Asian cockroach
The Asian cockroach (Blattella asahinai) is a species of cockroach that was first described in 1981 from insects collected on Okinawa Island, Japan. It is a small species of cockroach, typically.mw-parser-output.frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output.frac.num,.mw-parser-output.frac.den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output.frac.den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output.sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}1.3 to 1.6 centimetres (1⁄2 to 5⁄8 in) long and tan to dark brown in colour with dark parallel stripes on the back of their heads. It is commonly mistaken with the German cockroach (B. germanica) for their similar appearance. It is commonly found in the United States in and around houses.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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starts withThe Asian cockroach was first cited and documented in Okinawa Island, Japan in 1981 by Dr. Takayuki Mizukubo, from the National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences. The introduction of the exotic Asian cockroach to the United States was in 1986 in Lakeland, Florida but at first was believed to be the German species. It is believed that the Asian came to Florida through the import of goods from Japan. On March 3, 1986, Dr Louis M. Roth received cockroaches of Lakeland, Florida from Dr Philip G. Koehler of Florida Extension Services of the University of Florida for inspection. It was noted that a pest control worker referred to them as "German cockroaches" but they could fly readily and were common outdoors. The only two species of Blattella present in the United States were the Field cockroach (B. vaga) and the German. Roth was unaware of the Asian species but discovered it and sent several Lakeland specimens to Dr. Mizukubo and he concluded they were B. asahinai.
Further testing was implemented by the Center for Urban and Structural Entomology at Texas A&M University in September 2007 where they tested the two species through an ethological, morphological and genetic approach in order to confirm the presence of the Asian cockroach in Harris County, Texas. Evaluations of DNA gene sequences showed similarities to the German. It was found that environmental factors play a significant role in differentiating the two species although there are slight morphological differences. It was confirmed that Asian Cockroaches were discovered in Harris County, Texas in May 2006 around the Barker Reservoir, in both urban and undeveloped areas. These cockroaches were later also found in the Hunter’s Creek subdivision in greater Houston. The Asian cockroach has since expanded throughout much of Florida and is spreading into other southern states. In addition to Florida, it is reported in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas. In Dothan, Alabama in 2003, there were several reports that stated there were "flying German cockroaches" from Alabama Cooperative Extension System agents, where specimens were obtained for identification. Using a male specimen and comparing it to the description of Dr. Mizukubo and Dr. Roth, they confirmed that the specimens were in fact Asians.
Asian cockroaches are predominantly found outdoors in shaded mulched, composted areas where fresh plant litter accumulates as well as in damp areas. Large areas of grass or leaf litter are what the Asian cockroach gravitates towards. When the Asian cockroach is happy with the chosen location, they are the dominant cockroach and take over the location where they tend to form hordes of 30,000 to 250,000 cockroaches per acre (74,000 to 618,000/ha). Its population reaches its zenith in late August and declines rapidly with the onset of cool weather. Asian Cockroaches are the most active at dusk and are attracted to light-coloured surfaces and bright lights. This means at dusk, the Asian cockroach may fly towards the home and enter through open doors and windows but indoor invasions occur rarely. While in the home, the Asian cockroach is most likely found sitting on the TV screen or near lamps. While other cockroaches carry diseases and bacterium, as of today, research has not suggested that the Asian cockroach carries any pathogens or diseases. Although, they do come into contact with other bacteria due to their habitat preferences being around homes with outdoor pathogens, animal feces, and fungi.
The Asian cockroach has longer but narrower wings than the German cockroach. It can be observed flying, predominantly its preferred choice of movement especially when disturbed, and to move around compared with the German cockroach, which can be rarely seen flying, merely fluttering its wings ineffectively. The other main difference between the two species is its reaction to light sources, the Asian cockroach is naturally attracted to light compared to the German cockroach which scatters away in the presence of bright light.
Asian cockroaches are omnivorous, as are most cockroach species : they will eat anything they can find. They have been observed to eat human food, pet food, flowers and agricultural crops, as well as prey such as lepidopteran eggs in soybean and cotton crops. They have also been sighted feeding on lettuce, cabbage, and strawberries.
Asian cockroaches and field cockroaches are similar ecologically in comparison to the German cockroach due to both these species breeding outdoors. Both the female Asian and German cockroach carry their egg capsules (oothecae) with them until the eggs hatch but female Asian cockroaches produces fewer oothecae in comparison to the German cockroach, producing approximately four oothecae in their lifetime, each averaging 35 - 40 eggs. Asian Cockroaches have longer initial and subsequent pre-oviposition periods than its German counterpart, and their eggs require slightly longer time to hatch. Asian adult females produce their first egg ootheca approximately 13 days after becoming an adult, and the period from when the ootheca first appeared to hatching is approximately 19 days. The female German cockroach can produce an Ootheca after approximately 8 days after becoming an adult with an incubation period of approximately 17 days. The oothecae of the Asian cockroach appears slightly smaller than that of the German cockroach as well as once hatched, the Asian cockroach is notably smaller than the German cockroach at the time of its first instar. The Asian cockroach is most fertile from February to May as well as in August through to September.
Shortly after hatching, nymph cockroaches turn from white to brown and their skin hardens. Asian cockroach females requires 60 - 70 days to become an adult, slightly longer than the males. The lifetime of male and female Asian Cockroaches are approximately 50 and 100 days respectively, compared with the German cockroach which lives on average 130 for males and 150 days for females.
An occasion where an Asian and a German mate with one another is extremely rare due to the behavioural differences of the two species but this can occur. On the rare occasion they produce viable offspring, it has the ability to fly and inherits the insecticide resistance the German possesses.
