What do cockroaches eat: what do they eat in an apartment without food, the favorite food of parasites

While cockroaches cause disgust, disgust, fear and a whole range of negative emotions in the average person, researchers have a genuine interest in these creatures. These are, without exaggeration, amazing insects. Just look at the following facts about cockroaches.

They can live without a head. For about seven to ten days, until the body feels a lack of water and food, the body can act autonomously.
They can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes. This helps them retain moisture in the body and also protect them from chemicals sprayed in the air.
They run fast. Sensing danger, insects can reach speeds of up to 5 km/h, which is quite good for those with short legs.
They escape expertly. To hide from its pursuer (most often from a person), a cockroach can change its trajectory up to 25 times per second.
Virtually invulnerable. Pests don't even care about a nuclear explosion. The reason is a slow cell division cycle.

What do they eat?

When explaining what domestic cockroaches eat, it is worth mentioning right away: unlike representatives of humanity, parasites are not selective about food, since the latter act for them only as a means of survival.

Despite this fact, there are a number of foods that cockroaches especially love to eat.

Preferences

What pests like to eat most is:

any types of bread;
sweet;
any types of cereals;
vegetables and fruits;
meat (raw or cooked).

The list of products is impressive, however, parasites like to be content with food leftovers rich in fats and carbohydrates.

Attention! It is believed that insects like beer. This fact is used to prepare a trap for cockroaches.

In the absence of food, the insect is capable of eating anything.

For example, a hungry cockroach may well feast on:

cosmetic product (cream or lotion);
shoe polish;
household glue;
leather goods;
books, etc.

Consequently, cockroaches are difficult to frighten with limited access to food: they will find something to eat.

Water requirement

A cockroach needs access to water to survive. Red parasites are able to live without food and water for more than 10 days; if the water source is not blocked, this period is extended to 42 days. For this reason, during periods of drought, pests immigrate into homes.

Accordingly, the following steps will help get rid of cockroaches in your apartment:

getting rid of standing water in the sink;
avoiding above-water indoor flowers;
elimination of condensate on pipes;
restricting access to the aquarium.

Why are there so many of them: life expectancy and reproductive characteristics

If you see a lonely running cockroach and squash it with a slipper, do not rush to celebrate your victory. You won the battle, but not the war. The appearance of a lone “guest” indicates that a whole colony of pests lives somewhere in a secluded place. And they probably managed to lay eggs, from which new insects will appear after some time. To successfully fight cockroaches, you will have to take a short course in biology.

Life cycle

Cockroaches live from four months to four years, depending on external conditions. Human factors can significantly affect life expectancy. Characteristics of the life stages of insects are given in the table.

Table - Life cycle of a cockroach

Stage	Duration	Characteristic
Egg (one cockroach in one egg)	2-3 weeks	— 15-20 eggs are arranged in even rows in the protective shell of the ootheca; — formed larvae independently gnaw through the egg shell
Nymph (larva)	2-6 months	- Looks like a smaller copy of an adult cockroach, but without wings and darker in color; — during the growth process, sheds her shell several times (molts); - young individuals are fully adapted to life
Imago (adult cockroach)	4 months-4 years	— Life expectancy depends on external conditions; — reproduces offspring up to 9 times; - the life expectancy of each new generation is longer than the previous one

There is interspecific struggle between red and black cockroaches. Prussians eat the eggs of black insects. That is why the population of the latter is growing more slowly compared to their brown counterparts.

The female as a source of danger

Cockroaches reproduce sexually. Insects undergo real mating games, during which the males begin to vigorously shake their wings and even fly low to please the female. The latter chooses the most worthy “father” for her offspring. After fertilization, she lays 15-20 eggs, which are securely stored in the protective capsule ootheca. The female carries this pouch with her everywhere for two weeks. At the last stage, the female leaves the ootheca in a secluded place, where after a few days new cockroaches hatch.

Throughout her life, the female lays an average of 20 oothecae, which is equivalent to 300-400 eggs, the survival rate of which is 90-95%. In this case, a female, fertilized once, retains the male’s genetic material in her body and can continue to reproduce independently through parthenogenesis. Thus, if you want to defeat cockroaches, you need to try to destroy the females, which can be recognized by such signs.

Size. The female is an order of magnitude larger than the male.
Wings. In females they are small and poorly developed.
Head. The male has two vertical stripes on his head. Females do not have such a distinctive sign.
Color. The male is darker than the female.
Sexual characteristic. The female does not have a genital plate in the posterior part of the body. The easiest way to recognize a fertilized female. A “sac” containing eggs will be attached to the back of the body.

The ootheca is a reliable and dense shell that protects future cockroaches from the strongest chemicals, and even powerful radiation. It is also not easy to crush the shell. The surest way to destroy eggs is heating by treating potential laying sites with a steam generator or a hair dryer.

How they eat

Pests usually search for food at night. During the day they hide under boards, baseboards, and in cracks. If the parasites remain visible during the daytime, we can talk about a large population size.

Female cockroaches eat more - they can get enough of 50 mg of food - this is the daily norm.

The male individual eats almost half as much. It is worth noting that this type of pest loves to “try.” The attention of parasites is attracted by food waste left on the table or in the trash can.

Oral apparatus

Before you find out what cockroaches eat, you need to understand what their mouthparts are, since it determines what kind of food they can eat.

The oral apparatus of these insects consists of upper and lower lips, which were transformed during the process of evolution. There are also lower and upper strong jaws on which the palps are located. The olfactory palps help the cockroach determine food suitability. The upper jaws have serrations that resemble saw teeth. They act as teeth as they grind food. While food is being chewed, it is also moistened with saliva. This type of mouthparts is called gnawing, which makes it possible to feed on any food.

The insect's jaws contain chitin, which makes the mouthparts durable.

Damage from insects and food debris left behind

In science, the harm of parasites to human health is referred to as “blatthopterosis.” This concept includes an allergic reaction, the transfer of worm eggs, and mechanical damage to the skin from insect bites.

The basic danger of cockroaches to humans is the ability of pests to transmit diseases. These specimens can move not only within the living space, but also climb into the sewer, garbage chute, or attic.

There are no food products in these places - the food for the “barbels” is made up of improvised means. As the meal is completed, the pests collect numerous bacteria on their chitinous cover, which they then bring into the house - everything that the “local” cockroaches feed on becomes infected.

In addition, pests are capable of eating human and animal excrement, breeding a whole range of pathogenic microorganisms in their digestive tract.

Together with the latter, the cockroaches convey to their owners:

dysentery;
salmonellosis;
pneumonia;
genital infections, etc.

The above organisms and helminth eggs end up on food, on the surfaces of household items and furniture. A person becomes infected through food or unwashed hands.

Pate “For Sandwiches”

Fry slightly chopped garlic and onion in olive oil. Place cockroaches (pre-frozen) and spices here. Cook for a few minutes. Wipe the fried insects along with the vegetables with a sieve.

Sandwich with cockroach pate

Place the resulting mixture on low heat and evaporate until all excess liquid is gone. The cockroach paste should have a thick consistency. You can spread it on croutons, pieces of white or black bread, and decorate with herbs.

Where do cockroaches live in an apartment?

In a house infested with cockroaches, pests can often be found in the bathroom or kitchen - places where food and water are accessible.

Insects love dark, hard-to-reach places:

cracks behind baseboards;
under peeling wallpaper or tiles;
in tables and cabinets;
in a microwave oven;
in the dishwasher;
in the refrigerator (near the heat exchanger);
in a gas stove;
in computers, laptops (at power supplies);
under the sink, in the toilet tank.
in the electrical panel, garbage chute.

Pests enter a house or apartment through sewerage, ventilation systems, etc.

Video

Where do cockroaches hide in an apartment?

The rapid destruction of the Prussians is SES

If parasites do enter the house, they must not be allowed to multiply excessively. The best option in this case is to call an SES to your home. Solving the issue of exterminating cockroaches with the help of a sanitation service has many advantages:

Experts will quickly determine how longhorned beetles enter the house and their numbers.
The optimal insecticide will be selected.
will be disinfected .
The technologies that are used in this case make it possible to spray the insecticide in such a way that its drops will reach even the most inaccessible places, so insects will have no chance of survival.
The anti-cockroach service uses only certified preparations that are safe for residents, do not leave traces or odors, and do not damage furniture or repairs.
The treatment is carried out in 1-2 hours, so the owners do not have to leave their home for a long time.
The cockroach baiting service provides a guarantee on its work and can re-treat if necessary.

The best way to forget about cockroaches forever is to call sanitation specialists.

How to protect food from cockroach infestation?

The presence of food leads to the activation of the reproduction process of insects, and also competes with baits for harmful organisms, reducing the effectiveness of the latter. For this reason, food should be practically eliminated from accessible places.

You can do this as follows:

It is worth sealing the lid of the trash can in order to limit the access of parasites to food waste;
the trash bin must always be kept clean, wiped and waste removed regularly;
the filter in the sink should be cleaned as often as possible to prevent the accumulation of food debris;
It is recommended to keep kitchen surfaces clean and wipe them regularly;
Do not allow dirty dishes to be stored in the sink;
all household equipment (microwave ovens, toasters, ovens, etc.) must be regularly checked for crumbs and food waste;
Re-seal food after opening the packaging (alternatively, use food containers with a tight-fitting lid);
It is recommended to monitor pets' food and water - regularly clean the area nearby, and only put food out when necessary.

What do they eat on the street?

Despite the fact that over many decades cockroaches have closely rallied to people and their homes, you should not think that once they get outside they will die. In spring and summer, Prussians quickly adapt to other living conditions and look for ways to penetrate human habitation. Outside the house, insects can eat the same foods as inside. If you can’t find them, they can eat:

grass;
foliage;
leftover food near trash cans;
dead small insects;
crumbs of food in spontaneous markets.

Exotic insects menu

By the nature of their diet, exotic cockroaches are, as a rule, herbivorous. In nature, they feed on eucalyptus leaves and other plant foods. At home the following is used as food:

Apples, ripe bananas.
Vegetables: carrots, tomatoes and beets.
Various cereals and porridges made from them.
Flour products and bran.

It is necessary to periodically feed exotic cockroaches with food of animal origin, crushed cottage cheese.

Before compiling a diet, the type of insects that are bred at home is taken into account, which species are not eaten.

Insects from Madagascar are not given dog food because it shortens their lifespan. It is useful for marbled insects as it contains certain substances and components.