Oriental cockroach
The Oriental cockroach, also known as the common cockroach or black beetle, is a prevalent household pest found in various regions, including Europe, North America, and tropical areas. Typically measuring about one inch (2.5 cm) in length, this cockroach features a slender, flat body that is dark brown or black. Unlike some other cockroach species, neither male nor female Oriental cockroaches possess fully developed wings, rendering them unable to fly. They prefer warm environments with ample food sources and are commonly found in hidden spaces like cabinets, walls, and under floorboards.
As nocturnal insects, Oriental cockroaches forage for food at night, consuming a diet primarily of plant matter, but they can also feed on decaying organic materials and household items. Their mating process involves chemical signals called pheromones, with the female attracting the male through these scents. After mating, the female lays fertilized eggs in a protective capsule, which can contain up to 18 eggs. They undergo a molting process to grow, shedding their outer layer as they develop. While they are agile and can escape predators by hiding in cracks and crevices, the Oriental cockroach is not considered a threatened species and typically has a lifespan of about six months.
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Oriental cockroach
In spite of its name, the home of the Oriental cockroach is not limited to the area of the world once known as the Orient. This area is east of Europe and includes India and Asia. In fact, the Oriental cockroach is sometimes referred to as the common cockroach or the black beetle. This cockroach is the typical house pest of homes in Europe and North America, as well as tropical nations.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Blattodea
Family: Blattidae
Genus: Blatta
Species: Orientalis
The Oriental cockroach generally grows to be about one inch (2 1/2 centimeters) long. Its slender, flat, dark brown, or black body helped give it the nickname the black beetle. Although it has the long, thin antennae common to most cockroaches, it does not have fully developed wings, like the German and American cockroaches. Neither the male nor the female Oriental cockroach is able to fly. Like other cockroaches, the Oriental cockroach's body is divided into three segments. These are the head, thorax, or middle, and abdomen, or lower end.
The Oriental cockroach is also known as the common cockroach since it is common to many parts of the world. In general, the Oriental cockroach may be found in most warm places where there is plenty of food. In houses and buildings the Oriental cockroach typically lives between and behind cabinets and furniture, inside walls, and under floorboards.
As an omnivore, the Oriental cockroach feeds on a variety of plants and animals. While plant matter makes up the main part of its diet, the Oriental cockroach may also feed on dead animals and animal droppings in nature, and household foods, wallpaper, bookbindings, paper, and glue when inhabiting a home or other building. As a nocturnal, or night-active, insect, the Oriental cockroach awakens at night to roam the cabinets for such foods as cereal and bread.
The male and female Oriental cockroach are attracted to one another by the use of chemicals known as pheromones. The female releases these chemicals to attract her mate. The mating process begins with the male and female Oriental cockroaches touching one another's antennae. When they are ready to mate, the male Oriental cockroach fertilizes the egg pouch of the female. This egg pouch contains two neatly arranged rows of egg bundles. After the eggs are fertilized, the female releases them onto the ground. As they are deposited, they are surrounded by a tough capsule, called an ootheca. The ootheca usually contains up to 18 eggs.
After 60 days, the young Oriental cockroach hatches from its egg as a small, pale, white miniature of its parents. Its coloring comes within a few hours and its body size changes and develops over time as the young cockroach molts. Molting means to grow a new, larger body beneath the outer layer of the current body. As the Oriental cockroach molts, it breaks out of its dead outer layer and continues growing in its new, larger body.
The Oriental cockroach uses its flat body and strong legs to escape its predators. By slipping quickly into cracks and crevices, this insect is able to escape other insects, spiders, reptiles, amphibians, and often even humans.
Since people cannot follow the Oriental cockroach into the cracks and crevices between cabinets, under floorboards, and behind furniture, humans have to spray or set traps to kill these unwanted houseguests. Many strong insecticides, or poisons, have been developed to rid houses of the common cockroach.
The Oriental cockroach has a life span of around six months. They are not a threatened species.
Bibliography
McCanless, Kim, et al. “Oriental Cockroach - Blatta Orientalis Linnaeus.” Entomology and Nematology Department, Apr. 2021, entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/roaches/oriental‗cockroach.htm. Accessed 6 May 2024.
Rodriguez, Gladys. “Blatta Orientalis: Information.” Animal Diversity Web, 2001, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Blatta‗orientalis. Accessed 6 May 2024.