prevent their occurrence, it is necessary to keep the room clean and monitor the condition of the pipes. When pests appear, they immediately begin to fight them.