What insects eat cockroaches. Service for biological and environmental protection of human life. Eating cockroaches, cockroach dishes. Extreme cuisine

It is difficult to identify a specific type of animal or bird that consumes arthropod pests. But natural enemies in nature, these insects have. Some birds, as well as rodents, use longhorned beetles as food. If a colony of ants encounters a dead arthropod, it will move the entire body or its individual parts to the anthill. Live and large insects are consumed by hedgehogs. By the way, this is taken into account by people who breed “prickly” brothers.

Among those that feed on cockroaches in nature is the emerald wasp. The process of absorption of an arthropod pest by a wasp is interesting. This has been noted by scientists who conduct research in this area. Initially, the wasp bites the individual it encounters, injecting a toxic substance through the hole. The poisonous substance of the emerald wasp includes components that paralyze the insect for subsequent consumption by the larvae. To pull a cockroach away, the wasp grabs its whiskers. In the hole, the wasp fills the belly of the arthropod pest with eggs and leaves it for a certain time.

The emerald wasp blocks the entrance to the hole with pebbles. She performs such actions to ensure that the fertilized arthropod pest does not leave the trap. The hatched larvae actively eat the insect in whose belly they developed. After this, they go through the pupal stage, using insect particles to create a cocoon.

In terrariums

No less interesting is who eats cockroaches from pets. To understand this, you can examine professional and amateur terrariums and talk with specialists. Fans of lizards and other exotic reptiles are aware of which animals feed on baleen cockroaches. Many types of domestic animals consume such insects:

• Those types of birds that are kept at home.
• Iguanas.
• Certain species of lizards.
• Turtles. Various turtles eat those arthropod insects that are sold in zoological stores or bred at home.
• Predator fish.
• Turtles.
• Decorative rats and mice.
• Snakes.

The popularity of exotic and domestic cockroaches among terrarium owners is due to the fact that these insects help to quickly saturate the animal.

Some owners of terrariums do not purchase insects, but raise cockroaches themselves in the apartment. Most often, they choose Madagascar, black and American cockroaches, since they are distinguished by their large size and the presence of protein.

Pets

Owners of infested apartments are interested in whether spiders eat domestic cockroaches. Indeed, in those rooms where arthropod pests are present, spiders appear almost immediately. They consume barbels as food. To catch them, they weave nets and wait until individual individuals fall into the trap. Therefore, it is not recommended to get rid of spiders if the room is infected.

To combat arthropod pests, you can use animals that cockroaches are afraid of in the apartment. These types include:

• Dogs.
• Rats.
• Cats.
• Hamsters and other rodents.

People who plan to breed rodents at home are wondering whether decorative mice eat cockroaches. Decorative mice eat cereals, grains, vegetables and fruits. If an arthropod pest gets into the cage, the rodent will eat it. But there is no need to specifically purchase this type of insect for feeding, since mice have a different diet.

Knowing which animals are afraid of or are terrified of insects, you can fight them more successfully. To achieve optimal effect, this information should be combined with insecticidal preparations and folk remedies.

Human

It is important for lovers of exotic dishes to know in which country they eat mustachioed cockroaches. People can taste dishes that include this exotic product in restaurants in Africa or Asia. Insects, which are later used in cooking, are grown in specially equipped insectariums. Residents of Asia buy small specimens to fry them in a frying pan with certain spices and eat them. They are practically not consumed in our country, although we have many exotic restaurants.

The list of animals and insects that eat arthropod pests is small. Only for some animals kept in terrariums do they act as additional food.

Video about animals eating roaches

A cockroach is an arthropod insect from the superorder Cockroach-like, order Cockroaches (Blattoptera, Blattodea).

None of the versions of the origin of the Russian word “cockroach” has been precisely confirmed. According to some etymologists, cockroaches got their name from the Chuvash word “tar-aqan”, which means “running away”, or the Turkic “taz” (“to run away”).

Cockroach: description, characteristics, structure

Cockroaches are distinguished by a flattened, oval-shaped body, ranging from 1 to 10 cm or more in length. The elongated abdomen of the cockroach consists of 8-10 tergites (dorsal sclerotized segments) and 7-9 sternites (abdominal sclerotized segments), 7 in females, 8-9 in males. At the end of the abdomen there are long, usually segmented cerci. In males, there are 1-2 styli located on the last sternite. Typically, cockroaches have a light body color with yellowish-brown elytra; dark or black coloring is less common.

The elytra of the cockroach are dense, horny or leathery, with pronounced venation. The hind wings are equipped with membranes and, when folded, are hidden under the elytra.

In some species, the front and rear wings are shortened, and there are also wingless species of cockroaches. Some species of cockroaches can fly, although their flight does not last long.

A cockroach has a total of 6 legs. The thighs and shins are equipped with spines. The legs of these insects with five-segmented tarsi are well developed and adapted for running.

The speed of a cockroach is quite high: for example, the American cockroach covers a distance of 75 cm in a second. In addition, it is almost impossible to catch a cockroach with your bare hands, because the nimble insect changes direction approximately 25 times per second.

The flat head of a cockroach can be triangular or heart-shaped.

The pronotum is almost flat, shield-shaped, quite large, with transparent edges in many species.

The jaws of insects are very strong, gnawing type, with many chitinous teeth.

The mouth is turned downwards.

The eyes of the cockroach are large, there are 2 simple ocelli; in wingless cockroaches they are often atrophied, and in cave species they are completely absent.

The sensitive antennae of insects are quite long, sometimes exceeding the length of the body, bristle-like, multi-segmented, covered with many microscopic bristles.

External reproductive organs The male cockroach is represented by the genital plate formed by the ninth sternite.

Females are endowed with a hidden ovipositor and an ootheca - a special protein capsule designed for bearing offspring.

A cockroach lives from 4 months to 4 years, the lifespan of a cockroach depends on the species.

The cockroach is one of the hardiest insects, capable of starving for a whole month without harm to health. But under favorable conditions and thanks to the features oral apparatus Cockroaches feed on everything that is poorly hidden. A female cockroach eats from 30 to 50 g of various foods per day; males are not so gluttonous and eat 2 times less.

The cockroach is a nocturnal insect, and goes out in search of food after dark, and the “feast” continues until dawn, largely because cockroaches do not so much eat as they bite into various foods, finding the most delicious for themselves by sampling.

The favorite food of cockroaches is any baked goods, sugar and all kinds of sweets, in third place meat products and cereals, and completing the list of preferences are various vegetables and fruits, of any freshness. In the absence of food, cockroaches are content with paper, carpentry and shoe glue, book bindings, fabrics, various garbage and any organic matter.

Where do cockroaches live?

Cockroaches are distributed almost everywhere and inhabit almost all parts of the world, with the exception of icy Antarctica and other polar regions. The most numerous populations live in the tropics and subtropical latitudes, although these insects feel no less comfortable in the temperate zone. Cockroaches live in North and South America, Europe, Russia, Africa and Asia, and Australia. Countries with a fairly cool climate and frosty winters are mainly inhabited by synanthropic species that live in heated human dwellings.

In nature, cockroaches prefer to settle in shady places with constantly high humidity: they hide in the thickness of fallen leaves, under half-decomposed wood, “feast” where there is a cluster of rotting fruits or vegetables, and often live in rotting vegetation along shallow water bodies. Sinanthropus cockroaches often make their nests in ventilation shafts and sewer lines of multi-story buildings, in basements, in wall cracks and behind baseboards, and they frequent city landfills and garbage chutes.

How to distinguish a female cockroach from a male?

Below are photos that will help determine the sex of a cockroach.

Argentine cockroach (Blaptika dubia) - male on the left and female on the right

Marbled cockroach Nauphoeta cinerea – male below, female above

Does the white cockroach exist?

Sometimes in an ordinary apartment, among the typical cockroaches, you can see rather unusual albino cockroaches. Many people wonder: is the white cockroach a separate species? Not at all. An insect can have this color during the molting period, when the old shell has already been shed, and the new chitinous shell has not yet acquired pigmentation. Another reason for the “whitening” of a cockroach may be disinfestation using toxic chlorine, which destroys the coloring pigment.

What animals eat cockroaches?

Although the cockroach is an almost indestructible insect due to its amazing fertility and adaptability to the most uncomfortable living conditions, they also have enemies. Some species enjoy eating cockroaches (for example, Centruroides gracilis, Euscorpius germanus And Hadrurus arizonensis), will not refuse to taste the cockroach centipede Scutigera coleoptrata, house spiders and. Cockroaches are hunted by the crested anole lizard, tree frog, northern leopard frog, and coastal toad. Cockroaches are a favorite treat for households, and dead cockroaches are eaten. Eulophid insects lay eggs in the ootecae of cockroaches, and the hatched eulophid larvae eat everything inside the cockroach capsule.

Types of cockroaches, names and photos

The modern classification includes 500 genera, including more than 4640 species of cockroaches. Below is a description of some varieties:

• (Prussian) ( Blattella germanica)

It got its name due to the erroneous assumption that the insect was brought to Russia from Prussia. The Prussian cockroach is one of the most common synanthropic species, whose life is spent in close interaction with humans. The body length of an adult cockroach is from 1 to 1.6 cm. Individuals of both sexes have developed wings, thanks to which they can plan, but cockroaches cannot fly for a long time. Males are distinguished by a narrower body, females have a fairly wide body with a rounded abdomen, covered with wings. The color of the red cockroach suggests different shades of brown. There are 2 characteristic dark stripes on the dorsal part of the prothorax.

The red cockroach is omnivorous, and in addition to its traditional food - the remains of human food, the cockroach can eat paper, shoe leather, textiles, and in extreme cases, even ordinary soap.

In fact, the Prussian came to Europe and North America from southern Asia, so the heat-loving insect in harsh climates survives only in rooms heated all year round.

• (Blatta orientalis)

In the past, it was a fairly common species, significantly displaced from its usual habitats by the red cockroach. Length adult ranges from 2 to 8 cm. The color of the cockroach is black-brown or tar-brown with a metallic tint. Males are distinguished by longer elytra than females, but neither one nor the other can fly, but they run very quickly.

Black cockroaches live throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. They prefer to settle in heated rooms, sewers, adits, greenhouses, as well as in wildlife, not far from the main source of nutrition - food waste.

• (Periplaneta americana)

In appearance it looks like a red cockroach, but has a large body size: from 3.5 to 5 cm. Like the Prussians, American cockroaches can fly. The wings of males extend beyond the abdomen by 4-8 mm, due to which males appear longer than females. The shiny body of the American cockroach can be red or chocolate brown. A light brown or yellow stripe runs along the edge of the pronotum. In the wild, American cockroaches live in wooden piles, rotten wood, the bark of palm trees, sewers and ventilation tunnels. Thanks to their flattened body shape, they easily penetrate people’s homes through the smallest cracks and gaps, where they hide in attics and basements during daylight hours.

Cockroaches eat absolutely everything: any organic matter, garbage, hair and dead insects, fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, nuts, sweets, cereals, paper, pieces of shoes and clothing. In the 17th century, they were brought from Africa to North America, and later to Europe, where they successfully took root and spread everywhere.

• Madagascar hissing cockroach(Gromphadorrhina portentosa)

A very large tropical cockroach, growing in length up to 55 mm (males) - 60 mm (females). Some individuals can reach a length of 10 cm. The weight of the cockroach is about 60 g. The back of the body is colored Brown color, pronotum brownish-black. Madagascar cockroaches do not have wings. In times of danger and during mating games, they are capable of making loud sounds reminiscent of hissing. What’s interesting: the female cockroach hisses only to scare away enemies, and the louder the male cockroach hisses, the more chances he has for the female’s favor. Some individuals, in addition to hissing, can whistle.

The Madagascar cockroach is an endemic species whose range is limited to the island of Madagascar. Hissing cockroaches live in the branches of trees and shrubs, feeding on fruits and other vegetation. They are actively used for breeding at home, as live food and in cockroach races.

• Marbled cockroach (ash cockroach, naufete, neofeta)(Nauphoeta cinerea)

It is of African origin, but due to its unpretentiousness and fertility, it is widespread throughout to the globe. The insect is also called naufet. Females are larger than males and grow up to 3 cm in length, males - up to 2.5 cm.

Marbled cockroaches eat raw vegetables and fruits, cereals and sprouted grains, bread, protein feeds, grass, paper, can easily chew through thin plastic. In the absence of protein feed, cases of cannibalism are observed. The ash cockroach is a universal and most popular food insect for domestic hedgehogs, amphibians (and) and tarantulas.

• Turtle cockroaches(Corydiidae)

This is a family of cockroaches with pronounced sexual dimorphism: females are wingless, large, massive, grow up to 3-4 cm in length. Males have wings and grow up to 2.5-3 cm in length. Due to their structural features, they are somewhat reminiscent of woodlice.

Cockroaches live in dry areas North America, Central Asia and Africa.

Chess cockroach (lat. Therea petiveriana). Photo by: noexcuse4you

• Sarawak cockroach ( Rhicnoda natatrix)

Lives on the island of Kalimantan.

An amazing feature of this species is the ability of cockroach larvae to swim well. Under normal conditions, the larvae prefer to hide in litter of fallen leaves located near small streams, puddles or shallow tropical forest lakes. However, at the first hint of danger, the larvae bravely rush into the reservoir, rushing to the bottom and waiting there for a calm situation on land.

The heaviest cockroach in the world is the Australian one rhinoceros cockroach or giant burrowing cockroach ( Macropanesthia rhinoceros) , whose length is about 9 cm and weighs more than 30 g.

Reaches the same size cockroach Blaberus giganteus . These 2 species are very popular among lovers of pet cockroaches.

The longest cockroach in the world is one that lives in countries Latin America cockroach Megaloblatta longipennis , the length of which reaches 9.7 cm with a width of 4.5 cm.

And the most big scope a cockroach has 18.5 cm wings Megaloblattablaberoides .

Flying cockroaches, names and photos

Despite having wings, not all cockroaches can fly. And even representatives of flying species do not know how to glide in the air, but only make small and short flights. Flying cockroaches:

• (Prussian) ( Blattella germanica)

It has a brown-red color and a body length of 1-1.6 cm.

• Lapland cockroach ( Ectobius lapponicus)

A species that lives in Europe and the USA. Males are 1.3-1.4 cm long, females are 9-10 mm long. Individuals are colored gray-yellow and brown-yellow.

• Asian cockroach ( Blattella asahinai)

It lives in the tropics and subtropics of hot Asia, as well as in the southern states of the USA.

• (Periplaneta americana)

It is similar to the Prussian, but differs in longer length - from 35 to 50 mm.

• Megaloblatta longipennis And Megaloblattablaberoides

They live in the countries of Central and South America. The length of the insects reaches 9 cm, width - 4.5 cm. The wingspan is 18-20 cm.

• Blaberus giganteus

A species native to South and Central America. Males grow up to 6.5-7 cm, females - up to 7-8.5 cm.

How do cockroaches reproduce?

Cockroaches are characterized by an incomplete development cycle, consisting of 3 periods:

• egg;
• larva (nymph);
• imago (adult).

Cockroaches are distinguished by sexual and parthenogenetic reproduction, but, in any case, in order to reproduce offspring, the female still needs to mate at least once. Male gametes are capable long time persist in the female's body, and subsequent clutches occur without prior copulation.

There is no specific breeding season for cockroaches, but mating games individual species are somewhat different. Female cockroaches invite males to mate by lightly flapping their wings and secreting an odorous substance - a special secretion produced by glands located in the back of the body. In some species, mating is preceded by a lengthy courtship process.

The male cockroach fertilizes the female using the genital plate, and then the partners separate. After some time, the female lays 30-40 eggs and bears them in the ooteca, which is located at the end of the abdomen.

Female and cubs

Most species of cockroaches are ovoviviparous; some are viviparous.

The incubation period lasts from 2 to 5 weeks, at the end of which the female sheds the ootheca in a secluded corner, after which fully developed nymphs hatch from the eggs, differing from mature individuals in their smaller size, lack of wings and darker color.

Nymph (larva) of the Australian cockroach

The development of nymphs can last from several months, like the Prussian, to 4 years, like the black cockroach.

Cockroach larvae molt 5-9 times during their growth process, increasing in size after each molt.

After the last molt, the cockroach acquires a hard shell. Depending on the species, a female cockroach is capable of producing from 20 to 90 ootheca during her life.

Who eats cockroaches is interesting to all victims who have tried everything. The last hope is placed on natural enemies, of which there are not so many. Some people breed on purpose, creating the most favorable conditions for. All these efforts are for the sake of feeding your beloved pets.

Animals are enemies of insects

The meat of a fairly large arthropod is rich in proteins. The food is nutritious, healthy and satisfying. You can list which animals feed on cockroaches on the fingers of one hand. Every animal eats beetles, but not many prefer cockroaches.

Domestic cats, dogs, hamsters, and rats are not averse to feasting on them, but without much enthusiasm. In nature, cockroaches are hunted by hedgehogs, frogs, lizards, birds, and rodents. Small monkeys can eat them.

On a note!

In stores, terrarium owners become the main buyers of cockroaches. Insects serve as food for snakes, lizards, and iguanas. Eats skulls eagerly. They periodically buy live food for monkeys, birds, and rodents. These representatives of the fauna are capable of eating insects in huge portions. Of particular interest are and. These species are bred specifically at home.

Enemies among insects

They eat the already dead body of the Prussian, dragging the carcass with them to be devoured by the larvae. However, the main enemy is the emerald wasp. She does not eat the victim herself, but brutally uses the body, subjects Living being long torment.

A wasp injects poison into the body of a living Prussian. Paralyzes him and drags him into the hole. There it lays eggs in its body. Walls up the entrance to the hole so that the prisoner who has recovered from the poison cannot escape.

The larvae develop inside for about a week. Worms emerge from the eggs, which after hatching begin to eat the cockroach from the inside. A week later they pupate. There are still a few days left. They crawl out of the victim's shell as already formed wasps.

Human

In Asian and African countries, cockroach dishes are served in expensive restaurants. They are specially bred in insectariums for this purpose. Small cockroaches are eaten as seeds at home, roasted whole in a frying pan. In our regions, such a passion for eating vile creatures is not shared.

Who eats cockroaches from animals - the list is extremely small. Prussians are not the main food for anyone. Residents of terrariums are fed insects twice a week; birds, monkeys, and rodents eat even less. in dark, damp places, in human houses, where natural enemies do not penetrate. In such conditions, cockroaches were able to quickly multiply, multiply the population and spread throughout the globe.

Cockroaches in an apartment are one of the most common problems (it’s much less common to find bedbugs in an apartment, but getting them out is much more difficult). Both residents of high-rise buildings and owners of private houses face conflicts. There are plenty of products in stores that are designed to combat unplanned colonies of many-legged residents. Their variety allows you to choose an option for any budget. And the media and the Internet will provide all the necessary information on the effectiveness and safety of the product chosen by a person.

Waging a full-scale war against insects at home, few people think about where the unwanted insects came from and what exactly attracted them to a given living space. And it should! Knowing the habits of cockroaches allows you to fight them more effectively and successfully avoid their appearance.

Features of behavior

A cockroach is a creature, although not intelligent, but always looking for the most comfortable conditions for life. And all warm, dark places, inaccessible to most large creatures, are comfortable for them. Conditions will be ideal for them if there is food and access to water near such habitats.

Cockroaches, although omnivorous creatures, are non-aggressive and rather cowardly insects. They can show aggression in the most extreme cases and only towards smaller creatures. The statement that cockroaches eat bedbugs has no serious justification. Such a situation can only arise when a cockroach is hungry for a long time, and there are no other food sources within reach (which is really rare, since their omnivorous nature allows them to find food almost everywhere).

Bedbugs and cockroaches have almost no points of intersection; they have nothing to share, so they are able to coexist quite peacefully in the same territory. Although cockroaches are natural enemies of bedbugs, they are often found together in everyday life and do not suffer too much from this. But getting rid of bedbugs is sometimes much more difficult.

Omnivorous pests

In order to understand the reason why a human apartment is attractive to insect colonies, you should know what they eat. It was already mentioned earlier that the cockroach is an omnivorous creature; almost any organic matter can serve as food for it. Unattended, open food is a favorite delicacy of the Prussians. In the absence of available human food, insects will look for leftovers on unwashed plates in the sink. They feed on crumbs spilled on the floor during meals; any kind of organic matter in the trash can is a feast for cockroach colonies.

In an apartment (much more often in basements), insects driven to extreme hunger are able to taste human skin (provided that the person is sleeping, the Prussians are too cowardly to attack active creatures). There is a species of insect that can feed on human eyelashes. This type of cockroach lives in Brazil, and its most common victims are young sleeping children.

Harmful insects also feed on certain types of fabrics, as well as, if necessary (extreme hunger), leather goods. There have been cases of cockroaches feeding on synthetic materials.

Precautionary measures

To prevent the appearance of unwanted settlers in the apartment, you should take all necessary measures precautions.

It is not enough to clear the table and hide uneaten food in the refrigerator. It is mandatory to carry out general cleaning at least twice a week. Don't let unwashed dishes stagnate in the sink; they are a prime target for the Prussians. People living in an apartment are advised to line the ventilation openings with special ones in order to prevent unwanted insects from entering from neighboring apartments. It is allowed to place a certain amount in them. A fine mesh on air ducts is required.

Not only prepared foods should have a closed appearance; be sure to ensure that all ingredients, including spices, are tightly closed. It makes no sense to place them higher; insects run perfectly on walls and ceilings, and some are able to fly!

The main rule of not only fighting cockroaches, but also preventing their appearance is the absence of water in a form accessible to insects - water spilled on the floor, located in open containers for settling, dripping from poorly closed or faulty taps. Water is one of the most important resources for insects. They can get food almost anywhere, and even in its absence, cockroaches can feel good for more than a month, while finding accessible water is a much more difficult task, and they can live without it much less.

At home, it is very difficult to combat colonies of multi-legged pests, regardless of what type it is, so it is recommended to protect yourself in advance by trying to take all the necessary precautions.

Refer to edible species insects that can be eaten by many animals both in the wild and at home. Cockroaches are eaten by birds, reptiles, rodents, and other insects. Their chitinous shell is rich nutrients, and the body itself is pure protein. Animals that eat cockroaches receive adequate nutrition that contributes to their normal development.

Natural enemies of insects

In nature, the cockroach has many enemies. These include:

• various types of birds;
• rats, voles, hamsters, mice;
• lizards, snakes, turtles;
• monkey;
• wasps, centipedes, ants.

Most representatives of cockroaches move quickly and even. Animals that feed on cockroaches need to be very fast and have lightning-fast reactions to catch their dinner. Small birds eat cockroaches in trees, or catch them on the fly during short flights.

Do not give to pets as food caught in the apartment. It could eat into adjacent rooms and be hazardous to the health of pets.

Cats and dogs eat cockroaches in the apartment. They are attracted to the nimble insect and sometimes, when playing too much, pets can swallow it. Such a snack will not harm even a cat or a dog. But small kittens and puppies should not be allowed to eat Prussians. Their hard elytra can cause indigestion in babies.

Food for people

In many parts of the world, people eat insects. These countries include:

• Thailand;
• Vietnam;
• China;
• Cambodia;
• Laos;
• Myanmar;
• India;
• Indonesia;
• African countries.

The daily diet of local residents may include cockroaches, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and ants. Many families in developing countries live below the poverty line, so this food is a cheap substitute for meat.

IN local restaurants and cafes for tourists prepare all kinds of dishes from representatives of cockroaches. They are fried, stewed with sauces and side dishes, and eaten alive. In a tourist area, such a menu can be expensive.

These pests have many enemies both in the wild and at home. In addition to the fact that they can be eaten, most often the owners of the houses where they live try to poison them. The danger lurking everywhere taught them to be careful and adapt to different conditions life.