Yes, we know that everything in nature is harmonious and balanced. Every living thing plays a role, and benefits the ecosystem. But cockroach is our enemy, this is a fact, and you should not argue with it. And this despite the fact that only 1% of all species of this insect live next to us.
It’s a paradox, but this 1% doesn’t bring any benefit to nature. The question is, why do we need to know the appearance and habits of the enemy? The answer is simple - firstly, it's just interesting, and secondly, you need to know the enemy by sight. So, what does a house pest look like, what are its habits, and can it fly?
Who lives in your kitchen?
Of all the abundance of varieties of cockroaches, live next to us two kinds: black and red (the latter are often called the Prussians because of the interesting theory of their appearance in Russia). Not to say that they are very different from each other in habits and diet:
- eat human food from the table;
- carry the same infections;
- live in large colonies;
- reproduce with the help of ootecs, that is, capsules for storing eggs;
- look disgusting.
The last point is so relevant that some people feel disgust even when viewing photos with parasites.
Interesting. There is a real war between these species for our kitchens. It consists in eating competitors' eggs. Moreover, red cockroaches are clearly gaining the upper hand - black ones are less and less often seen by people.
Australian dragonfly
In the course of scientific research, entomologists have found out what is the fastest insect on our planet. This is the Australian dragonfly, or Austrophlebia costalis. For its large size, it is often called the "southern rocker". In one hour of flight, she overcomes at least 60 km! This achievement is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Some scientists claim that a dragonfly is capable of flying at a speed of 100 km / h, but so far there is no documentary confirmation of this theory.
How does the Australian dragonfly fly? This is the fastest insect on Earth in one second, flaps its wings 100-150. When it needs maneuverability in pursuit of prey, it flaps its rear and front wings alternately, and to develop superspeed - simultaneously. It is known that dragonflies are able to cover just huge distances, moving away from home for more than a thousand km.
What other fastest insects live in our world? Read on about them.
Appearance and dimensions
Most Popular we have red Prussians rarely grow bigger 3 centimeters... The reason is not that they die quickly due to competition with other species, but that they die quickly due to numerous insecticidesapplied by man.
If not for them, then the size of these insects could reach 3.5-4 cm... But even if all the poisons are completely excluded from the cockroach life, they still could not grow out more - by nature, their metabolism is too slow, which does not allow the body to grow.
Black the same pests, which are found less and less often, much larger. An elderly insect can grow its body up to 8 centimeters, which is a serious indicator even for some tropical species.
But they do not have very many chances of mass distribution in the future - too quickly ginger competitors eat their offspring, too they multiply quickly... Moreover, black cockroaches are more sensitive to poisons.
Reference. The larva (nymph) immediately after birth is about 3 mm long. This indicator is typical for all brownie varieties.
The largest
The Madagascar cockroach is the largest in the world. Males grow up to 60 mm, and females up to 55 mm. This species hisses unusually when moving. This feature is often used by sound technicians to sound films to create a frightening effect.
There is one more record holder. It is found in Queensland, Australia. Adult specimens grow up to 8 cm and weigh 30 grams. They are also record holders for life expectancy, living up to 9 years.
What is the chitinous layer?
it a kind of carapace, which the protects from adverse external influences. It is present in almost all insects, security is not weak, but only by the standards of the microcosm. Not a single cockroach can withstand a blow with a slipper, even if it has three chitinous layers. Its main functions:
- blocking harmful substances;
- protection of internal organs from the jaws of competitors;
- salvation from heat and cold.
But there is one circumstance that makes this shell deadly not only for each specific individual, but for the entire colony as a whole - it is quite sticky. When an insect crawls over a layer of insecticide, for example, Mashenka's crayon, the particles of the poison will surely stick to the body. This will end in the entire population being infected, leading to its extinction.
Other record holders
This is what the top 5 fastest insects in the world look like. But there are other representatives that move on land or fly through the air very quickly. For example:
- hawk moths in flight develop a speed of 45-50 km / h, they are also able to hang motionlessly over a flower for a long time, sucking nectar out of it with their proboscis;
- hornets cover 25-28 km per hour;
- water striders run on the surface of the water at a speed of 4 km per hour, while their feet remain completely dry! Another mystery of nature;
- fleas - these nasty insects move by jumping at a speed of 6 km per hour;
- locusts - in search of food, travels 20 km or more in an hour.
Now you know what the fastest insects live in the world, what features they differ in.
Do cockroaches have wings?
There is! Moreover, they are also function some can perform. They occupy about two-thirds of the back of the body. It's just that the insect does not wave them, most of the time these wings (by the way, very nasty in appearance) are under a strong chitinous shield, which rises if necessary.
But cockroaches do not immediately develop wings. Immediately after birth nymph (larva) has soft chitin, which is easily missed. Over time cockroach molts, grows... Its carapace hardens, but in place of some plates in the back of the body wings grow. This happens about 10 week life, and under favorable conditions even earlier.
So, there are wings, we figured it out But can cockroaches fly and why does he need wings? Yes they can. But we do not have such people, the sky is the lot of tropical species, and even then not all. Prusaks familiar to us can do this:
- glide through the air to escape danger;
- make big jumps, like flights, closer to food and water;
- attract members of the opposite sex in the framework of mating games;
- fly into the air during battles with competitors.
But all this happens rarely. He needs relatively little food and water, a cockroach does not need light, and it does not end up in serious danger every day. In addition, from the threat to him easier to "leak" into a small crack, how to fly - for the Prussians this is not entirely natural.
Horsefly
This large fleshy fly with large wings and simply huge eyes ranks fifth among the record-breaking insects in speed. It flies very quickly, covering 50-55 km in an hour. Horseflies are amazingly hardy, they easily adapt even to the most unfavorable living conditions, besides they are very voracious - one individual drinks as much blood at a time as 70 mosquitoes can handle.
Does a cockroach have a heart and a brain?
There are, and very reliable and harmonious arranged. It is interesting that on the basis of a cockroach heart, American scientists have made an artificial pump that transports blood through the human body. Organ insect consists of 13 cameras... And if one of them refuses, then nothing terrible will happen.
In the case of a person, the refusal of even one camera entails a quick and rather painful death. Thus, even a direct bite from a competitor in the heart does not always lead to the death of an insect, although without this body he still lives can not.
Another thing - brain. Without it, a cockroach can safely live for several days.... The reason for this vitality is that organ plays for these insects only supporting role... It coordinates cockroaches movement and analyzes some information about the outside world.
Moreover these functions also belong clusters of nervesscattered all over the body. That is, if a cockroach is ripped off its head, then it will be able to run, bounce and even skillfully avoid obstacles. By the way, he can also breathe. AND will die is he not from the loss of the "upper limb", but from thirst (this will happen in about 10 days).
The danger
WHO studies have proven that cockroaches carry diseases that can harm people:
- typhus;
- smallpox;
- leprosy;
- dysentery;
- can cause asthma, conjunctivitis.
There is a special phobia, blattophobia, fear of cockroaches.
Pests love to penetrate the human ear canal. This is due to the fact that earwax releases volatile fatty acids that are attractive to pests. Once in the ear, the cockroach finds itself in its usual environment - in a warm and confined space, therefore it seeks to climb deeper, causing discomfort in a person.
Disease carriers, cockroaches, are also dangerous in that they can bite, but they rarely do this. The bites are quite painful, and may be accompanied by a rash, itching, and redness of the skin.
Cockroach paws are a miracle of nature!
Total cockroach paws six, and they divided into groups:
- prothoracic coupleresponsible for braking after a fast run or short flight;
- medium breasted coupleproviding the cockroach with maneuverability and the ability to quickly change direction while running;
- rear-breasted couple, which is the main and serves as a means of transportation in space.
If the insect will lose one of the hind legs, then his life will no longer be the same. In other words, over time the cockroach will die... The loss of the rest of the legs is also unpleasant and will cause a lot of inconvenience, but it will not become fatal.
The legs consist of five departments, each of which is equipped with rather large spikes and suction cupsintended for battle and secure anchorage on difficult surfaces.
Thanks to such paws, a cockroach can run wherever and however you want... If you look at the paws under a microscope, then an unpleasant sight will appear - it seems that they are covered with sores, and at the same time they are securely booked. An insect is an insect, you can't get away from it.
So is it worth buying a repeller?
It's up to you to decide. As you can see, ultrasound is not a panacea; rather, it is an addition to such familiar means for a person as poisonous baits and traps.
If you are still going to buy this device in order to protect your home from cockroaches, then purchase it in reputable stores, demand and study all certificates, documents, and ask if there is a guarantee for the effectiveness of the device, what is its service life.
And do not buy too cheap models, because they, most likely, will have absolutely no effect on the cockroaches that bore you.
Do cockroaches make sounds?
Difficult question. Brownie Prussians can "Rustle" and "clap" wings. Why in quotes? Because the sounds emitted are very vaguely similar to what we said. Moreover, redheads cockroaches can stomp. Loud and confident, especially at night in the kitchen.
Particularly noticeable these sounds become when the hunt goes most of the colony... But all these sounds do not belong to organs specially adapted for this. The reason is prosaic - the Prussians do not have them, because they are unnecessary.
If you dig deeper into the jungle, you can find several hundred exotic cockroach species that can:
- hiss;
- squeak;
- whistle;
- growl;
- whisper.
They do it with different purposes. The main purpose of sounds – attracting a partner during the mating season. Sometimes in places of mass residence of such cockroaches, for example, Madagascar, you have to plug your ears from the abundance of sounds.
But for the purposes self defense (scare off the enemy) they do it extremely seldom. Even in laboratory conditions, scientists have only managed to provoke a similar situation a few times.
Honey bee
Like a dragonfly, a bee can fly at a speed of 60 km per hour. But she often flies with nectar, which weighs as much as one insect. With a full honey ventricle, the toiler bee flies at a speed of 30-33 km per hour, so it is on the second line of the "Fastest insects" rating.
But in terms of the distance that the bee is able to overcome, it greatly overtakes the dragonfly: in order to produce only 1 kg of honey, the insect flies at least 450 thousand km, which is about 10 Earth's equators!
What does a cockroach's mouth look like?
Cockroach jaws are strong and sharp. For additional reinforcement, they equipped with platesbeing continuation of the chitinous layer... This design is capable of gnaw the most solid food. What is there food, sometimes the victim of these jaws becomes plastic!
But if the cockroach break the stinger, then the new will not grow, the insect, most likely, will die... However, much depends on the nature of the fracture.
Cockroaches are very tenaciousso even loss of the main mining organ food does not always lead to death!
Benefit
In addition, the insect is rich in protein, so it can be eaten. The protein in the insect is 3 times more than in the chicken. Cockroaches with rice are especially popular. However, eating an insect so rich in microbes and bacteria is not recommended, even in the poorest years.
Here are some more beneficial effects of the parasite:
- In some countries, cockroaches are specially bred at home to control other pests, such as moths.
- In wildlife, insects are food for a huge number of birds. Their extinction will completely change the ecosystem and endanger the existence of other species.
- Insect droppings improve the quality of the soil by enriching it with nitrogen.
