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:Cockroaches
Cockroaches are among the most common insects. Based on fossil evidence, cockroaches are known to have been present on Earth for over 300 million years. Their sizes vary considerably; some species are up to several inches long. Some biologists consider insects to be on of the most successful groups of animals to ever inhabit this planet, and cockroaches are one of the most adaptable and successful insect groups.
There are approximately 3500 species of cockroaches worldwide – about 60 species are found in the United States. Cockroaches, especially the German cockroach, are the most commonly encountered insect pests in the U.S.
Cockroaches usually choose to live in protected cracks and crevices which provide a warm and humid environment. Some species, such as the American and Oriental cockroaches, gather in large groups on open walls in protected places or in open areas outside. While they are often found in groups in their daytime hiding or resting areas (called “harborage”), and can be found feeding in groups at night, cockroaches are not social insects as are ants and wasps. Cockroaches generally forage individually for food and otherwise behave in a largely individualistic or non-social manner.
Cockroaches develop by a gradual metamorphosis that consists of three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. The female produces a purse-shaped egg capsule, called an ootheca, which has two rows of eggs in it.
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