Blattaria, or cockroaches, are an order of insects that includes over 4,600 species worldwide. Four species are significant pests that are commonly found in human dwellings. Cockroaches have been around for over 350 million years, predating dinosaurs, and the order includes the common pest species like the American cockroach and German cockroach. While cockroaches can carry diseases and contaminate food, they also play important roles in ecosystems as decomposers and parts of the food chain. A variety of natural and chemical remedies can be used to control cockroach infestations in homes.

2. DEPARTMENT OF AGRI. ENTOMOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE,
FAISALABAD.

3. Blattaria

5. Taxonomy
 Blattaria comes from Latin word “Blatta”
which simply means (to avoid) and “Aria”
means (Light)
 Total 4600 species and 460 Genera
worldwide
 30 out of total species are associated with
human beings
 4 species are well known as pests
 Cockroaches are insects of this Order
 Average Life Span: 18 Months

6. History Of Cockroaches
 The word “Cockroach’’ comes from Spanish word
“Cucaracha” which means “Crazy Bug”
 Cucaracha transformed by 1620s English Folk Etymology
into Cock and Roach (Cockroach)
 120 million years before Dinosaurs
 50-60 species in United States
 Prefer warm,humid and dark areas
 Favorite Food; Decaying and Organic matter
 Can live without head for an entire week
 Earliest Cockroaches like fossils(Roaches) from
Carboniferous Period 350 million years ago

8. Dinosaur-Age Cockroach

9. Important Species
 American Cockroaches (Periplaneta americana)
 Brown Banded cockroaches (Periplaneta brunna)
 German Cockroaches (Blattela germanica)
 Oriental cockroaches (Blatta orientalis)

10. Distinguished Features
 Omnivores
 Reddish brown, 3 to 5 cm in length and 1.5 to
2cm in breadth
 Nocturnal
 Oval, flattened body shape
 Thorax covered by large plate(pronotum)
 Chewing (Mandibulate mouthparts)

11. Compound eyes and simple eyes or ocelli like
spots
Male genetalia asymmetrical and cerci
larger than style
Long and Setaceous ( Bristle like) Antenna
Eggs present in Ootheca, (Chitinous body
Hypognathous
Tegmina
 legs Cursorial

13. Comparison Of Blattaria And Mantodea
Blattodea
 Head is not mobile in all
directions
 Pronotum is shield like and
cover the part of thorax
 Body is flattened
 Antenna long and setaceous
 Legs are cursorial type
 Ootheca is chitinous
 Omnivores
 Common family; Blattidae
e.g. American Cockroach
Mantodea
 Head is mobile
 Pronotum is elongated and
do not cover the head
 Body elongated and some
cylindrical
 Long and filiform antenna
 Legs are raptorial type
 Carnivores
 Common family; Mantidae
e.g. Preying mantid

14. Morphology of male and female cockroach

15. Typical Mouthparts and Leg

16. Chewing Type Mouthparts

17. Cursorial Leg of Roach

18. Engrossing Features
 Can run on two legs and speed almost 5 ft per
second and Maximum speed 3 miles per hour
 Higher radiation resistance than vertebrates
 4 times faster than Cheetah
 The world’s heaviest cockroach
 They can live full month without any food and
two weeks without water
 Species have wings but not ability to fly like
German Cockroach

19. Litter bug

20.  Do not speak but one variety is exception . The
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach is being only insect
that uses its air passageway to produce sound
 CRAM
Used in Movies
 Super food in future
 Racing
 Cockroach Novel
 SPRC
 World Record
 Song “La Cucaracha”
Half life (Science-fiction video game)

22. EFFECTS OF COCKROACHES
 Food contamination
 Inoculation of disease causing bacteria
 Cockroaches biting
 Invasion of body parts
 Food poisoning
 Asthma
 Allergies

23. REMEDIES
 Keep your house clean
 Clean the food preparation area
 Empty dustbins in your kitchen should be
cover always
 Sealed containers
 Never keep old newspapers , magazines and
books
 Avoid use of foggers , bombs or aerosol sprays
 Cockroaches baits and sprinkle Boric acid
 Block all entrances

24. Catnip Tea (Nepetalactone)
Use Bay leaves (powerful fragrance)
Sugar + Baking Soda Solution
Pine sol + Bleach
Borax
Listerine (act as hindrance)
Cayenne Pepper+ Garlic + Clove+ Onion
Coffee grounds
Mint Oil spray
Garlic Powder
Fipronil
Guardian powder

26. Significance In Ecosystem
 Considered Mother Nature Recyclers
 Involve in Pollination
 Part of food chain
 Used in Medicine: Lafcadio Hearn (1850-
1904) Cockroach Tea used for Tetanus, By
Aristotle Silphe used for Injury
 A poultice of boiled cockroaches placed
over wound

27. Fried with garlic for digestion
Farming in China
Several species like Blaptica dubia as a food
for insectivores
Used for space tests: A cockroach given
name “Nadezhda” was sent into space by
Russian Scientists during Foton-M Test
Become first terrestrial animal to give birth
in space

28. Vostok Spacecraft

29. Clusia aff. sellowiana

30. As a Pollinator

31. Part of food chain
 As a Token insect in Movies
It could Potentially live up without head
Can be trained like dogs
As a food for birds, lizard and larger insects

32. Florida brown
anole lizard