True Death’s head Cockroach

Death Head or Death’s Head Roaches got their name from the pattern on their pronotum that looks like a skull or vampire marking.The true death’s head cockroach, “Blaberus craniifer”, is a cockroach which is very similar to the discoid cockroach.

Death’s Head Cockroach are 4-6 cm long and up to 3 cm wide, the males being smaller. The body colour is dark brown while the pronotum and the wings are mainly ochre.

The name death’s head comes from the markings on the top of the thorax. Adult “B. craniifer” have wings but do not fly, while juveniles do not have wings at all. This species also cannot climb smooth vertical surfaces, such as glass, which makes them easy to house in an open aquarium or similar.

During they day this cockroach is usually found concealed in narrow gaps,necessitated by their flat broad bodies. At night time they become more active and are found moving around the household or in the vegetation outside.

Dense populations can leave a distinct odour. Food and utensils can be contaminated with droppings, cast skins, empty egg cases and vomit marks. A number of pathogenic organisms have been associated with cockroaches. Their ability to act as vectors of pathogens is still a matter of controversy. This is mainly because that transmission can only occur indirectly via contamination of food and utensils. Pest status applies equally to nymphs and adults.

Life Cycle: Reproduction is sexual with separated sexes. Females carry the egg cases, containing about 34 eggs, in a pouch to end of the abdomen. At a temperature of 25-27 °C larvae hatch after 3-4 weeks. Young larvae hide in the ground for the first 1-2 weeks of their life. They are rather small and difficult to detect.

The larvae moult several times and the growing wing sheaths are rather inconspicuous. The development is incomplete that means lacking a chrysalis. Maturity is reached in 4-5 months and life can last one year.

Damage:They are butt-ugly so nobody wants to look at them. People just don’t like them running around on their countertops, food, babies, etc. They don’t like cockroaches falling from the ceiling and landing in their mouths while they are trying to sleep. The sight of cockroaches can cause considerable psychological or emotional distress in some individuals.

Cockroaches mechanically transmit numerous diseases. Cockroaches produce odorous secretions that can affect the flavor of various foods and have also been implicated in the transmission of diseases. Disease-producing organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, and viruses have been found in cockroach bodies. Different forms of gastroenteritis (food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, etc.) appear to be the principal diseases transmitted by these cockroaches. These disease-causing organisms are carried on the legs and bodies of cockroaches, and are deposited on food and utensils as cockroaches forage. In addition, there is ample evidence implicating cockroaches in the transmission of hospital acquired diseases.

Control: If you see roaches in your apartment on a semi-regular basis, you’ll probably want to enlist a professional, or ask your landlord about getting your apartment professionally treated. This is probably the best—and possibly the only—way to eliminate any significant roach population in your apartment. Your do-it-yourself treatment options include the following, in rough order of increasing toxicity. Homes involving pets or small children will probably want to keep to the first few, less toxic, options

If you ever have any bug related questions feel free to call us either at Beyond Pest Control. Once again, and I can’t stress this enough we are on call twenty four hours a day seven days a week to kill those bugs, we aren’t kidding whether you call us at 9 am or midnight we will be available to take your call and either get rid of the bug infestation, or answer any questions you may have concerning the bug issue. I can honestly guarantee that there will be someone to answer that call. We make it our business to make you bug free!

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