Blattella germanica
EOL Text
Male German cockroaches, on average, live 100 to 150 days. Females live much longer, with an average lifespan of 190 to 200 days.
Range lifespan
Status: wild: 180 to 200 days.
Typical lifespan
Status: wild: 100 to 200 days.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 140 days.
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| Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
| Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Blattella_germanica/ |
The mating behavior of German cockroaches is driven by pheromones given off by females, which are detected by the antennae of males. German cockroaches breed continuously with many overlapping generations present at any one time. As a result of continuous breeding and promiscuity, population growth has been shown to be exponential.
Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)
German cockroaches are highly active sexually and breed continuously. Rate of breeding slows only during colder months. They breed throughout the year, mate indiscriminately and do not have cycles. They utilize internal fertilization, and females can store sperm for gradual release. When nymphs develop into adults, they become sexually active almost immediately. Females produce 4 to 6 capsules of 30 to 40 eggs each in their lifetime. Consequently, 3 to 4 generations may live together in a colony. Females lay 120 to 240 eggs per session (average 150 eggs), however, they are iteroparous and have multiple layings. Progeny are dioecious and hatch into nymphs in 25 to 30 days (average 28 days). German cockroaches reach independence between 40 and 150 days of age (average 65).
Breeding interval: German cockroaches breed almost continuously.
Breeding season: German cockroaches breed continuously year round, though breeding slows during colder months.
Range number of offspring: 120 to 240.
Average number of offspring: 150.
Range gestation period: 20 to 30 days.
Average gestation period: 28 days.
Range time to independence: 40 to 125 days.
Average time to independence: 65 days.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous ; sperm-storing ; delayed fertilization
Females German cockroaches carry their eggs on their back for about 6 weeks before they are laid. They hide their eggs in discrete spots, such as cracks, holes, and dark places. They do not, however, provide parental care after eggs are laid.
Parental Investment: pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Female)
- Day, E. August 1996. "German Cockroach." (On-line). Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Accessed October 14, 2008 at http://www.sites.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/germanco.html.
- Jacobs, S. 2007. "German Cockroaches" (On-line). Entomology Notes, Pennsylvania State University. Accessed October 15, 2008 at http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/german_cockroach.htm.
- Kunkel, J. 2008. "The Roach FAQ" (On-line). University of Massachusetts – Joe Kunkel’s Web Page. Accessed November 14, 2008 at http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/kunkel/cockroach_faq.html.
- McCandless, L. 2005. "CU scientists unravel mating clues of the German cockroach" (On-line). Cornell Chronicle. Accessed November 14, 2008 at http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/05/2.24.05/cockroach.html.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
| Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Blattella_germanica/ |
Feet prevent slipping: insects
Feet of insects stick to surfaces using nanometer-thin films of liquid secretions.
"Many insects cling to vertical and inverted surfaces with pads that adhere by nanometre-thin films of liquid secretion. This fluid is an emulsion, consisting of watery droplets in an oily continuous phase. The detailed function of its two-phasic nature has remained unclear. Here we show that the pad emulsion provides a mechanism that prevents insects from slipping on smooth substrates. We discovered that it is possible to manipulate the adhesive secretion in vivo using smooth polyimide substrates that selectively absorb its watery component. While thick layers of polyimide spin-coated onto glass removed all visible hydrophilic droplets, thin coatings left the emulsion in its typical form. Force measurements of stick insect pads sliding on these substrates demonstrated that the reduction of the watery phase resulted in a significant decrease in friction forces. Artificial control pads made of polydimethylsiloxane showed no difference when tested on the same substrates, confirming that the effect is caused by the insects’ fluid-based adhesive system. Our findings suggest that insect adhesive pads use emulsions with non-Newtonian properties, which may have been optimized by natural selection. Emulsions as adhesive secretions combine the benefits of ‘wet’ adhesion and resistance against shear forces." (Dirks et al. 2009)
Learn more about this functional adaptation.
- Dirks J-H; Clement CJ; Federle W. 2009. Insect tricks: two-phasic foot pad secretion prevents slipping. Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | (c) 2008-2009 The Biomimicry Institute |
| Source | http://www.asknature.org/strategy/2768655f8ba811451d6a6a5b9d39454b |
الإحصائيات الخاصة بباركود نظم بيانات الحياة (BOLD)
| تسجيلات العينات: | 6 |
| عينات ذات تسلسل : | 5 |
| عينات ذات باركود : | 4 |
| تسجيلات عامة: | 1 |
| الأنواع : | 1 |
| الأنواع ذات الباركود : | 1 |
فيما يلي مثال لأحد تسلسلات الباركود، وهو النقطة المركزية لجميع التسلسلات المتاحة لهذا النوع.
يوجد تسلسل باركود واحد متاح من باركود نظم بيانات الحياة وبنك الجينات. وفيما يلى تسلسل لمنطقة الباركود سيتوكروم أوكسيديز الوحدة الفرعية 1(COI or COX1) لاأحد أفراد هذا النوع . أنظر BOLD taxonomy browser.
لمزيد من المعلومات الكاملة عن هذة العينة . التسلسلات الأخرى والتى لا تتوافق مع معايير الباركود قد تكون متاحة أيضا
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The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
There are 5 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.
Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.
See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
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Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 12
Specimens with Barcodes: 22
Species With Barcodes: 1
The German cockroach (Blattella germanica) is a small species of cockroach, usually about 1.3 cm to 1.6 cm long, tan to light brown in color. The adults are winged, but do not fly. Originally from Africa, it is now the most common and most economically important household pest in the United States. They are common throughout the world, and although they are not cold tolerant they have been found even in the most northerly locations in close association with humans.
German cockroaches carry organisms that cause disease, principally bacteria, protozoans, and viruses that cause gut symptoms (food poisoning, dysentery, and diarrhea). They also produce malodorous secretions that taint the flavor of food, and their cast skins are allergens, but they are mostly aesthetic pests. Their flat bodies allow them to live in cracks and crevices of human habitations, often in large numbers. German cockroaches scavenge on any food, and even non-food stuffs such as soap and glue that are left around and are commonly found in garbage receptacles.
Mostly nocturnal, these insects are very hardy and resilient, and are difficult to exterminate. Females protect their young by holding their eggs in an ootheca until they hatch. Sanitation, keeping garbage containers sealed, putting food away and caulking holes in walls to limit access are helpful for controlling German cockroaches. Chemical baits and dusts are also used.
(Antani and Burgeson 2011; Jacobs 2007; Valles 2008; Wikipedia 2011)
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Dana Campbell, Dana Campbell |
| Source | No source database. |
As they are quite abundant, German cockroaches are not considered a species of concern in any part of their range.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
| Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Blattella_germanica/ |
German cockroaches, believed to have originated in Southeast Asia, are the most widely distributed urban pests. They have been introduced to all parts of the globe including North America, Australia, Africa, and the Oceanic Islands. This ubiquity makes German cockroaches cosmopolitan, with the only deterrent being cold temperatures.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Introduced ); palearctic (Introduced ); oriental (Native ); ethiopian (Introduced ); neotropical (Introduced ); australian (Introduced ); oceanic islands (Introduced )
Other Geographic Terms: cosmopolitan
- 2004. "German Cockroach - Blattella germanica" (On-line). North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Accessed October 18, 2008 at http://naturalsciences.org/microsites/invasives/roach.htm.
- Jacobs, S. 2007. "German Cockroaches" (On-line). Entomology Notes, Pennsylvania State University. Accessed October 15, 2008 at http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/german_cockroach.htm.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
| Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Blattella_germanica/ |