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Oriental cockroach

Oriental cockroach

Blatta orientalis

A species of Blatta, Also known as Black beetle, Common cockroach, Asian cockroach, Shad cockroach

The Blatta orientalis is a relatively large species that prefers dark, moist areas. They are most likely to be found in sewers, mulch piles, drains, and other places that are both moist and have decaying matter. Because of their feeding habits, they can be vectors of bacteria and viruses to humans when they come into contact with countertops, dishes, and food.

Cause Disease in Humans
Pathogenic
General Info About Oriental cockroach
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Attributes of Oriental cockroach
Habitat
trash can; sewer; old leave or stone
Adult Food Sources
Garbage, feces, food scraps, book bindings, leather
Larva Food Source
Decaying organic matter, starchy foods, paper, cloth, dead insects
Biting/stinging
Not reported
Allergy-causing
Not reported
Defensive attack
Not reported
Venomous
Not reported
Non-poisonous
The Oriental cockroach is non-toxic and generally doesn't pose a risk to human health. No need for excessive worry.
Borer
Not reported
Pollinator
Not reported
Pest-Eating Predatory
Not reported
Phytophagous
The Oriental cockroach feeds on plants, usually without causing significant harm. However, it's important to take the situation seriously if their numbers begin to increase significantly.
Predatory
Not reported
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Appearance of Oriental cockroach
Adult males being 1.8 - 3 cm and adult females being 2 - 2.5 cm. It is dark brown or black in color and has a glossy body. The female has a somewhat different appearance from the male, appearing to be wingless at casual glance, but is brachypterous, having non-functional wings just below her head. She has a wider body than the male. The male has long wings, which cover two-thirds of the abdomen and are brown in color, and has a narrower body. Both sexes are flightless. The blackish-brown oothecae of the Blatta orientalis are 1 - 1.2 cm long, with indistinct egg compartments housing 16–18 eggs. They are initially a yellow white, turning reddish- then blackish-brown.
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How to Identify Oriental cockroach?

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Life Cycle of Oriental cockroach
Egg The oriental cockroach begins as an egg, often laid in a secure and hidden location. These eggs are small and may exhibit coloration that blends with the environment to avoid predation. At this stage, the oriental cockroach is in a dormant state, awaiting the right conditions for hatching.
Nymph Upon hatching, the nymph emerges. It resembles a miniature adult oriental cockroach but without wings. Nymphs undergo several molts, growing larger with each stage. With each molt, slight changes in color and shape occur as oriental cockroach matures.
Adult Emerging from the final molt, the adult oriental cockroach displays wings and fully developed reproductive organs. The body is larger, coloration may vary to signify maturity, and the oriental cockroach is now focused on reproduction and survival in its habitat.
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Adult Size of Oriental cockroach
Male 2.5 cm, female 3.5 cm
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Predators of Oriental cockroach Larvae
Frogs, toads, birds, spiders, mantises, geckos, hoverflies, dragonflies
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Predators of Adult Oriental cockroach
Birds, spiders, centipedes, mammals, reptiles, amphibians
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Interesting Facts About Oriental cockroach
Oriental cockroach can live for a month without food and one week without its head, surviving due to its open circulatory system.
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Scientific Classification of Oriental cockroach
Tips for Finding Oriental cockroach
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Youth Habitat of Oriental cockroach
Urban and Suburban Areas, Rotting and Decaying Matter
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Habitat Preferences of Oriental cockroach Through Different Life Stages
Eggs of oriental cockroach are commonly found in dark, secluded areas like cracks or crevices in buildings, or under piles of organic debris. Nymphs of oriental cockroach, which undergo incomplete metamorphosis, tend to reside close to their egg cases, often in warm, damp environments such as basements, kitchens, and bathrooms where they've easy access to food and moisture. Adult oriental cockroach prefer locations similar to nymphs but are more likely to venture out into more open areas in search of food. When searching for these insects, one should inspect behind appliances, within wall voids, and around sewage systems for signs of their presence. Effective search also includes checking under sinks, in pantries, or around water pipes for these pests at various growth stages.
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When is the Best Time to Observe Oriental cockroach
The suitable time to find oriental cockroach would be at night or in dark conditions, as oriental cockroach are nocturnal creatures and tend to be more active during these times.
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What is the Best Weather to Observe Oriental cockroach
The suitable weather for finding oriental cockroach is usually warm and humid conditions, as oriental cockroach thrive in environments with moisture and warmth.
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How and Where Can You Find Oriental cockroach at Different Life Stages
Nymph Oriental cockroach nymphs are often smaller and may be found in dark, warm, and moist environments. Inspect damp areas such as under sinks, in bathrooms, or basements by softly moving objects and checking for their presence.
Adult Adult oriental cockroachs can be located by setting traps in areas where they frequent, which typically include kitchens, pantries, and waste disposal areas. Use sticky traps or bait stations positioned along walls or near suspected hiding spots.
Egg Oriental cockroach egg cases (oothecae) are deposited in secure, hidden locations. To find these, check in crevices, behind appliances, and within cardboard boxes or other dark secluded spots. The egg cases are often oblong and can be carefully removed with tweezers or similar tools.
Are Oriental cockroach harmful?
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Oriental cockroach can get inside and disturb humans' lives. Oriental cockroach can also pollute foods, causing humans to be sick.

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Where do Oriental cockroach come from?

Active entry. When the weather turns cooler in autumn and winter, outdoor food sources become limited. Cockroaches that used to be active in garbage recycle stations, sewers, and yards begin to look for warmer places and could enter your house through various cracks and seams.
Passive entry. Cockroaches could hide in old appliances, furniture, suitcases, etc. Without careful inspections, it's easy to bring them into your home when you move these items inside.
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What is the most effective prevention against Oriental cockroach?

  • Food residue at home is a primary reason for cockroach infestation. Seal your food in plastic bags or keep them in the refrigerator. Clean food spills timely.
  • Close the doors and windows as you go to keep cockroaches from entering the house. Regularly inspect the gauze screen doors and windows for holes or sealing breaches. Repair or replace the broken ones timely.
  • Check whether the floor drains at home are well covered.
  • Equip baby strollers with mosquito nets.
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How to get rid of Oriental cockroach?

Maintain cleanliness. Sweep up at home regularly and don't miss the dead sanitary corners, especially when cockroaches have infested your home. In winter, pay special attention to the cleanliness of warm shelter areas, such as under and behind the heating appliances. Cockroaches often lurk around the refrigerator compressor and similar places to survive cold winters.
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Use trash bins with lids for kitchen waste. Remember to keep the lid on after dumping the waste.
Use camphor ball or camphor tree nature fragrant stick. Place the processed camphor tree nature fragrant sticks in your cabinets, wardrobes, and shoe cabinets to keep away cockroaches. Camphor pills emit an irritating smell which is slightly toxic. Hence, camphor tree nature fragrant stick is a safer option for families that are more health-conscious or with babies or pets.
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Homemade traps. Just a little water in a container with a smooth inner wall (such as a transparent glass vase or a plastic soda bottle) is enough to trap cockroaches under dry weather.
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Homemade cockroach bait. Mix food like Custer sugar, flour, and bread crumbs evenly with the same amount of boric acid powder from a drugstore. Leave it where cockroaches often appear for 2-3 weeks and the number of cockroaches would drop significantly. Although the boric acid powder is only slightly toxic, there could be a risk for mistaken consumption by human kids and pets. It is best to place the bait where cockroaches appear but not accessible to babies and pets. Lay a layer of newspaper, cardboard box, or plastic box and leave the mixed power on top of it to protect your floor or furniture surface from dampened boric acid power and moldy food debris.
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Purchase cockroach bait
Place the cockroach bait you purchased where they might actively appear in your home and follow the instructions. There are two types of cockroach baits - one is physical, the other chemical.
Physical baits are safer for humans. Generally, these baits emit a unique smell that attracts cockroaches and lures them to a strong glue trap or container trap where the cockroaches are easy to enter but impossible to exit.
Chemical baits are somewhat toxic. Mix toxic chemicals into food baits that attract cockroaches and they get poisoned and die after consumption. Even those that attempt to feed on the dead bodies of their fellows get poisoned. However, it's important to keep track of where and when to use the baits. Be extra careful to prevent your baby kids and pets from mistaken consumption.
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Apply pesticides regularly at home. It is a common way to exterminate all pests at home, but due to the general lethality of pesticides and pests' resistance to them, people tend to use pesticides too frequently, making it harder and harder to eliminate cockroaches. You must follow the instructions carefully. Also, pesticides are dangerous for human children and pets and must be kept out of their reach.
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Keep healthy living habits. Wash your hands before eating and use clean utensils to avoid diseases from unclean hands contaminating the food.
Dealing with bites. If you are bitten by a cockroach, you should rinse the wound with clean water immediately. It is also encouraged to use alcohol to clean the wound and pay close attention to any changes or discomfort to your wound or your body. If you feel uncomfortable, contact a family doctor for diagnosis and treatment in time. If a cockroach gets into your earhole, please see a doctor as soon as possible.
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Harmful Effects of Oriental cockroach
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Pathogenic
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Cause Disease in Humans

Oriental cockroach can potentially spread diseases like salmonella, dysentery, and gastroenteritis through their droppings, regurgitated food or by direct contact. Their allergens may cause asthma and other allergic reactions. Symptoms range from mild stomach issues to severe diarrhea, and chronic exposure can lead to persistent respiratory problems.

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Nuisance Pests

Oriental cockroach, an oriental cockroach, is a severe indoor nuisance at both adult and nymph stages, thriving in damp conditions near humans with a penchant for filth, thus spreading pathogens and causing distress through their presence and droppings.

More Effects of Oriental cockroach

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