Cockroaches are the most respected order of insects by biologists. More than 300 million years ago, when there were no dinosaurs on earth yet, they already existed, and appearance they remained virtually unchanged. They have adapted at all times and on all continents. And only the cold could stop them, but several species have adapted here: the steppe and Lapland cockroaches. If Europe began to suffer more than 400 years ago, then cockroaches came to Russia in the second half of the 17th century. The black cockroach presumably came to us from Turkey. And his red-haired brother was delivered by soldiers returning from Germany after Seven Years' War, hence its second name “Prussians”. There was a time when it was considered a symbol of domestic well-being and prosperity - it was believed that if cockroaches live in a house, it means it is warm and well-fed. It was used medicinally, dried and made into powder, infused and used to treat ulcers and indigestion. They insisted on “cockroach” vodka. He felt free to live and reproduce.

Interesting fact: There are studies confirming the resistance of cockroaches to radiation. A person can withstand 500 rads (radiation exposure units), and a cockroach can withstand 6,400 rads!

Stages of life

The fertilized female lays eggs in an ooteca (sac) which she carries with her on her abdomen. Over the course of 2–4 weeks, the ootheca darkens and increases in size. Afterwards, the female dumps it in a warm, secluded place and small cockroaches appear from it. white(nymph), their dimensions are no more than 3 mm. Next, the nymphs darken and grow, going through a period of several moults (about 5). The period of transformation of an imago into an adult can last from 2 months to six months, it all depends on the temperature environment(optimally +30 o C). And the total lifespan of the red barbel is 9 - 12 months, and its black counterpart is up to 2 years.

Do cockroaches need food?

Since they are cold-blooded (poikilothermic) insects, they do not require energy to maintain body temperature. In such insects, the metabolism is slowed down 20 times, and therefore, after eating once, it is able to survive a long fast. But there is also a minus: they can normally exist only at above-zero temperatures, and already at -1 o C their numbers sharply decrease. One method of dealing with them is freezing.

How important is water to them?

Water is the main source of life for cockroaches. If they can exist without food for a long time, then without water, like many living organisms, they can exist for a very short period of time. Without replenishing the body with moisture, Prussians can live no more than 6 - 8 days. Since they are heat-loving, water evaporates from their body through the chitinous shell, which leads to the drying out of the insect. In their homes, they can replenish water supplies from wet food, leaking taps, drops in the sink, condensation on pipes, and from the soil when watering flowers.

– Are cockroaches insects or animals?
– If they live with a neighbor, they are insects, but if they live with you, then they are animals!

Does a cockroach live without a head?

The answer to this question is clearly “Yes”. Not only can the body exist without a head for up to 2 weeks, but the head can also live without a body if properly maintained in laboratory conditions. This was proven by American scientists by conducting a series of experiments on cockroaches. Without a head, cockroaches move their legs, roll over and even move. But as scientists note, separated parts of the body will not be able to coexist normally, as with a whole organism.

Cockroaches and radiation

The statement that cockroaches feel at ease with large doses of radiation is controversial. Yes, they are very tenacious and can easily tolerate hunger and large doses of radiation. But let's look at the facts: a person can survive an infection of 500 rads, for a cockroach this is a dose 15 times higher. And for a cockroach it is about 6400 rads, and exceeding this norm means inevitable death for the cockroach.

Cockroaches and low temperatures

Low temperatures are the main enemy of cockroaches. It is sub-zero temperatures that can completely destroy a colony of these almost unkillable insects. Prussians are cold-blooded insects and this is the decisive factor; ordinary ventilation can disrupt the development cycle of insects. At a temperature of -1 o C, the number of colonies decreases sharply, and a temperature of -5 o C will completely destroy all cockroaches.

Conclusions from Tikhon: It’s not for nothing that they say that the last one left on earth will be a cockroach. His body and body structure allow him to survive in extreme situations, he can hold his breath and survive a dose of radiation exposure. But two main factors that can help fight them are cold and lack of moisture. And if we add modern insecticides, then they will not have the slightest chance of coexistence.

Happiness to you and your home.

Cockroach-like pests are distinguished not only by their rapid acclimatization, but also by their endurance. Their condition is not affected by background radiation. These insects tolerate prolonged fasting normally. Some individuals live for a certain period of time without a head. But that's not all Interesting Facts, related to how long cockroaches live.

Cockroach-like pests differ from other insects in that larvae and small individuals emerge from the ootheca. There is no pupal stage in this chain.

The life cycle includes several stages:

• A dense capsule is formed on the female’s belly, into which she lays eggs. Over time, the size of the leathery sac increases.
• The female sheds the ootheca after 14–28 days. Small white cockroaches are selected from the leathery sac. Their body length is 3–4 mm. Some species of longhorned beetles carry an ootheca throughout their entire life. Such cockroaches live longer without food and water.
• The transformation into an adult cockroach occurs in several stages (from 6 to 10 molts). During this period, the shade of the chitinous cover changes. This period takes 2–3 months in summer, 6–7 months in winter. The lifespan of the domestic barbel is 12 months or more.
• How many years arthropod pests live is influenced by external factors, the availability of food and water, etc. For example, insects live without air for several hours. A cockroach lives without a head for at least 7 days.

How long does a cockroach live without food?

The first thing that interests housewives is how long do domestic red cockroaches live without food. Since arthropod pests are cold-blooded creatures, they do not require energy to maintain an acceptable body temperature. Insects have a slower metabolism. In order for Prussians to remain active for 14 days, they need to consume the food once. Without food, red and black longhorned beetles live for 35–70 days (it all depends on the species). Therefore, it is possible to determine how long a domestic cockroach lives without food if we take into account the species.

When establishing how long cockroaches live without food, it also takes into account temperature regime. If this indicator is relatively low, then the number of insects is significantly reduced. Having figured out how long a cockroach can live without food, housewives understand how important it is to remove crumbs and organic debris from the table and trash can.

Can cockroaches live without water?

Many housewives know how long domestic cockroaches live without food. Without water, cockroaches can live much shorter lives. After all, arthropod pests require moisture to start and maintain vital processes. Water promotes the development of internal organs and improves metabolism. Although longhorned beetles are cold-blooded organisms, they cannot do without moisture. Knowing how many days cockroaches live without water, it’s easier to choose effective methods control of arthropod pests.

The effectiveness of insecticidal preparations is reduced if insects have access to water. In order to get rid of a large population of longhorned beetles, it is necessary to block access to moisture in the shower and kitchen for 7-8 days. This period of time is enough for arthropod pests to leave the apartment or die.

Cockroaches without a head

No less interesting is how long domestic headless cockroaches live. Scientists have found that the arthropod pest can live without a head for 9 days. Especially for this purpose, American scientists conducted various experiments and studies. Since the nervous and circulatory systems are connected to the brain only conditionally, the loss of the head will not significantly affect the condition of the insect. Once the head is cut off, the neck vessels are carefully sealed. At the same time, the circulatory system continues to function without disturbances.

Since the respiratory system of an arthropod pest is not connected to the head, its absence has minimal impact on the state of the insect’s body. Small tracheas and spiracles are used to enrich the body with oxygen, which is why a headless cockroach lives for about a week. Since suffocation does not provoke decapitation, this method is not suitable for destruction. Therefore, information about how long a cockroach can live without a head should be taken into account, but it should not be used during the extermination process.

The lifespan of a headless cockroach also depends on the conditions in which the arthropod pest lives. If the room is warm, this period increases.

Effect of temperature on insects

Temperature influences the activity of barbels. Arthropod pests are attracted to warmth, which is why they move into apartments and country houses. Insects are active if the temperature varies in the range of +2 - +28 degrees. It’s always warm in living quarters, which is why Prussians settle next to people.

To reduce the life expectancy of cockroaches, it is necessary to reduce the temperature in the apartment to -5 degrees. Within half an hour, the vital functions of the barbels slow down and stop completely. If the temperature drops to -10 - -15 degrees, then the death of the Prussians occurs much faster.

High temperature also has an impact on the life processes of arthropod pests. If you raise the temperature to 28–30 degrees, the barbel will begin to lose moisture, which is difficult for them to do without. Therefore, some housewives use boiling water to fight.

Proven remedies

Considering that the average lifespan of longhorned beetles is 6 months, their population in an apartment or country house is rapidly increasing. To prevent such an outcome, it is necessary to destroy arthropod pests.

Among the means used for the fight are:

• Insecticidal drugs. They are sold in agricultural and specialty stores. These drugs include aerosols, tablets, gels and powders. They differ in composition, properties and effectiveness.
• Boric acid. This component is used when preparing baits at home. Boric acid mixed with egg yolk, boiled potatoes or sugar. Sometimes vegetable or baby oil is added to the mixture, which has an attractive aroma.
• Compositions that have a pungent odor. So, housewives use vinegar or essential oils. They are introduced into water, which is used to clean surfaces in the apartment.

The lifespan of cockroach-like insects depends on the conditions in the apartment and the availability of food and water. If you consider how long an insect lives without water or organic matter, it is easier to destroy it.

Cockroaches have a reputation as tenacious and hardy household pests. It is known that these creatures are resistant to radiation and are also able to adapt to the effects of pesticides, which creates difficulties in the fight against cockroaches in apartments. In this regard, it is interesting how other factors influence how long domestic cockroaches live in residential areas. For example, how long does a cockroach live without water and food, can cockroaches live without air, and how the temperature of the environment affects the development of a cockroach.

In this article, we will discuss a set of questions about the life expectancy of domestic mustachioed pests and even find out how many days a cockroach lives without a head. Let's start with some basic biology facts.

How many years do cockroaches live?

If we turn to paleontological evidence, it is revealed that the history of cockroaches as an order of the insect class goes back hundreds of millions of years, going back to the Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era. Let us note here the remarkable fact that the existence of humanity is negligibly short in comparison with how long cockroaches live. But these are ancient matters, and we are more interested in modern cockroaches living in apartments, or more precisely, how long a cockroach lives at home.

. The life of all cockroaches begins with the laying of eggs hidden in a capsule called an ooteca, then cockroaches pass through a series of larval stages and eventually develop into adult insects. Of the more than 4,000 species of cockroaches found in homes, the majority are red, black, and American.

How long does the Prusak cockroach live?

The female red cockroach sheds a capsule, or ootheca, containing 30-40 eggs 1-2 days before the newborn nymphs emerge. Depending on environmental conditions, the period of development from egg to adult in red cockroaches varies between 50-200 days, the average period is 100 days. The lifespan of adult Prussians is 100-200 days.

How long does a black cockroach live?

Male black cockroaches live on average 110-160 days, while females have a life expectancy of up to 180 days. During this time, they manage to lay 8-12 oothecae, 15-16 eggs in each. The period of development from egg to adult in black cockroaches includes 7-10 intermediate larval stages and depends on the ambient temperature.

When eggs appear in the summer months in warm climate zones, the development time takes up to 200 days, but in conditions of prolonged cold weather they can reach 800 days. The average development period is 500-600 days, so the total lifespan of black cockroaches is about two years.

How long does an American cockroach live?

The American cockroach is the largest (up to 50 mm in length) and long-lived representative of synanthropic cockroaches. The incubation period of eggs lasts 40-45 days, and the complete period of development to adulthood, which includes 10-13 larval stages, is 600 days. Adult males live up to 360 days, and females up to 700 days, so long-livers are among American cockroaches may last more than three years.

At what temperature do cockroaches live?

Cockroaches are heat-loving creatures, and for this reason they enjoy living in people's homes. Temperatures between 20-30 degrees Celsius are optimal for the reproduction and development of the cockroach population. When the temperature drops, biological processes in the body of these insects gradually slow down. When the thermometer drops below zero, cockroaches die within 4-8 hours. An increase in temperature to +50 degrees and above leads to dehydration of cockroaches, as a result of which they also die.

Black cockroaches are more adapted to low temperatures than red ones, and therefore in warm latitudes they live not only indoors, but also outdoors. However, if the air temperature drops below +15 degrees, black cockroaches stop reproducing.

How long do cockroaches live without food, water and air?

Cockroaches are cold-blooded organisms; they do not waste energy maintaining the required body temperature, which allows them to withstand hunger for a relatively long time. Depending on the species, cockroaches can survive without food from seven days to one month.

But without water, these insects will last no more than a week, so cockroaches prefer those rooms in the apartment where water sources are available. And if you make sure that in the kitchen and bathroom there are no drops of water left in sinks, under the refrigerator, in the shower stall, on pipes, faucets and other places, this will help reduce the cockroach population.

Scientific research confirms that cockroaches are able to hold their breath and, if necessary, go without air for up to 30-40 minutes, for example, when under water. Scientists are studying whether cockroaches use this ability to prevent moisture loss in the body. The fact is that the tubes called spiracles, which are used when cockroaches breathe, are also used to transport water. If these channels are closed, cockroaches retain moisture inside their bodies.

Can a cockroach live without a head?

This sounds like science fiction, but it is a true fact, confirmed experimentally. The body of the cockroach actually continues to live after decapitation, and even the head, separate from the body, moves its antennae for several hours.

Scientific American provided a detailed explanation of this phenomenon by biochemist Joseph Kunkel of the University of Massachusetts, who studies the development of cockroaches. The scientist explained the differences in the structure of the respiratory, circulatory and nervous systems of insects from vertebrates.

It turns out that cockroaches don't use their heads to breathe; they breathe through spiracles, or tiny holes located on each body segment. In this case, oxygen enters the tissues directly through the trachea, and not through the blood, and even the brain does not participate in this process. The circulatory system of cockroaches is not closed, and cutting off the head does not lead to a critical fall blood pressure and uncontrolled bleeding.

Within each segment of the insect body, clusters of ganglion-nervous tissue agglomerations are evenly distributed, which perform nerve functions, responsible for reflexes. Therefore, in the absence of a brain, the body continues to function at the level of elementary reactions - it can stand, respond to touch and move. Experimental research on this topic was conducted by entomologist Christopher Tipping at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

In laboratory conditions, in which the researchers sealed the wound with dental wax to protect the body from dehydration and infection, the cockroaches survived headless for several weeks. In real conditions, of course, the survival time is much shorter. Some sources claim that a cockroach lives without a head for 9 days, others give longer or shorter periods. One way or another, the insect eventually dies from bacterial infections or from dehydration, since cockroaches without a head cannot drink.

Do cockroaches and bedbugs live together?

On the Internet, there are comments from users who say that bed bugs do not live with cockroaches under the same roof, and that they allegedly displace the other. But this statement is not confirmed in practice. Both bedbugs and cockroaches have natural insect enemies, such as flycatchers or predatory wasps, but these species do not pose a danger to each other.

Bedbugs and cockroaches live together without problems, since their food and territorial interests do not overlap. Even with high numbers of both populations, when these species coexist, for example, in the same dorm room, they do not conflict with each other. Proof of this is shown below in the footage taken on the phone.

Video: cockroaches and bedbugs live together in an apartment

Do cockroaches live where ants live?

Ants are also synanthropic pests, and their paths in the apartment often intersect with the habitat of cockroaches. As for food, these insects have largely the same tastes, and both are equally dependent on water. At the same time, cockroaches and ants in some cases live in a private house or in an apartment - together, and do not fight with each other.

However, this neighborhood cannot be called cloudless and peaceful either. Although cockroaches, like ants, are polyvorous, they do not attack living insects but feed on organic waste, including carrion and feces. Ants, in turn, abhor carrion and sewage, but they hunt insects that get in their way, including cockroaches. So, at times, isolated cockroaches become victims of ants, but there is no talk of severe species competition among these domestic pests.

Throughout its existence on this planet, the cockroach has become overgrown with legends, like a rotten tree with mushrooms. And that he survives in such radiation that Geiger counters go off scale, and that he can survive without food and water for tens and hundreds of years, that he doesn’t even need a head to live. There are also many folk superstitions about the Prussians.

Of course, the first legend did not come out of thin air: a cockroach will die with huge doses of radiation, like any other living creature, it just can withstand fifteen times more radiation than a person. But it’s still worth figuring out about its survivability without food and water, which is what this article will do.

All cockroaches develop in an incomplete cycle, that is, they do not have the stage of turning a larva into a pupa. Females lay eggs in an ooteca (a special capsule at the end of the abdomen) and carry it with them. The eggs develop in it, then the female either drops the “children”, like, for example, red cockroaches, or carries them with her until they are fully born, like a Prussian.

Does a cockroach need food?

The myth that cockroaches can go without food for a long time has been proven and supported by facts. Indeed, red cockroaches can fast for up to forty days, and black ones even longer - up to seventy. This is explained by the fact that cockroaches are cold-blooded, poikilothermic, and they do not need to spend energy on maintaining a constantly comfortable body temperature.

However, like most poikilotherms, heat enters their body from the outside, and for normal, stable life they need to constantly be in a well-heated room. At temperatures below zero, their numbers begin to decline sharply. How they reproduce and the main stages of life are described in this article.

Does a cockroach need water?

Water is an integral part of every life on earth, and the cockroach is no exception. If he can live happily without food for weeks, he won’t last even one without water. Water is involved in all systems of the body, which means normal life it is constantly needed.

In the life of a cockroach, water plays one of the most key roles. In addition to the fact that thanks to water, the processes of the circulatory, salivary and digestive systems are carried out in his body, it also serves as a thermostat.

During times of excess humidity, the cockroach can secrete water through the Malpighian vessels, and in the event of prolonged drought or low humidity, the chitinous waterproof body retains moisture in the body of the insect.

Head: is it needed or not?

No matter how strange and wild it may sound, but yes, a cockroach can live without a head. Just like the head itself without it. Of course, it is difficult to believe in this simply because everyone knows what happens to a person if he is beheaded. But with cockroaches the situation is much different.

American scientists confirmed this. They carefully decapitated the cockroach, sealed the joint between the body and the head with wax, and then placed it in special solution body and head. And what a surprise the scientists were when, in addition to the body, the head also lived! It is quite simple to explain this in human language.

A cockroach's body systems are different from those of humans. For example, their circulatory system is open without capillaries, so if you tear the head away from the body, the vessels will simply become clogged with coagulated blood and continue to function.

In order to breathe, a person still needs a head, because it contains a nose and a mouth. But for a cockroach this is not necessary. His body is dotted with a huge number of tracheas, through which he breathes. The head does not take part in this process.

What about the brain?

The digestive system still plays an important role, since the cockroach still absorbs food through the mouth. But even without a head, he can live for ten days if he has had a hearty lunch beforehand. It is much more likely to be killed by mold or other insects than by starvation.

Many may ask: “What about the brain?”, and they will still be mistaken. A cockroach has more than one brain in the usual sense. In every part of his body there are nerve nodes that are responsible for body movements and other sensations. The loss of a head is simply the loss of one of the departments, nothing more.
But, despite such skills, the head is still not as durable as the body. Therefore, she will “live” much less.

They are not afraid chemical poisons, no radiation, and according to some sources they can even live without a head. Therefore, answers to the questions of how long cockroaches live and what survival abilities they have will be of interest to many.

In the European part of Russia there are 2 types of domestic cockroaches: and. Both species are practical: cockroaches live by eating not only food waste, but also paper, soap, electrical wiring, fabrics, etc.

Interesting!

The survivability of cockroaches is evidenced by the fact that they can withstand a dose of radiation that is fatal to humans. To destroy them, nuclear radiation must exceed the maximum human level by 15 times.

Factors influencing the life of cockroaches

Life expectancy is influenced by environmental conditions and how cockroaches live: the amount of water and food.

The answer to the question of how long cockroaches live without food may surprise many, because they can easily survive for a long time without food:

• “red” individuals – 40-50 days;
• black – up to 70.

Interesting!

The only thing that can kill a cockroach during prolonged fasting is infection by mold or other microorganisms.

The question of how long cockroaches live without water will be more relevant, because... For insects, a source of moisture is essential for existence. After all, without it, water evaporates from its chitinous shell, gradually dries out, and the process of digesting food and the functioning of the circulatory system slow down. The structure of the insect's body with the help of moisture allows it to maintain the necessary thermoregulation, and excess liquid secreted through the Malpighian vessels. At night, the chitinous cover helps conserve water, even in high temperatures or dry air.

If there is no liquid intake for 7 days, the cockroach “shrivels up” and dies. Therefore, the most necessary food for pests is waste or any sufficiently moist food that is easier to digest and adds much-needed moisture to their body.

Life without a head

Recent experiments by American scientists made it possible to make a sensational discovery: cockroaches can continue to live for some time if their head is torn off. Tests have shown that a headless cockroach lives for 7-9 days.

On a note!

In addition to the body, the separated head of a cockroach can also “live” for 1 week, when scientists placed it in a cool place and provided it with a special solution.

Entomologists explain this fact by the structure of the body of insects, which have no pressure in circulatory system. Thanks to this, when the head is separated, there is no blood loss, as happens in humans, the vessels are “sealed” with coagulated blood, and the entire system continues to function.

Pests breathe through “spiracles,” special openings on the body; air enters through the trachea, small breathing tubes. Moreover, the brain does not participate in breathing in any way, therefore, after decapitation, the body is supplied with oxygen in the standard mode. But the cockroach itself lives and can even move its legs and move around.

Conclusion

From the above we can conclude that cockroaches are actually among the most tenacious insects on Earth, which are able to exist for a certain time without food, water and even their heads, which should be taken into account when trying.