American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

• Kingdom: Animals (Animalia)
• Phylum: Chordates (Chordata)
• Class: Insects (Insecta)
• Order: Cockroaches (Blattodea)
• Family: (Blattidae)
• Genus: (Periplaneta)
• Species: American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

Size:

• Head-body length: 3-5 cm
• Wings: Large and well-developed -> capable of active flight

Look:

• Colour: Uniformly reddish-brown, with a light-colored pronotum

Life cycle:

• Reproduction: The development period of the American cockroach lasts approximately 600 days. After this time, the American cockroach is ready to reproduce.
• Oothecae: Development time: 35 - 70 days
• Oothecae: Gestation period: The ootheca is carried for approximately 4 days before being shed.
• Egg laying: 15-20 eggs per ootheca (egg case), 10 oothecae per cockroach lifetime
• Lifespan: 1 - 1.5 years

Habitat:

• The American cockroach requires high temperatures and cannot tolerate cold. This species is very rare in Switzerland and seldom encountered. They are most often found in sewers or basements. The American cockroach produces three different pheromones:
• Sex pheromone: In females ready to mate, for reproduction.
• Aggregation pheromone: Found in the feces of the American cockroach to signal shared hiding places.
• Dispersion pheromone: antagonist of the aggregation pheromone, leads to the spread of a population if there are too many individuals.

Nutrition:

• Omnivore: This makes the American cockroach an adaptable pest.

Behave:

• Social: Lives in groups.
• Nocturnal: The American cockroach is nocturnal and spends most of the day in hiding. Despite infestations, sightings are very rare; a large population could develop without anyone noticing.

Driven:

• Damage: Can contaminate supplies and living spaces through the transport of bacteria, germs, fungi, and viruses.
• Allergy: The American cockroach can be a cause of allergies such as asthma and hay fever in infants, children, and adolescents. Children who grow up in a contaminated environment are more likely to develop asthma or hay fever.

Disease transmission:

• It carries various bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. Furthermore, the likelihood of children developing allergies increases if they grow up in a contaminated area.

Food:

• Store food and drinks safely and check storage rooms regularly.
• Dispose of food scraps and waste in sealable containers.

Hygiene:

• Do not leave open garbage cans or bags.
• Regular cleaning of surfaces and rooms.

House and garden:

• Set up monitoring.
• Consult a pest control expert for comprehensive advice.
• Seal cracks and crevices leading to the sewer system.

Behave:

• Use traps and baits only in consultation with pest control professionals. Do not handle the animals directly without protective measures.

Garden maintenance:

• Regularly collect fallen fruit in the garden.
• Store compost heaps far away from the building.