Every owner of his own living space considers his home a safe place where no one can disturb him. And this is true, because it is perfectly protected from strangers. However, besides people, there are other creatures whose appearance is almost impossible to avoid - insect pests. One of the divisions of this group are cockroaches.
With their arrival, the desire to stay in the apartment becomes less and less, and there are more and more of them. Is there really no way to overcome this problem? We will tell you further about where cockroaches live in an apartment, what are the main sources of appearance and how you can detect them.
How to find out if there are cockroaches in an apartment
Cockroaches are timid and cautious insects, and therefore try to literally stay in the shadows; direct rays of light signal to them the danger of being noticed. Therefore, once inside the house, cockroaches choose darkened places hidden from view for shelter.
To understand that there are cockroaches in the apartment, it is enough to simply see at least one insect. As a rule, the first encounter with cockroaches at home occurs at night, when you suddenly turn on the light in the kitchen or bathroom. At night, cockroaches crawl out of their crevices and go in search of food and water, but they are often seen during the day.
An indirect sign of the presence of cockroaches in the house will be the products of their vital activity - dark fecal spots and capsules with eggs, called ootheca. Such evidence is found, for example, in kitchen drawers, under the sink, or on the hinges of cabinets and interior doors. And the fact that the colony of cockroaches in the apartment has reached alarming proportions will also be indicated by a specific smell.
What do cockroaches eat?
Cockroaches are unpretentious in their food preferences. They feed on absolutely any organic substances:
- bread crumbs;
- leftovers;
- garbage;
- indoor flowers;
- paper and leather products;
- soap.
Even in a perfectly clean room, cockroaches will find something to eat. The only thing cockroaches cannot survive without is water. To reduce the number of pests, you will need to block cockroaches' access to the water source.
Experts say that cockroaches can easily feed on glue from one postage stamp for a whole month. At the same time, lack of water has a detrimental effect on pests. But even here, parasites find a way to compensate for the lack of moisture - they gnaw off the moist epithelium from the skin of a sleeping person.
Where do cockroaches live in an apartment?
So, cockroaches find convenient crevices, cracks, gaps and other secluded places in the house, and arrange shelters there. To feel comfortable, cockroaches require warmth, as well as access to water and food. According to these parameters, the kitchen, bathroom and toilet are ideal in the apartment - the top rooms where cockroaches live.
Areas suitable for cockroaches to live in the kitchen: the space under the sink, behind and under the refrigerator, inside built-in kitchen furniture, inside a microwave oven and other kitchen appliances. In addition, cockroaches inhabit cracks in baseboards and ceiling moldings, cavities under peeling wallpaper, gaps between hanging cabinets and the wall, hidden spaces on the floor under the kitchen work area, ventilation holes, and so on.
In sanitary rooms, cockroaches hide under the bathtub, under the hanging mirror, in cabinets, in boxes hiding pipe risers. If the rooms are lined with plastic panels, this creates a lot of additional space where cockroaches can hide.
As the colony grows, synanthropic pests also look for places convenient for shelter in other rooms of the apartment: this includes furniture, baseboards, and household appliances - any secluded corner. The number of hiding places for cockroaches in an apartment directly depends on its technical condition. If the house has not been renovated for a long time, there are a lot of cracks in the floor and walls, and the wallpaper is peeling off, then cockroaches have room to roam.
The situation with cockroaches also depends on how carefully the house is kept clean and tidy. If the owners do not allow dirty dishes, crumbs and food leftovers to remain on the tables overnight, if the floor is regularly wet cleaned, and grease does not accumulate on the kitchen stove, then it will not be easy for cockroaches to find food.
However, the fact that there are cockroaches in the house does not necessarily indicate a low level of sanitation; unfortunately, sometimes pests appear even in the kitchen of clean housewives. But in a clean and well-kept house, cockroaches are much less likely to settle for a long time.
Life cycle of cockroaches
The cockroach goes through three stages of development:
- 1The eggs are located in the ootheca, a skin capsule that protects the offspring from external factors, in particular poisons. The larvae develop inside for several weeks, after which they emerge already adapted to life.
- 2The cockroach larva is not much different from the adult: slightly smaller, darker in color and has no wings.
- 3Adults have wings and genitals. Many have glands that secrete scent to attract partners for reproduction. This smell can also negatively affect people with allergies.
Having reached sexual maturity, females attract males by releasing a scent. Males perform fertilization with the genital plate at the end of the abdomen. After some time, the female lays from 15 to 60 eggs in the ooteca, which she carries with her at the back of her abdomen for several days or weeks. Having found a secluded and dark place, the female leaves an ootheca, from which small cockroaches emerge after a couple of days. Larval development varies among species. For redheads this period is about 4 months, and for blacks it can last 4 years.
These pests are also characterized by parthenogenetic reproduction, in which the female is able to lay eggs without the participation of a male. But for this, the female must first mate with the male at least once.
Many types of cockroaches can fly, but not those that live in apartments. Black cockroaches have no wings at all. Redheads have them, but they are underdeveloped. Sometimes, they can use their wings in a jump, extending it over a short distance, but they cannot fly fully.
The lifespan of a red cockroach is 8-12 months. It can live for about 40 days without food.
How to find a nest of cockroaches in an apartment
At the initial stage of infestation of an apartment, cockroaches behave cautiously and try not to be seen, only emerging at night to search for food. But if at least one was noticed, it means that insects intend to settle here, and perhaps a nest of cockroaches has already appeared in the apartment.
To find out and prevent cockroaches from breeding, arm yourself with a flashlight and inspect the apartment, starting with the kitchen and bathroom. Check cabinets under sinks, kitchen drawers, food and dish cabinets and shelves, look under window sills and behind radiators. Move the refrigerator away from the wall and inspect the back wall, remove or lift wall cabinets to see if cockroaches are hiding under them. Use a flashlight to illuminate the ventilation openings and risers, and check the space under the bathtub and washing machine.
Also look under the microwave, electric kettle, coffee maker and other appliances. Cockroaches love to hide in cardboard boxes, so check them if you have any. If the linoleum in your kitchen or bathroom is loose, lift up the edges and inspect the floor, paying attention to the corners.
In areas that are not accessible to visual inspection, you can use a steam generator with a narrow nozzle - direct a stream of pressurized steam into the cracks of baseboards or the gaps between kitchen cabinets and find out if anyone is hiding there. An aerosol can of household insecticide is also suitable for this purpose.
Using the same principles, conduct an inspection in the hallway, bedrooms and other rooms. When examining, look for both live cockroaches and traces of their vital activity - dark spots, eggs and dry remains of dead insects.
When did cockroaches appear?
Cockroaches appeared on our planet during the Carboniferous period, approximately 300 million years ago . In those days, there were no continents yet and the outlines of the supercontinent Pangea were just beginning to appear on the globe. The fauna mainly consisted of amphibians, and the plants were conifers and other trees. Also in those days, deposits of coal appeared, which we still use as fossil fuel. In general, cockroaches are very ancient creatures, even older than dinosaurs .
At the time of the appearance of cockroaches, nature looked like this
Egyptian cockroach species (Polyphaga aegyptiaca)
This insect is also found mainly in southern regions with warm climates. Parasites do not affect living conditions, therefore they inhabit both human and auxiliary dwellings, outbuildings where livestock are kept. They do not pose a particular threat to humans if their numbers are small.
Egyptian cockroaches have an unusual appearance and can grow up to several centimeters in length. The shell is smooth and shiny, almost black.
On farms where lizards are raised, Egyptian cockroaches are used as food for them.
White species of cockroaches
Often, white cockroaches may appear in the apartment. This insect does not represent any new species, since the common cockroach may turn white after molting. Cockroaches die up to 10 times in their lifetime.
After molting, the beetle may have a white, almost transparent color, which often makes these insects difficult to find. After a while, when the insect grows a new shell, the beetle takes on a classic appearance. As a rule, it takes the insect about a couple of weeks.
Cockroaches can change color when exposed to chemicals used to control them. As a rule, this happens when using ineffective chemical components to which insects have developed immunity. After some time they return to their natural color.
What can be done to stop cockroaches from multiplying?
There are a sufficient number of insecticides that fight these insects very successfully if used correctly. But poisons alone are not enough: in order for your apartment to cease to be attractive for reproduction, it is advisable to fulfill a number of conditions.
- Frequently check and treat dark and damp nooks and crannies with poison as a preventative measure, especially if you know that cockroaches may return or pass to you from your neighbors.
- Control the humidity in the apartment, especially if you live in a region with high air humidity in general. This can be done using a regular air conditioner.
- Do not leave food in the open that cockroaches could eat, and get rid of the habit of eating without a plate and in bed: this is how crumbs spread throughout the apartment in large quantities.
- Do not forget about repeated treatments: the swelling does not allow chemicals to pass through, so the nymphs that appear after the first treatment will be absolutely healthy. And given that they can regulate the speed of development themselves, it will not be difficult for them to wait out difficult times in the capsule.
- If you want to get rid of the nest quickly and without poisons, you will have to turn off the heating for a while in winter, killing all the cockroaches at sub-zero temperatures (even at -5˚C they will die almost instantly).
Without treatment, it is quite difficult to deal with an existing large nest, but once you get rid of it, you can use the information received to ensure that your apartment will never again become a haven for these insects.
Furniture species of cockroaches (Supella longipalpa)
These insects were discovered in our apartments about 50 years ago, and since then residents have been unsuccessfully fighting them. These beetles are easily distinguished by their transparent wings with dark stripes and a bright red tint.
You won't find them in the kitchen as their diet consists of old books, paper, shredded paper and wallpaper paste. Therefore, very often they settle where there is a lot of paper, and these are libraries, archives, and so on.
Conditions for reproduction
Knowing how domestic cockroaches reproduce may be useful, but I would still like to understand why the nest appeared on yours and not on your neighbors. To find the answer to this question, just look at the typical habitats of cockroaches in the wild.
- Warm. Cockroaches are typical inhabitants of the tropics, and the fact that in our region they are common only in residential buildings is proof that they were brought to us. They say that they were accidentally brought along with bales of things by soldiers after the war with Prussia (hence the name “Prussian”), but they obviously got there from warm countries and assimilated into homes without any problems.
- Dampness. Imagine the tropics and you will certainly feel that humidity, which makes being outside like visiting a hammam. It is in these conditions that, for example, Madagascar cockroaches live. That's why they will definitely appreciate leaking water pipes, and simply rooms with high humidity. If you are worried about mold on the walls, then with a high degree of probability cockroaches will not keep you waiting.
This is interesting
There are even several species of domestic cockroaches, and there are thousands of varieties in the world.
- Darkness. Why is the nest not located in a visible place? Everything is simple here: not only are cockroaches in the wild nocturnal insects, but also staying in an open, illuminated space increases the chance of being eaten by some predator. That's why a cockroach that you accidentally see on a table or on the floor is always in a hurry somewhere. He hurries to hide.
- Nutrition. Well, without food, cockroaches would not survive. Previously, cockroaches in the house were even considered a sign of prosperity: it meant that the owners did not collect crumbs. However, later cockroaches began to be associated with uncleanliness. They say they created some dirt and that’s where the insects live. This is not entirely true: it’s difficult to keep track of every crumb, and you won’t be taking out the trash can every couple of hours. But the amount of food available does determine the size of the existing population.
By the way
Nutrition is important for nest expansion, but a single individual can live without food for about 20 days, so it is quite difficult to starve a cockroach.
If there is a place in your apartment that meets these cockroach requirements, a nest will appear there very, very soon.
Central Asian species of cockroaches (Shelfordella tartara)
This type of insect chooses the southern regions for its life. They are easily distinguished from other types of cockroaches by their yellow head and black belly.
They have another distinctive feature - the ability to jump from one object to another. If the distance is too great, they simply fly from one obstacle to another.
Ways to control cockroaches
The appearance of pests is not always associated with unsanitary conditions in the room; they also settle in a clean kitchen. It is enough for them to have access to water; almost any organic matter serves as food for insects. The fight against parasites is carried out comprehensively, using physical and chemical methods. An effective option is to freeze the room; cockroaches die at sub-zero temperatures. But this is a seasonal method and is not suitable for everyone. Available physical methods are mechanical destruction and installation of glue traps.
Many chemicals have been developed to get rid of pests. They are available in the form of dusts, gels, pencils, and sprays. The use of Raptor and Raid aerosols gives a quick effect. Insecticides are sprayed into the nest, a place where insects gather. Preparations in the form of gels and dusts are also applied along the routes of pest movement. If the colony size is small, it is enough to spread out poisoned baits. They are prepared from egg yolk and boric acid.
As preventive measures, it is recommended to get rid of all water leaks and have no access to food. Products are stored in plastic or glass containers with a lid. Compliance with sanitary standards and cleanliness is the main preventive measure.
Sources
- https://zelenplaneta.ru/tarakany/gde-zhivut-i-gde-pryachutsya-tarakany-v-kvartire.html
- https://beetlestop.ru/gnezdo-tarakanov/
- https://hlopklop.com/tarakany/gnezda-tarakanov.html
- https://DomoVreditel.ru/tarakany/gde-pryachutsya-tarakany
- https://vredstop.ru/tarakany/kak-razmnozhayutsya-tarakany.html
- https://parazitdoma.ru/tarakany/chernyy-kanalizacionniy
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How to prevent cockroaches from infesting these areas
Cockroaches can go without food for more than a month, and without water for about a week. The main factor in the comfortable living of insects is the availability of food and warmth. If freezing your apartment in winter is more expensive, then cutting off the pests’ path to getting food can and should be done. Electric cockroach repellent is a very effective choice! Providing conditions that are unacceptable for the living and development of the population will protect the apartment from the invasion of red and black pests:
- All food products, without exception, must be in airtight containers, except those in the refrigerator. Cereals, sugar, flour - in dense, preferably fabric, bags;
- faulty plumbing is a reliable water supplier. Avoid condensation on the walls of bathrooms, condensation on water pipes, puddles in places of all kinds of leaks, wet sinks and kitchen stoves;
- All ventilation openings should be covered with fine mesh. The cracks in the baseboards, in places where electrical sockets are adjacent to the wall, in the joints of walls with the floor, ceiling, door and window openings - have been repaired;
- Effective measures include timely removal of waste from the apartment, the presence of a tight-fitting lid of the waste collection container;
- Always check shopping bags and boxes. Cockroaches living in grocery and manufactured goods warehouses, stores, calmly migrate to a new place of residence along with the purchased goods;
- Suitcases with personal belongings should also be checked if you have stayed in hotels or other people's apartments.
Only permanent cleanliness in the apartment will not give cockroaches a chance to survive. High-quality cleaning will help detect the appearance of insects at the stage of introduction into the apartment, and timely measures taken will get rid of this scourge forever.
Lifestyle and behavior of cockroaches
Most parasites live in close groups or colonies, hiding in secluded corners. In order to destroy parasites in your home, you should know what a cockroach nest looks like. It should be noted that it is quite difficult to characterize a mass accumulation of insects as a nest based on its appearance.
Rather, it is a secluded corner where a large number of parasites are located. It is always more than dirty, there are remains of food, chitinous coverings, excrement, and there is also a pronounced unpleasant odor.
Reproduction of cockroaches
Most insects do not show any care for the young; moreover, some leave clutches of eggs in secluded corners. Hissing cockroaches, for example, are distinguished by the greatest care for their offspring. After hatching, the nymphs can remain near their mother for 24 hours, after which they scatter.
From birth, young individuals do not need care as such. They can feed themselves, find secluded shelters, and are full members of the colony.
During the nymph stage, insects experience about six molts, after which they enter the imago stage, that is, an adult insect.
Fertility of cockroaches
Most species are extremely prolific. One female can produce from three to ten clutches throughout her life. Moreover, each clutch contains up to fifty eggs, which are enclosed in dense capsules that protect future larvae from the negative effects of the external environment.
Where do they live?
As mentioned above, the species group includes more than four thousand species that can live both in nature and in apartments. Human housing is more often invaded by heat-loving insects, which are especially sensitive to changes in environmental conditions.
In addition, raising insects at home is practiced . More often they are used as food for snakes, as well as other animals bred as pets.
What do cockroaches eat?
Any organic matter is a food source for parasites. They can feed not only on common foods, but also on dead insects, paper, fabric, and household chemicals.
Even in the cleanest apartment there is enough food for insects.
In the absence of food, the insect can easily survive for three to four months. Rapid death of parasites can occur due to the lack of sufficient moisture. When dealing with domestic parasites, this point must be taken into account.
Effect of temperature on insects
Most are absolutely unpretentious to living conditions. For colonies to thrive, there is enough moisture and food. However, these insects are highly sensitive to temperature changes.
A temperature drop of less than minus five degrees or an increase of over thirty to thirty-five degrees is disastrous for most. However, representatives of the species living in southern countries can easily withstand higher temperatures.
In view of these characteristics of cockroaches, a simple, safe for humans method of exterminating them was developed, which consists of freezing the room.
To remove parasites, it is enough to leave the apartment, first turning off the heating, opening the windows and doors.
A few hours are enough to kill not only adults, but also larvae. Of course, the use of this method is only relevant in winter.
