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Index of Bugs
This cockroach belongs to the order Orthoptera, family Blattidae, and genus Periplaneta. This insect is commonly called the American cockroach. We mostly know cockroaches as pests. Only a small number of all known cockroach species, however, become pests by invading houses and other buildings. Cockroaches are more common in warm climates. They live in many different terrestrial habitats, such as among dead and decaying leaves and wood, and under stones or bark of trees. They are active and fast-running insects.
A cockroach has one pair of thick, leathery wings that it can fold over its body for protection. It has another pair of membranous flying wings underneath.
Cockroaches are ancient and highly successful insects. They have been on Earth for at least 350 million years! Their closest relatives are believed to be the mantids.
Like all insects, cockroaches have three body parts: a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. Cockroaches have three pairs of legs. The legs, which are adapted for walking and running, are attached to the thorax. In the adults, the wings are also attached at the thorax.
The head is covered by a plate-like structure called a pronotum. Cockroaches use their flexible and sensitive antennae to find their way, search for food, and escape predators. The antennae thrash about like whips as the cockroach searches. They are segmented and have many sensory organs on them. Cockroaches sense different odors, detect walls and feel vibrations in the air with the sensory organs.
Cockroaches are omnivorous which means that they eat just about anything. A cockroach's mouth organs include jaws that are used to chew food pieces.
Cockroaches like other arthropods have compound eyes. Compound eyes have many lenses for each eye and human eyes have a single lens for each eye. The compound eye is excellent at detecting motion. Therefore, insects respond better to moving objects than to stationary ones.
Cockroaches are hemimetabolous insects. This means that they undergo incomplete metamorphosis. Cockroaches have an egg stage, several nymph stages, and an adult stage.
The insect's hard exoskeleton makes it difficult for the insect to grow. This is because the exoskeleton can't get larger. Insects must molt in order to grow. Molting is the process where an insect sheds it outer skeleton. The insect emerges from the old skin, and a new, larger exoskeleton develops.
To learn more about cockroaches and to see them in action, order the Backyard Bugs DVD.
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