ORTHOPTERA

• Family BLATTIDAE

  There are two pairs of wings – the outer (tegmina) which is leathery and the inner which is

  membranous and folded. Antennae are long and filamentous. Mouthparts are for chewing. There

  are about 3,500 species described which ranges in size from less than one to several cmlong.
• Important Species:
• 1. Blatella germanica • widely distributed, 12-16 mm long. • Aka croton bug • Aka German Cocroach
• 2. Blatta orientalis • dark brown to almost black, wings are vestigial infemale. • But for the males, wings do not reach the tip of theirabdomen. • Aka Oriental Cocroach • The origin of the oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis Linnaeus, is uncertain, but it is thought to be from Africa or south Russia. It is a major household pest in parts of the northwest, mid-west, and southern United States. • It is also sometimes referred to as the "black beetle" or a "water bug" because of its dark black appearance and tendency to harbor in damp locations.
• The oriental cockroach is approximately 1 inch long (22 to 27mm) and dark brown to black. Males have wings covering 3/4 of their body, and the female has very short (rudimentary) wings. The inner wing folds like a fan and is membranous. The outer part of the wing is narrow, leathery and thick. The styli between a pair of jointed cerci can identify the male. Both the male and female are flightless
• 3. Periplaneta fuliginosa – smoky brown cockroach.
• 4. Periplaneta Americana • 1 ½ inches, large, chestnut brown in color. • Aka american cocroach and waterbug
• 5. P. australasiae • resembling P. americana. Front wings with outer pale streak at base. • Aka Australian Cocroach
• According to Kramer et al. (2009), the Australian cockroach is typically found outdoors, establishing stable colonies and occupying similar habits with the smoky brown cockroach, Periplaneta fuliginosa Serville. The Australian cockroach can be found under the bark of trees, in firewood piles and in locations with moisture. This species can survive indoors in subtropical areas when colder temperatures are present. In these situations, the cockroach may inhabit
• Supelia supelectilium


  With two brown cross bands on tegmina, 10-14 mm
• Life Cycle


  1. Eggs laid in case or ootheca

  2. 16-24 or 30-48 eggs per capsule of ootheca

  3. Ootheca or case may be carried in the ovipositor for several days or weeks

  4. Ootheca deposited in crevices or dark corners

  5. Incubation period 30-80 days on average, 16-90 days in some species

  6. Eggs hatch into nymphs, almost white in color and wingless

  7. Nymphs molt 5-6 times to become adult in 10-12 months

  8. Life span of adult around a year to 2 years or more
• Simple metamorphosis
• Blatella asahinai


  The Asian cockroach
• The Asian cockroach was identified as a newly introduced species to the United States


  1986
• A professional pest control operator collected these insects in Lakeland, Florida and referred to them as German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), but noted that their behavior was unlike any other German cockroaches that he had previously encountered
• Upon further investigation the cockroaches were found to be B. asahinai, Asian cockroaches
• Asian cockroach adults


  • Have longer and narrower wings than those of German cockroaches
  • Females produce smaller egg capsules
  • Nymphs are smaller than those of German cockroaches
  • First instars have 23 antennal segments while German cockroach first instars have 24 to 25
  • Margins of the abdomen and spots along the abdominal midsection of late instars appear white, whereas those areas are lightly pigmented in Blattella germanica
• Differences between Asian cockroach and German cockroach

  Shape of the male tergal glands
• Cockroaches


  • Live for about one year on average
  • Can go for about a month without eating anything
• Things cockroaches can eat

  • Glue
  • Paper
  • Shoes
• Cockroaches


  • Can only live for about one week without water
  • Can live for about a week even without their heads
• The only reason cockroaches die without a head is because they can't consume water with their mouths missing
• Cockroaches can even live for a time if their hearts stop
• Habits of cockroaches:
• 1. Scavengers – they feed on excrement, sputum, decaying matter, human and animal food in which it serves as a vehicle for transmitting bacteria, protozoa or helminth egg.
• 2. Omnivorous – they feed on great variety of food with partiality on sugary and starchy food, but will eat anything from dead insects to fresh and dried flesh, blood, vegetable, cheese, grainproducts etc.
• 4. Nocturnal – they are active at night and hide in dark places during day time.
• 5. Can survive for 5 months without food.
• Pathogenesis of cockroaches
• They are not parasitic but may transmit pathogens easily on account of their habits. Potential mechanical transmitter or vector of the following:
• 1. Pathogenic bacteria a. around 40 enterobacteria b. anthrax c. tetanus d. pneumonia e. TB f. undulant fever
• 2. Fungal infection – aspergillosis
• 3. Viruses – a. leprosy organism b. poliomyelitis virus
• 4. Protozoa a. Entamoeba hystolitica b. Giardia sp c. balantidium coli d. Trichomonas sp
• Control 1. Observe cleanliness 2. Remove hiding places or application of poison in hiding places such as: Chlordane 2.5% Malathion 2.5% Dipterex 1.0% Diazinon 0.5% Baygon, Raid, Shelltox 3. Plaster of Paris 4. Molasses bait trap 5. Birth control spray – this sterilizes the roaches and stops their breeding.