German
Cockroaches
Cockroaches
Blattella Germanica Linnaeus
| Adult Female |
| Adult Male |
Introduction
| The German cockroach is the cockroach of concern, the species that gives all other cockroaches a bad name. It occurs in structures throughout Florida, and is the species that typically plagues multifamily dwellings. In Florida, the German cockroach may be confused with the Asian cockroach, Blattella asahinai Mizukubo. While these cockroaches are very similar, there are some differences that a practiced eye can discern. |
Description
Eggs are carried in an egg case, or ootheca,
by the female until just before hatch occurs.
The ootheca can be seen protruding from the
posterior end (genital chamber) of the
female. Nymphs will often hatch from the
ootheca while the female is still carrying it. A
typical egg case contains 30 to 40 eggs. The
egg case is a tiny, brown, purse-shaped
capsule. It is about 8 mm long, 3 mm high,
and 2 mm wide.
by the female until just before hatch occurs.
The ootheca can be seen protruding from the
posterior end (genital chamber) of the
female. Nymphs will often hatch from the
ootheca while the female is still carrying it. A
typical egg case contains 30 to 40 eggs. The
egg case is a tiny, brown, purse-shaped
capsule. It is about 8 mm long, 3 mm high,
and 2 mm wide.
| The German cockroach has three life stages typical of insects with incomplete metamorphosis: the egg, nymph, and adult. The entire life cycle is completed in about 100 days. However, factors such as temperature, nutritional status, and strain differences may influence the time required to complete a life cycle. German cockroaches breed continuously with many overlapping generations present at any one time. Under ideal conditions, population growth has been shown to be exponential. Actively growing field populations are comprised of 80 percent nymphs and 20 percent adults. The German cockroach is omnivorous, eating table scraps, pet food, and even book bindings. |
Life Cycle
German cockroaches adulterate food or food
products with their feces and defensive
secretions, physically transport and often
harbor pathogenic organisms, may cause
severe allergic responses, and in extremely
heavy infestations have been reported to bite
humans and feed on food residues on the
faces of sleeping humans. In addition, some
scientists suggest that German cockroach
infestations may cause human psychological
stress and that the stigma associated with
infestations alters human behavior. For
example, people with infested houses do
less entertaining, and avoid the kitchen at
night for fear of encountering a cockroach.
products with their feces and defensive
secretions, physically transport and often
harbor pathogenic organisms, may cause
severe allergic responses, and in extremely
heavy infestations have been reported to bite
humans and feed on food residues on the
faces of sleeping humans. In addition, some
scientists suggest that German cockroach
infestations may cause human psychological
stress and that the stigma associated with
infestations alters human behavior. For
example, people with infested houses do
less entertaining, and avoid the kitchen at
night for fear of encountering a cockroach.
Medical and
Economic
Significance
Economic
Significance
