One of the most disgusting insects in the world, causing a feeling of disgust, are red cockroaches.They live in almost every corner of the globe, penetrating our homes and feeding on our foods. Not only does a bunch of cockroaches look scary in themselves, but they also spread diseases. Scientists have long been well aware of the lifestyle cockroaches lead and what they are afraid of, but they did not know where they came from. A recent study has finally revealed this long-standing mystery – genetic analysis of hundreds of species of cockroaches helped to understand where they came from and what routes they took to reach other countries. We think that everyone should know about the results of this scientific work, because they will certainly end up in biology textbooks.
Scientists have found out where red cockroaches come from
Contents< /p>
- 1 Who are red cockroaches
- 2 Why are red cockroaches called “Prussians”
- 3 Where did red cockroaches come from
- 4 Why are there many cockroaches in the world
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Who are red cockroaches
Red cockroaches are insects from the family Ectobiidae. As the name suggests, their bodies are about 16 millimeters long and have a reddish hue. They are found almost everywhere except in the cold regions of our planet. At temperatures below -5 degrees Celsius, red cockroaches die, so in winter they can only live in heated rooms.
Probably, there is no person in the world who likes the appearance of red cockroaches. Photo source: lenta.ru
Why are red cockroaches called “Prussians”
The original name of red cockroaches is Blatta germanica. It was given to insects in 1767 by the Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus. The word Blatta is Latin for “light shunner” and germanica refers to Germany because the famous biologist studied specimens of insects that were caught in that country. Today, the scientific name for red cockroaches is Blattella germanica.
Cockroaches have been a nuisance to humans for hundreds of years. Image source: pitomec.info
In Russia, red cockroaches are often called “Prussians”. This is due to the fact that during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), people believed that these pests came from Prussia. In Germany and the Czech Republic, these cockroaches were called “Russian” because they were believed to have been imported from Russia.
The results of a new study showed that neither side was right. Red cockroaches have a completely different homeland, and they have traveled a long way to spread throughout the world.
Read also:How do cockroaches survive meteorite falls and nuclear explosions?
Where did red cockroaches come from
To determine the homeland and identify the distribution routes of red cockroaches, scientists studied the genes of 281 species of cockroaches from 17 countries. The analysis revealed that the red cockroaches are very closely related to the Asian cockroaches (Blattella asahinai) from the Bay of Bengal. According to calculations, they separated approximately 2100 years ago, which is quite recent from an evolutionary point of view.
To understand where red cockroaches come from, scientists had to study the genes of almost 300 species of the entire insect family. image source: nashzelenyimir.ru
Based on this, it follows that the homeland of red cockroaches is India. Further research revealed that about 1,200 years ago, red cockroaches moved to the Middle East along with traders and warriors. Then, about 390 years ago, they found themselves in Indonesia. Pests appeared in Europe approximately 270 years ago, and 120 years ago they spread throughout the world. They spread most quickly between countries with trade ties. Also, the speed of their spread was greatly influenced by the development of transport. Previously, ships could sail to their final destinations for months and the cockroaches died during this time. But then the travel time was reduced, and the insects arrived in new places safe and sound.
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Why are there so many cockroaches in the world
Red cockroaches are perceived by us as pests, but they play an important role in nature. For example, they help decompose organic material, provide food for predators, add nutrients to the soil, and regulate other insect populations. In general, if cockroaches completely disappear, nothing good will happen.
Red cockroach close-up. Image source: slavicfamily.org
But there are a lot of red cockroaches, so they do more harm than good. When they started living next to people, they changed a little. For example, they began to be nocturnal. They have wings, but they no longer fly so as not to attract too much attention to themselves. In addition to all this, they very quickly develop resistance to insect repellents, so getting rid of cockroaches is very difficult.
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Scientists have figured out the origin of red cockroaches, but how did this family of insects appear? Scientists believe that they appeared 300 million years ago and survived many earthly disasters. You can read more about all this in our article “What cockroaches live in our homes and where do they come from?”