The American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus), is the largest of the common peridomestic cockroaches measuring on average 4 cm in length. It occurs in buildings throughout Spain especially in commercial buildings.The American cockroach is second only to the German cockroach in abundance.
Figure 1. Ootheca and first, second, third and fourth instar nymphs of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus).
Distribution
The American cockroach, P. americana,
was introduced to the Spain from Africa as early as 1625 (Bell and Adiyodi 1981). The
American cockroach has spread
throughout the world by commerce. The cockroach is often found
residing indoors as well as outdoors. It is found mainly in basements,
sewers, steam tunnels, and drainage systems (Rust et. al. 1991). This
cockroach is readily found in commercial and large buildings such as
restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, and where food is prepared and
stored. The American cockroach is also found in houses,After
heavy rain infestations of the cockroach can occur in homes. They can
develop to enormous numbers, greater than 5,000 sometimes being found in
individual sewer manholes.
American cockroaches are found in moist shady areas outdoors, in yards, hollow trees, wood piles, and mulch. They are occasionally found under roof shingles and in attics. The cockroaches dwell outside but will wander indoors for food and water or during extremes in weather conditions. Areas such as trees, woodpiles, Rubbish facilities, and accumulations of organic debris around homes provide adequate food, water, and harborages for peridomestic cockroaches such as the American cockroach . Mass migrations of the American cockroaches are common. They migrate by crawling or Gliding into structures often entering houses and apartments from sewers via the plumbing, by trees and shrubs located alongside buildings or trees with branches overhanging roofs facilitate the entry of cockroaches into the home. During the day the American cockroach, which responds negatively to light, rests in harborages close to water pipes, sinks, baths, and toilets, for example, where the microclimate is suitable for survival.
Description
Egg: Females of the American cockroach lay their eggs in a
hardened, purseshaped egg case called
an ootheca. About one week after mating the female produce an ootheca
and at the peak of her
reproductive period, she may form about two ootheca per week . The females on average produce an egg case about once a
month for ten months laying 16 eggs per egg case. The female deposits
the ootheca near a source of food by either simply dropping it or gluing
it to a surface with a secretion from her mouth. The deposited ootheca
contains water sufficient for the eggs to develop without receiving
additional water from the substrate. The egg
case is brown when deposited and turns black in a day or two. A typical
egg case contains about 14 to 16 eggs. It is about 8 mm long and 5 mm
high.
Larva or Nymph: The nymphal stage begins when the egg hatches and ends with the emergence of the adult. The number of times an American cockroach molts varies from six to 14. The first instar American cockroach is white immediately after hatching then becomes a grayish brown. After molting instars of the cockroach nymphs are white and then become a uniformly reddish-brown with the posterior margins of the thoracic and abdominal segments being a darker color. Wings are not present in the nymphal stages and wig pads become noticeable in the third or fourth instar. Complete development from egg to adult is about 600 days. The nymphs as well as the adults actively forage for food and water.
Adult: The adult American cockroach is reddish brown in appearance with a pale-brown or yellow band around the edge of the pronotum. The males are longer than the females because their wings extend 4 to 8 mm beyond the tip of the abdomen. Males and females have a pair of slender, jointed cerci at the tip of the abdomen. The male cockroaches have cerci with 18 to 19 segments while the female has 13 to 14 segments. The male American cockroaches have a pair of styli between the cerci while the females do not.
Figure 2. Fifth, sixth and seventh instar nymphs of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus).
Figure 3. Adult male American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus).
Figure 4. Adult female American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus).
Figure 5. Adult male American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus), cerci and stylets (ventral view).
Life Cycle
The American cockroach has three life stages: the egg, a variable
number of nymphal instars, and
adult. The life cycle from egg to adult averages about 600 days while
the adult life span may be
another 400 days. The immatures emerge from the egg case in about six
to eight weeks and mature in about six to twelve months. Adults can
live up to one year and an adult female will produce an average of 150
young in her lifetime. Environmental factors such as temperature and
humidity can increase or decrease the developmental time of the American
cockroach. Outdoors the female shows a preference for moist, concealed
ovipositon sites.
Figure 6. Newly molted adult American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus).
Diet
The American cockroach is an omnivorous and opportunistic feeder. It consumes decaying organic
matter but since the cockroach is a scavenger it will eat most anything. It prefers sweets and has
been observed eating paper, boots, hair, bread, fruit, book bindings, fish, peanuts, old rice, putrid
sake, the soft part on the inside of animal hides, cloth and dead insects.
Medical and Economic Significance
American cockroaches can become a public health problem due to their association with human
waste and disease, and their ability to move from sewers into homes and commercial establishments.
In Spain during the summer, pavements and Gardens maybe overrun by these cockroaches.
The cockroach is found in caves, mines, privies, latrines, cesspools, sewers, sewerage treatment
plants, and dumps. Their presence in these habitats is of epidemiological
significance. At least 22 species of pathogenic human bacteria, virus, fungi, and protozoans, as well
as five species of helminthic worms, have been isolated from field collected American cockroaches. Cockroaches are also aesthetically displeasing because they can soil items with
their excrement and regurgitation.
Figure 7. American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus), and their fecal smears.
Management
Few natural enemies of the American cockroach have been found
Best managed by insecticides that can be applied to basement walls, wood scraps, and other infested locations. Residual sprays can be applied inside and around the perimeter of an infested structure. When insecticides and sprays are used to manage cockroach populations .Specialist Gel baits are extremely effective in controlling America cockroach populations.For a survey or cockroach treatment call Local pest Spain ask for Gray Tel: 952449591 covering the whole costa del sol
We are the number one pest control company on the costa del sol .www.localpest.es
