CATDOLL : CATDOLL: There is a kind of insect, brown and black, similar to a cockroach but without antennae. It is smaller than a cockroach, has an oval body and a very hard shell.

There is a kind of insect, brown and black, similar to a cockroach but without antennae. It is smaller than a cockroach, has an oval body and a very hard shell.

The difference between earthworms and cockroaches is that cockroaches have long bodies while earthworms have round bodies.

What is the difference between cockroaches?

The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is 30 to 50 mm long (up to 2 inches long), light reddish brown in color, and lives outdoors or in dark, warm indoor environments (such as basements and rooms with stoves). The adult stage lasts about 1.5 years. The female can lay 50 or more egg pods, each containing about 16 eggs, which hatch after 45 days. The larval stage lasts 11 to 14 months. The American cockroach is native to tropical and subtropical America, has well-developed wings, and can fly long distances.

The German cockroach (Blattella germanica) is a common indoor pest. It is light brown with two black stripes on the prothorax. Females lay eggs three days after mating and carry them for about 20 days. It is small, about 12 millimeters (less than half an inch) long, so it is often brought into homes in grocery store bags or boxes. It has been carried around the world by ships. It can produce three or more generations a year. German cockroaches are so numerous around the water pipes of the Croton Aqueduct in New York City that they are commonly known as Croton bugs.

The Brown-banded Cockroach (Supella supellectilium) is similar to the German cockroach, but slightly smaller. The male has well-developed wings and is a lighter shade than the female, whose wings are shorter and nonfunctional. Both sexes have two light stripes across their backs. Adults live 200 days. There are two generations per year. Eggs are laid in clothing, wooden planks, or floor cracks. With the advent of heated homes, the Brown-banded Cockroach has also appeared in cooler areas.

The Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) is considered the dirtiest household pest. It is oval, black or dark brown, shiny, and 25 to 30 cm long. Its life cycle is similar to that of the American cockroach, with short and well-developed wings in males and degenerate wings in females. It originated in Asia and was later distributed to all temperate regions by merchants' transportation.