Insects of the order cockroaches appeared on Earth hundreds of millions of years before humans. In the process of evolution, they developed amazing abilities to adapt to environmental conditions. There are various myths about the survival of insects, but the reality is no less amazing. Interesting facts about cockroaches – fascinating information will allow you to take a different look at a familiar object.
The importance of cockroaches in nature
Cockroaches belong to the class insects, phylum arthropods. They are combined into one group with termites. Scientists have identified about 5,000 species of cockroaches. Most heat-loving insects settled in tropical countries, but the high number of individuals forced them to expand their habitat to all continents except Antarctica. Initially, arthropods chose the forest floor for themselves. The reduction in green areas and general climate change have forced them to adapt to life in new conditions. Insects settled in caves, deserts, and human buildings.
Information. Only 30 species of cockroaches are pests. Some of them carry dangerous diseases, others damage food and plants. 5 species of synanthropes have been spotted in Russia.
The proximity of arthropods and people turned out to be beneficial and comfortable for insects. Apartment residents have unbearable neighbors who dirty the walls, spoil food and spread infections. There is a negative attitude towards Prussians; many people do not understand what cockroaches are for? All parts of nature matter and maintain overall balance.
For millions of years, insects have existed on the planet for a reason. Under natural conditions, they feed on rotting plant debris containing a lot of nitrogen. After processing in the body of arthropods, the chemical element enters the soil. Nitrogen is necessary for plants to fully develop; it is a fertilizer. Also, some species feed on carrion and animal excrement. These are waste recyclers and keep the soil surface clean.
What are the benefits of cockroaches? They live in numerous colonies on the forest floor; their overall contribution is difficult to overestimate. The simultaneous disappearance of all individuals will lead to serious consequences. Trees and bushes will become weak, and deterioration will affect animals. No less important is the importance of arthropods as a food resource. They serve as food for small mammals and birds. Spiders, reptiles. Any disturbance in the balance of nature causes a negative chain reaction, the consequences of which are difficult to predict.
How effective is the device?
Many people wonder whether ultrasound helps in persecuting pests as much as device manufacturers claim?
In the process of experimental work, scientists were able to find out that when using ultrasonic devices, the effect is selective. The signal from the equipment is transmitted to representatives of the colony, however, not all, but mostly mature individuals, are among the “informed”.
Residents notice that the young animals will continue to attack for a long time and even crawl on the device itself . There are cases when parasites leave only the room in which the repeller is working.
The low efficiency of ultrasonic cockroach repellers is sometimes the result of improper actions by residents:
- ignoring the points of the annotation attached to the product;
- incorrect choice of place to place the repeller;
- discrepancy between the power of the device and the area being treated;
- purchasing budget models that are not equipped with the option to prevent parasites from becoming accustomed to high-frequency waves.
Video
Ultrasonic cockroach repeller in the “Live Healthy!” program on Channel One
Are bedbugs afraid of cockroaches?
Human habitation is favored by various types of synanthropic insects. Sometimes they end up in the same room. What happens when cockroaches and bedbugs live together in the same apartment? Apart from the common space, they have no points of intersection. The main conflicts of various species arise over food. Bed bugs are blood-sucking insects. They attack people and feed exclusively on blood. Cockroaches are omnivores, prefer food scraps, and do not consume blood.
Under normal conditions, synanthropes share a room without collisions. Bedbugs live in the bedroom, and Prussians live in the kitchen. When there is a shortage of available food, arthropods crawl throughout the apartment. Cockroaches readily eat found eggs and larvae of bedbugs. The number of bloodsuckers decreases, but the colony cannot be completely destroyed in this way. People used the predatory instincts of the Prussians for their own benefit. Previously, worsted mills bred them to kill moths. The voracious Prussians ate the eggs of harmful moths.
Insecticides are used against all domestic insects. Bedbugs and cockroaches die from the same products containing pyrethroids (cypermethrin, deltamethrin). Boric acid is poisonous to them. Sinanthropes are repelled by folk remedies: dry herbs (tansy, wormwood), ammonia, vinegar.
Ultrasound from mice for phones
Times pass and remedies for domestic rodents change. Now a wooden mousetrap with a tight spring can be replaced by your personal smartphone. He himself, of course, will not catch mice for you. But if you install the right application, it can become an excellent protector of home comfort.
You need to download a special program onto your smartphone that creates special high-frequency sounds. They can irritate not only the ears of mice and rats, but sometimes they are harmful to the owner of the phone. of the Ultrasound mobile application warn: if you feel ill while using it, you need to stop playing.
In general, people easily adapt to the environment of emanating high-frequency sound waves. And they don't react to it. But smaller inhabitants perceive it extremely critically. For them it is something like a steamship whistle right under their ear. Anyone can use the application—you just need to install it and run it. On the screen, click on the Play button.
The smartphone itself can be left for a while in a place where the mouse likes to walk. Reviews in the market confirm the effectiveness of ultrasound on rodents. They will leave your home very quickly. And they will forget the way here.
Download Ultrasound on Google Play.
Popular article: How to block a caller on an Android phone.
What do cockroaches like?
The lifestyle of insects affected their preferences. Arthropods love warmth, comfortable temperatures of 25-30°. When the temperature drops, the metabolic processes of Prussians slow down. Indicators of 15° and below stop the reproductive activity of insects. Negative temperatures cause a state of suspended animation and death. Arthropods prefer damp places. Water is vital for them; it is used to cool the body and wet food.
Cockroaches love dark and secluded places. They are timid by nature, it is this quality that allows them to survive. The food preferences of natural inhabitants are not diverse. They usually eat fallen leaves, plant remains, and finding rotten fruit is a great success. Synanthropic insects expanded their diet with human food. They love sweets, fruits and vegetables, baked goods, and pasta. The taste preferences of pests are used against them. Their sweets are prepared as poisonous baits to destroy the Prussians.
Information. Cockroaches are extremely attracted to beer. The intoxicating drink is often poured into homemade traps.
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 usual means for humans as poisoned baits and traps.
If you are still planning to buy this device to protect your home from cockroaches, then purchase it from reputable stores, request and study all the certificates, documents, ask whether there is a guarantee for the effectiveness of the device, what is its service life.
And don’t buy too cheap models, because they most likely will have absolutely no effect on the cockroaches that are bothering you.
Lifestyle of cockroaches
In their natural environment, arthropods are nocturnal. During the day, they hide from danger under stones, burying themselves in leaves or hiding in rodent holes. Synanthropic insects have retained the habits of their relatives. In the dark, they crawl out of cracks and secluded corners in search of food and moisture. Why do cockroaches crawl out at night? This is an adaptation mechanism; their enemies are not active at this time.
Insects are fast and mobile, they are able to abruptly change direction of movement. The Prussians do not engage in battle with the enemy, but try to escape from danger. Are cockroaches afraid of light? Most species try to avoid lighting. When the light suddenly turns on in the kitchen, you can observe a chaotic search for shelter. But some flying species find light attractive. At night, they head towards light sources.
Arthropods need from 20 to 50 mg of food per day. In difficult conditions they can eat any organic matter. Cockroaches can survive without food for 60-70 days. Moisture is much more important than food. They exist without water for about a week. During this period, the insect's body dries out completely. Information about the life of a headless Prussian seems like fiction, but it is a fact. Insects breathe through the tracheal system in the abdomen. The headless pest dies of thirst after 7-8 days.
The main method of movement of the Prussians is running. Their limbs are specially designed to allow them to move quickly on any surface. The insect's foot has claws and a suction cup. These devices prevent your feet from slipping off vertical walls and ceilings. Insects are quite agile; the speed of a cockroach is 4-5 km/h.
Synanthropic species
Prussians became the No. 1 pest in apartments. Red cockroaches received this nickname because they were brought to Russia by soldiers returning from the war in Prussia. Interestingly, in France and Germany this species is called “Russian”. The adult size is 10-13 mm, the body is narrow, red-yellow in color. The wings are brownish, well developed, the antennae are long, yellowish. Adults live 9-16 months. They absorb any plant and animal food.
Black cockroaches are larger than their red counterparts (20-30 mm). The body is shiny. Black. The wings are short and reduced, especially in females. Insects shed egg capsules early. Lack of care for the offspring leads to a reduction in the number of the species. Pests stay near garbage disposals and inhabit basements and sewers.
The American cockroach was introduced into the country later than other species and its prevalence is low. Adults are large, red-brown in color. The wings retained the ability to fly. Insects live longer than their counterparts - males 1.5 years, females 3 years. The species prefers damp rooms and often lives in greenhouses.
Information. Nekrasov and Chekhov wrote about the Prussians, but the most famous literary work is “The Cockroach” by Chukovsky.
All about the ability of pests to survive in any conditions in the article “Without food, water and a head: how long do cockroaches live?”
Record holders among arthropods
The sizes of insects vary significantly by species: the usual red-haired locusts are 10-13 mm long, and Gromphadorhina portentosa, living in Madagascar, reaches 100 mm. Giant arthropods are vegetarians. They feed on plants and fruits. Adults are chocolate brown, with a dark head and pronotum. A characteristic feature of the species is the absence of wings in males and females.
The rhinoceros or giant burrowing cockroach is native to Australia. The length of adult individuals is 80-90 mm, while their weight is 35 g. The mass of the insect is comparable to the parameters of a sparrow. The heavyweight lives in eucalyptus litter, digs tunnels up to 1 m long. The lifespan of Macropanesthia rhinoceros is 7-10 years, this is another reason to mention the insect.
The species Megaloblatta longipennis was included in the Guinness Book of Records thanks to its huge wings. Their span is 20 cm. The insect lives in South America, the length of adult individuals is 7.5-8 cm. Detailed information about winged species in the article “A simple question - a simple answer: do cockroaches fly?”
Why are they afraid of cockroaches?
Among the majority of people there was a hostile attitude towards the Prussians. The fear of cockroaches is justified; it is better to stay away from them. Scientists studied the contents of the paws of the Prussians and found on them:
- 32 types of bacteria;
- 17 fungi;
- helminth eggs.
Arthropods carry dysentery, polio, hepatitis, and diphtheria. Bacteria and viruses contaminate food, ready-made meals, dishes, and furniture. Insects cause short circuits in household appliances. Particles of their chitinous cover often provoke allergies and asthma. The article “Insect Attack: Do Cockroaches Bite?” will tell you about the health hazards.
Information. There have been recorded cases of cockroaches eating the human epidermis. Starving adults gnaw off the skin from their fingers, eyelids, and nose.
What sounds do cockroaches make?
Domestic Prussians can disturb apartment residents with the unpleasant sounds they make when eating solid food. With strong chitinous teeth they grind paper, leather, and fabric. In nature, the Madagascar cockroach is known for its hissing. Sound signals are produced by contracting the abdomen. The air comes out sharply through the spiracles, with a characteristic hiss. Sounds are used by insects to communicate between members of the colony and to scare away predators.
A separate type of sounds are signals during the barracks courtship period. Males flap their wings in front of females and create a chirping sound. It occurs when the leathery elytra rub against the edge of the pronotum. The ability is characteristic of giant South American species.
Cockroach farm
In Asian countries, insects are considered as a human food resource. Chinese cockroaches are used as food and an ingredient in medicine. In the Middle Kingdom they are bred on farms. Peasant farms receive double benefits - they recycle food waste and sell arthropods. A cockroach farm is a building with rows of shelves filled with containers of insects. Favorable conditions have been created for them to promote reproduction.
Information. The largest cockroach farm in China raises 6 billion cockroaches per year.
Farm products are in demand among pharmaceutical companies. In traditional Chinese medicine, cockroaches are the basis of potent medicines. Before sale, insects are killed with steam or boiling water, dried and ground. There are more than 100 farms registered in the country. Not all peasants advertise their activities. Neighbors are afraid of insect escapes. The release of millions of cockroaches into the environment would be a local disaster.
Interesting fact. In Australia, arthropods are raised not for food, but for speed competitions. The city of Brisbane hosts an annual cockroach race. The competition involves Madagascan cockroaches. The classic version of the organization involves racing along separate tracks, but Australian insects simply run from the middle of the ring to its border.
Safety and effectiveness
An ultrasonic cockroach repeller most often works from the mains; to turn it on, you just need to plug the plug into the outlet. Some models have buttons to press before starting work.
Before using the device, you must read the manufacturer's instructions. Following the recommendations presented in the annotation will ensure not only the safety, but also the effectiveness of the device. So,
- the distance from the floor to the device should be within 1 m, the device should be open on all sides: if there are objects in the path of the ultrasound, the effect of using the repeller will decrease;
- Damaged or disassembled devices should not be used;
- it is necessary to prevent impacts on the repeller and liquid getting into the equipment;
- It is recommended to observe the temperature regime: the device should not get too hot or cold;
- To achieve maximum effect, you should use several devices at once, placed in different rooms of the apartment or house.
Emerald wasps and cockroaches
An interesting species of burrowing wasps lives in the tropical parts of Asia and Africa. Insects have a slender small body (15-20 mm) green in color with a metallic sheen. They are parasitoids that lay eggs in the body of living prey. Emerald wasps attack tropical cockroaches. Their poison forces the victim to move in the desired direction. The wasp takes the cockroach into a hole and lays eggs in its abdomen.
The larvae develop in the body of a living arthropod. After pupation, the adults leave the empty chitinous shell. Nature has given the emerald wasp unique qualities. It is capable of delivering a precise sting to the victim's brain; its venom blocks the transmission of nerve signals. A small insect that cannot drag large prey simply zombifies it. A helpless cockroach goes off to its own death.
Operating principle of ultrasonic devices
As the manufacturers of ultrasonic cockroach repellers assure, you just need to plug it into a power outlet and very soon you will forget about your unpleasant neighbors. At the same time, you will not smell an unpleasant odor or encounter other problems or hassles.
The operating principle of such devices is based on the instincts of insects, since they constantly communicate using their own ultrasonic waves and signals.
For example, it is with the help of ultrasound that a mosquito is able to attract a mating partner and inform its fellows about the impending danger.
Each of their signals has a certain frequency, so if the ultrasonic device produces its repellent sound in the same ranges, then the insects will begin to fly away from it and run away in panic.
By the way, these repellers showed the greatest effectiveness against mosquitoes, causing them to fly away, hearing unpleasant sounds.
Thus, ultrasound acts exclusively on those insects that use high-frequency sounds in their normal activities.
Do cockroaches grow in wooden houses?
Arthropods adapt to any conditions. Synanthropic species of red and black cockroaches are usually found in apartment buildings. In such conditions it is easy to migrate in search of food and water. Pests are rare in private buildings, but their occurrence cannot be ruled out. How do cockroaches get into a private home? Transition from closest neighbors is possible only in warm weather. The most common routes of infection are:
- parcels;
- Construction Materials;
- luggage that has been in a hotel or hostel;
- purchases from the store.
In a residential country house, all the conditions necessary for a synanthropic insect have been created. Even after the owners of the dacha leave, paper, fabric, pieces of soap and other items remain in the room, which replace food for arthropods. To combat Prussians, insecticides are used: aerosols, gels, dusts. If the number of arthropods is small, traps are set.
Advice. In houses without running water or heating, the most effective way to remove insects is by freezing. Cockroaches die at temperatures of -5°.
People's attitudes towards arthropods depend on the situation. When faced with a pest in the kitchen, a person grabs his slipper, and insects are specially raised on farms. Fans of exotic fauna keep tropical cockroaches in large numbers in terrariums. Synanthropic species have earned hostility because of their harmfulness. But this group includes only 30 representatives. The majority of insects coexist peacefully with people, making a significant contribution to the balance of the ecosystem.
The most effective brands of ultrasonic devices
"Typhoon"
A device from a Russian manufacturer, outwardly very reminiscent of an old, Soviet-era radio.
This is a small square box with a power cord. According to the manufacturer, the ultrasonic cockroach repeller is capable of operating at different frequencies.
It has two modes: the first is a weak ultrasonic signal, the second is a stronger one.
The range of action (if, again, you rely on the honesty of the manufacturer) is approximately 80-82 meters.
Unable to withstand the painful sounds, cockroaches leave the room within 7-14 days.
According to buyers who have already tested the device, Typhoon is relatively effective, although it does not produce particularly impressive results.
The price of the device is about 1000 rubles or a little less.
American made cockroach repeller – Pest Reject
The American manufacturer confidently states that his brainchild works on an area of about 200 square meters, but it produces noticeable results only after a week of using the device.
What is especially interesting is what is written in the instructions for the device - in it the manufacturer recommends using this repeller in combination with the use of gels and traps for cockroaches.
It is necessary to expel insects from your home in this way for at least seven days. Of course, the effectiveness is obvious, because the poison and traps will do their job, most of it, even without the help of a repeller, and the manufacturer will be able to sleep with a clear conscience.
But the price for such a cunning device is low, only 600 rubles.
A device with the pathetic name “Tornado”
This is another invention of our Russian engineering geniuses. In their opinion, it is this device that includes those important characteristics that are necessary to create the most uncomfortable living conditions, as well as the rapid reproduction of cockroaches.
The device creates a powerful ultrasonic signal without causing any harm to pets and people.
It has no analogues, but our manufacturers are honest with their customers: they advise not to expect instant results, since cockroaches will begin to leave your home after 2 or even 3 weeks.
As for the price, it is within a thousand rubles.
Repeller "Banzai"
If you do not trust American developments, and do not strive to support the Russian manufacturer always and in everything, then perhaps you will like the Banzai repeller.
It was developed in Taiwan, and this device is considered one of the best and most effective. Reviews from enthusiastic buyers say that the insects actually leave the apartment within three weeks.
But the device itself is not entirely safe. For example, it is prohibited to install cages with pets or sleep near it, since the device emits an unpleasant squeak that is audible to humans.
If you think about it, wouldn’t it be easier to just poison the cockroaches with the usual means - crayons, gels or boric acid?
Magnetic resonance repeller AR120
The device with the strange name AR120 is declared by the manufacturer as magnetic resonance. This means it is capable of creating low frequency waves, and it is these waves that will torment the cockroaches, create discomfort for them, surviving the insects from your home once and for all.
It is inaudible to the human ear, does not pose any danger to animals, and begins to act almost immediately after switching on. According to the manufacturer, the device will leave absolutely no chance for the small, mustachioed inhabitants, but buyers have a slightly different opinion.
Judging by the reviews, the device really gets rid of cockroaches, but only in the room where it is turned on. Apparently, it's all about the small radius of action.
