Adult Cockroaches Research Articles

EMR Exposure

This is regarding the article ‘Mobile phone radiation induces sedation in Periplaneta americana ’. The authors have used 15 adult male cockroaches kept in a 30 x 18 cm box for exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by a cell phone. The phone was kept in the box and made 1 min call every 5 min for 1, 3 or 6 h. Several assays were performed and the authors concluded ‘the present study clearly explained the physiological and biochemical basis of adverse effect of EMR and is a warning for the judicious use of mobile phones’.

Efektivitas Minyak Atsiri Serai Wangi (Combypogon nardus) Sebagai Insektisida Alami Untuk Kecoa Amerika (Periplaneta americana)

ABSTRAK Cockroaches are one of the most common types of insects around our neighborhood, and it is one of the most dangerous insects because some species of cockroaches are known to transmit disease in humans such as tuberculosis, typhoid, asthma, cholera, and hepatitis. Eradication of cockroaches can be done physically and chemically, the use of chemical-based insecticides can cause respiratory problems. In an insecticide drug containing natural ingredients contain essential oils, the content of essential oil compounds serve as an anti-insect drug on citronella. This study aimed to determine the effect of essential oils of citronella fragrance to cockroaches. This type of research was experimental. The population in this study were cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) obtained from the houses of villagers of Tanjung, Sampang, Madura. The total sample was 32 adult stage cockroaches. Data analysis was using free T test with error rate of 5% or 0,05.The results showed that cockroaches stopped moving with an average of 15.75. Based on T test results showed the significant results of 0.00 which was smaller than 0.05 then H0 was rejected Ha was accepted. It can be concluded that the essential oils of citronella fragrance have an effect on the death of cockroaches. Keywords: Cockroach, Essential Oil Of Citronella Fragrance (Cymbopogon nardus)

The Distribution and Movement of American Cockroaches in Urban Niches of New Orleans.

American cockroaches are an important source of household allergens in tropical and semitropical climates. To determine which outdoor niches produce American cockroaches, traps were placed at 40 homes in New Orleans to collect nymphs. Nymphs were collected from the sewers, yards, and within the homes themselves. To compare sewers and yards as sources of cockroaches entering homes, adult cockroaches were collected, marked, and released into yards and sewers. No sewer-released cockroaches were collected in homes. Cockroaches released into yards were collected in the homes, suggesting that yards, rather than sewers, are a more important source niche. A field trial applying boric acid granules to the yard was performed in an effort to reduce entry of cockroaches. There was a significant reduction in the cockroach antigen collected in intervention homes compared with controls.

Compositional differences among female-associated and embryo-associated microbiota of the viviparous Pacific Beetle cockroach, Diploptera punctata.

All cockroach species, except one, harbor the endosymbiont Blattabacterium, transmitted from females to embryos. Adult cockroaches acquire non-Blattabacterium bacteria as part of their gut microbiota over time, but our knowledge of the possible transmission of these non-Blattabacterium bacteria from females to embryos is rudimentary. We characterized the gut microbiota of gravid viviparous Diploptera punctata females and the non-Blattabacterium microbiota of associated developing embryos, as well as the gut microbiota of non-gravid females, and the microbiota of orphan embryos (females not included), following high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to assess bacterial transference. We determined significant differences in community composition between gravid females and associated embryos and overall greater similarity in community composition among embryos than adult females. Results suggest various routes of transference of bacteria from females or the environment to embryos. The bacterial families Halomonadaceae and Shewanellaceae were more abundant in embryos than in gravid females. The functional relevance of these families remains to be elucidated, but provisioning of amino acids deficient in the brood sac secretion is a possibility. Overall, our results highlight the need for further studies investigating the uptake and selective screening of microbes by D. punctata embryos, as well as their functions.

Susceptibility of cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa, Nauphoeta cinerea and Blaptica dubia) exposed to entomopathogenic nematodes

ABSTRACTCockroaches are major pests, vectors of pathogenic bacteria and induce allergies. Current control methods use chemical pesticides, but they can be ineffective and costly and there are reports of resistance in the field; hence new control methods are needed. There are conflicting reports about the susceptibility of cockroaches to entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs); so we investigated if EPNs could kill several diverse cockroach species, including the Madagascan hissing roach (Gromphadorhina portentosa), the Lobster roach (Nauphoeta cinerea) and Blaptica dubia. Female adult cockroaches were exposed to either commercial products containing Steinernema kraussei or a combination of Heterorhabditis spp. and Steinernema spp. at 50 and 150 nematodes per cm2 for 21 days. We also monitored feeding and the numbers of infective juveniles that were produced from each cockroach corpse. We found that S. kraussei were harmless to all cockroach species (at both doses) but when exposed to a mixture of Heterorhabditis spp. and Steinernema spp. B. dubia died after 6 days and its feeding was strongly inhibited. We also found that the mixture of Heterorhabditis spp. and Steinernema spp. could proliferate in the cadavers of B. dubia whilst S. kraussei could only reproduce in G. portentosa and B. dubia but not N. cinerea. In conclusion, S. kraussei was harmless to all three cockroach species but B. dubia was killed when exposed to Heterorhabditis spp. and Steinernema spp., highlighting the differences in the host range of EPNs.

The earliest amber-recorded type cockroach family was aposematic (Blattaria: Blattidae)

Only seven adult cockroaches have been described from Mesozoic amber. Balatronis cretacea gen. et sp. nov. from the Cenomanian burmite is the most ancient member of the type cockroach family Blattidae and the only one recorded from Cretaceous strata. Individuals represented by immature and adults (n = 14, 4) constitute 3.2 per cents of all Myanmar amber cockroaches surveyed by us – indicating habits close to source trees supported with bark body pattern (absent in sedimentary fossils). Preservation in small-sized pieces suggests longer post-depositional transportation. Its characteristic aposematic coloration suggests direct ancestry to the living repellent harlequin cockroach Neostylopyga rhombifolia, which lost its wings. Along with the bizarre Manipulatoridae, Eadiidae and Alienopteridae species, it exemplifies the high disparity of cockroaches in the ancient amber–producing tropical forest, but also documents the appearance of advanced modern taxa.

Medically Important Parasites Carried by Cockroaches in Melong Subdivision, Littoral, Cameroon.

Cockroaches have been recognized as mechanical vectors of pathogens that can infest humans or animals. A total of 844 adult cockroaches (436 males and 408 females) were caught. In the laboratory, cockroaches were first washed in saturated salt solution to remove ectoparasites and then rinsed with 70% alcohol, dried, and dissected for endoparasites. An overall transport rate of 47.39% was recorded. Six genera of parasites were identified. These were Ascaris (33.76%), Trichuris (11.97%), Capillaria (6.16%), Toxocara (4.86%), Hook Worm (4.86%), and Eimeria (2.73%). The parasites were more recorded on the external surface (54.27%) of cockroaches than in the internal surface (GIT, 38.51%). The same tendency was obtained between sexes with female cockroaches having a higher transport rate (36.69%). Cockroaches caught in toilets carried more parasites (31.99%) as compared to those from kitchens (22.63%) and houses (11.14%). Almost all encountered parasites were recognized as responsible of zoonosis and they can be consequently released in nature by hosts and easily disseminated by cockroaches as mechanical vectors. Sanitary education, reenforcement of worms' eradication programs, and the fight against these insects remain a necessity in the Mélong Subdivision.

Cockroaches (Blattodea: Blattidae): A Reservoir of Pathogenic Microbes in Human-Dwelling Localities in Lahore

This study focuses on isolation of pathogenic bacteria from external and internal surfaces of cockroaches collected from houses and hospitals in Lahore. In total, 240 adult cockroaches were collected from houses and hospitals by hand or using sticky traps and food-bait traps. Cockroach species were identified, and microbial screening was done for external surfaces and gut tracts of cockroaches. Jaccard's index of similarity, Bray-Curtis' index of dissimilarity, and Shannon-Wiener's diversity index were used to measure the bacterial community diversity (all species of bacteria) in each habitat. Relative abundance and frequency were measured for each bacterial species on external and internal surfaces of cockroaches. Among human habitations, two major species of cockroaches were isolated, i.e., Periplaneta americana (P. americana) and Blattella germanica (B. germanica). Out of 240 cockroaches collected, 167 were P. americana and 73 were B. germanica. In total, 11 bacterial species were isolated, but no different bacterial load in each habitat was observed. The most common diagnostic bacterium isolated from the external surface of cockroaches was found to be Escherichia coli (10.31%). In contrast, the most common isolate from the internal gut tract of cockroaches was found to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with relative frequency of 19.96%. Jaccard's index of similarity of bacterial species found on cockroaches was highest (0.3125) in houses, whereas Bray-Curtis' index of dissimilarity was highest for hospitals (0.2174). The highest Shannon-Wiener's diversity index value was found in bacteria on cockroaches collected from the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (2.610632). No Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Streptococcus pneumonia were found in the digestive tract of any cockroach.

English

A plant of genus gaggassa belongs to the family of Ericaceae, and has been widely employed by the traditional healers to treat cockroach pest. The objective of this study was to do preliminary phytochemical screening and insecticidal activity of extracted gaggassa (Agarista salicifolia) plant leaves against cockroach. About 10 g of air dried powdered material of leaves was extracted with 90% ethanol, acetone and water using an electric shaker for 24 h. Thereafter, the extract material was concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure and controlled temperature (50°C) using rotary evaporator. Different leaf extract concentrations of 25, 50, 75 and 100%, respectively were implemented in triplicate experiment and mortality was assessed after 4, 8 and 12 h of treatment time interval. The toxicity test extract of plant was carried out by using adult cockroach, and obtained result showed extracts of LC50 of 1.44 mg/mL from water extract and 1.33 mg/mL from ethanol respectively. No mortality was observed in control treatment. Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, tannins and cardiac glycosides. Finally, the high polyphenolic and flavonoid contents of the plants suggest their potential source of botanical insecticides. Overall results suggest that extracts from gaggassa plant leaves showed the highest insecticidal effects on cockroach. Considering the side effect of chemical insecticides to human health, it is suggested that the use of organic insecticides should be encouraged so as to ameliorate health problems, since it is eco-friendly in nature. The plants are good candidates to be developed as sources of natural insecticides for the pest management. Key words: Bioactive compounds, ethanolic extracts, total phenolic content and toxicity.

Sphecid wasp larvae feeding on large-sized cockroaches in a dead wood cavity

We investigated the nest site and prey items of Isodontia auripygata (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) in a subtropical forest on Iriomote Island, ca. 200 km east of Taiwan. I. auripygata used the cavity of a dead branch as their nest site, and the nest was composed of two cells that were divided by wood offcuts. Inside the branch, we found large-sized adult cockroaches, Rhabdoblatta formosana (Blattodea: Epilampridae), R. formosana adults were fed to an I. auripygata larva in each cell. To our knowledge, this is the third record of species of the genus Isodontia that prey on cockroaches.

How and When Do Insects Rely on Endogenous Protein and Lipid Resources during Lethal Bouts of Starvation? A New Application for 13C-Breath testing.

Most of our understanding about the physiology of fasting and starvation comes from studies of vertebrates; however, for ethical reasons, studies that monitor vertebrates through the lethal endpoint are scant. Insects are convenient models to characterize the comparative strategies used to cope with starvation because they have diverse life histories and have evolved under the omnipresent challenge of food limitation. Moreover, we can study the physiology of starvation through its natural endpoint. In this study we raised populations of five species of insects (adult grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches, and larval beetles and moths) on diets labeled with either 13C-palmitic acid or 13C-leucine to isotopically enrich the lipids or the proteins in their bodies, respectively. The insects were allowed to become postabsorptive and then starved. We periodically measured the δ13C of the exhaled breath to characterize how each species adjusted their reliance on endogenous lipids and proteins as energy sources. We found that starving insects employ a wide range of strategies for regulating lipid and protein oxidation. All of the insects except for the beetle larvae were capable of sharply reducing reliance on protein oxidation; however, this protein sparing strategy was usually unsustainable during the entire starvation period. All insects increased their reliance on lipid oxidation, but while some species (grasshoppers, cockroaches, and beetle larvae) were still relying extensively on lipids at the time of death, other species (crickets and moth larvae) allowed rates of lipid oxidation to return to prestarvation levels. Although lipids and proteins are critical metabolic fuels for both vertebrates and insects, insects apparently exhibit a much wider range of strategies for rationing these limited resources during starvation.

Effect of certain entomopathogenic fungi on oxidative stress and mortality of Periplaneta americana

The present paper reports the effects of Metarhizium anisopliae, Isaria fumosoroseus and Hirsutella thompsonaii on Periplaneta americana. I. fumosoroseus and H. thompsonaii were cultured at 28±1°C on potato carrot agar and M. anisopliae was cultured at 28±1°C on potato dextrose agar for 14days. Conidial suspensions of fungi were given to cockroaches through different routes. M. anisopliae shows high virulence against adult cockroaches and mortality ranges from 38.65% to 78.36% after 48h. I. fumosoroseus and H. thompsonii show less virulence compared to M. anisopliae. We also investigated the effect of these three fungi on the activity of lactate dehydrogenase, lipid peroxidation and catalase in different tissues of the insect to gain an understanding of the different target site. The result suggested that the activity of lactate dehydrogenase, catalase and level of malondialdehyde varies in different organs and through different routes of exposure. Based on mortality percentages, all tested fungi had high potentials for biocontrol agents against P. americana. Our study reveals for the first time that I. fumosoroseus and H. thompsonaii fungal infections initiate oxidative stress in the midgut, fat body, whole body and hemolymph of cockroach thereby suggesting them to be the target organs for oxidative damage.

A Novel Use for Potassium Alum as Controlling Agent Against Periplaneta americana (Dictyoptera: Blattidae).

In this work, we present our results on the use of potassium alum as an environmentally friendly insecticide. This compound has the potential to rid our homes, schools, hotels, restaurants, and ships of cockroach infestations. This compound is environmentally friendly and has no hazardous effects on plant, animal, or human ecosystems. Alum was approved for medical use a long time ago. In our laboratory, we developed a novel method using potassium alum as an environmentally friendly insecticide to kill the most common cockroach in the subtropical region, Periplaneta americana (L.). Adult and nymph-staged cockroaches were left to feed on potassium alum per individual insect after a period of food deprivation. The mortality was recorded as LT50. The younger nymphs the third and early fourth instars died within 4 d of feeding after consuming an average of 0.3 mg per individual insect. Gravid females were highly susceptible to alum toxicity and experienced a higher mortality rate, with an average of 3 mg per individual female. The oothecae of the normal untreated females were 8.1 mm long and 4.13 mm wide and weighed 94 mg. The eggs laid by the treated gravid females were underweight and exhibited a dwarfism shape, and these eggs did not hatched if the females consumed the potassium alum before laying eggs. The results revealed that the adult male and female cockroaches have to consume 1 mg and 2.7 mg, respectively, of potassium alum to kill 100% of them after 1 month of ingestion. The potassium alum had to be ingested by the cockroaches to affect mortality. The effect of potassium alum was attributed to chronic toxicity and not acute toxicity. The potential applications of this novel technique will be discussed.

Towards understanding the molecular basis of cockroach tergal gland morphogenesis. A transcriptomic approach

The tergal gland is a structure exclusive of adult male cockroaches that produces substances attractive to the female and facilitates mating. It is formed de novo in tergites 7 and 8 during the transition from the last nymphal instar to the adult. Thus, the tergal gland can afford a suitable case study to investigate the molecular basis of a morphogenetic process occurring during metamorphosis. Using Blattella germanica as model, we constructed transcriptomes from male tergites 7–8 in non-metamorphosing specimens, and from the same tergites in metamorphosing specimens. We performed a de novo assembly all available transcriptomes to construct a reference transcriptome and we identified transcripts by homology. Finally we mapped all reads into the reference transcriptome in order to perform analysis of differentially expressed genes and a GO-enrichment test. A total of 5622 contigs appeared to be overrepresented in the transcriptome of metamorphosing specimens with respect to those specimens that did not metamorphose. Among these genes, there were six GO-terms with a p-value lower than 0.05 and among them GO: 0003676 (“nucleic acid binding”) was especially interesting since it included transcription factors (TFs). Examination of TF-Pfam-motifs revealed that the transcriptome of metamorphosing specimens contains the highest diversity of these motifs, with 29 different types (seven of them exclusively expressed in this stage) compared with that of non-metamorphosing specimens, which contained 24 motif types. Transcriptome comparisons suggest that TFs are important drivers of the process of tergal gland formation during metamorphosis.

Diet shapes the gut microbiota of the omnivorous cockroach Blattella germanica.

The gut microbiota of insects contributes positively to the physiology of its host mainly by participating in food digestion, protecting against pathogens, or provisioning vitamins or amino acids, but the dynamics of this complex ecosystem is not well understood so far. In this study, we have characterized the gut microbiota of the omnivorous cockroach Blattella germanica by pyrosequencing the hypervariable regions V1-V3 of the 16S rRNA gene of the whole bacterial community. Three diets differing in the protein content (0, 24 and 50%) were tested at two time points in lab-reared individuals. In addition, the gut microbiota of wild adult cockroaches was also analyzed. In contrast to the high microbial richness described on the studied samples, only few species are shared by wild and lab-reared cockroaches, constituting the bacterial core in the gut of B. germanica. Overall, we found that the gut microbiota of B. germanica is highly dynamic as the bacterial composition was reassembled in a diet-specific manner over a short time span, with no-protein diet promoting high diversity, although the highest diversity was found in the wild cockroaches analyzed. We discuss how the flexibility of the gut microbiota is probably due to its omnivorous life style and varied diets.

Insecticidal and acetylcholine esterase inhibition activity of Asteraceae plant essential oils and their constituents against adults of the German cockroach (Blattella germanica).

The fumigant and contact toxicities of 16 Asteraceae plant essential oils and their constituents against adult male and female Blattella germanica were examined. In a fumigant toxicity test, tarragon oil exhibited 100% and 90% fumigant toxicity against adult male German cockroaches at 5 and 2.5 mg/filter paper, respectively. Fumigant toxicities of Artemisia arborescens and santolina oils against adult male German cockroaches were 100% at 20 mg/filter paper, but were reduced to 60% and 22.5% at 10 mg/filter paper, respectively. In contact toxicity tests, tarragon and santolina oils showed potent insecticidal activity against adult male German cockroaches. Components of active oils were analyzed using gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, or nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. Among the identified compounds from active essential oils, estragole demonstrated potent fumigant and contact toxicity against adult German cockroaches. β-Phellandrene exhibited inhibition of male and female German cockroach acetylcholinesterase activity with IC50 values of 0.30 and 0.28 mg/mL, respectively.

Characterization of the juvenile hormone pathway in the viviparous cockroach, Diploptera punctata.

Juvenile hormones (JHs) are key regulators of insect development and reproduction. The JH biosynthetic pathway is known to involve 13 discrete enzymatic steps. In the present study, we have characterized the JH biosynthetic pathway in the cockroach Diploptera punctata. The effect of exogenous JH precursors on JH biosynthesis was also determined. Based on sequence similarity, orthologs for the genes directly involved in the pathway were cloned, and their spatial and temporal transcript profiles were determined. The effect of shutting down the JH pathway in adult female cockroaches was studied by knocking down genes encoding HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) and Juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase (JHAMT). As a result, oocyte development slowed as a consequence of reduction in JH biosynthesis. Oocyte length, fat body transcription of Vg and ovarian vitellin content significantly decreased. In addition, silencing HMGR and JHAMT resulted in a decrease in the transcript levels of other genes in the pathway.

Effect of shear forces and ageing on the compliance of adhesive pads in adult cockroaches.

The flexibility of insect adhesive pads is crucial for their ability to attach on rough surfaces. Here, we used transparent substrates with micropillars to test in adult cockroaches (Nauphoeta cinerea) whether and how the stiffness of smooth adhesive pads changes when shear forces are applied, and whether the insect's age has any influence. We found that during pulls towards the body, the pad's ability to conform to the surface microstructures was improved in comparison to a contact without shear, suggesting that shear forces make the pad more compliant. The mechanism underlying this shear-dependent increase in compliance is still unclear. The effect was not explained by viscoelastic creep, changes in normal pressure, or shear-induced pad rolling, which brings new areas of cuticle into surface contact. Adhesive pads were significantly stiffer in older cockroaches. Stiffness increased most rapidly in cockroaches aged between 2.5 and 4 months. This increase is probably based on wear and repair of the delicate adhesive cuticle. Recent wear (visualised by Methylene Blue staining) was not age dependent, whereas permanent damage (visible as brown scars) accumulated with age, reducing the pads' flexibility.

English

Arginase (EC 3.5.3.1) catalyzes the hydrolysis of arginine to ornithine and urea. The role of arginase in insect has been seen in the growth of insect at various stages of development and energy requirement for flight. Here, we reported the properties of arginase in the gut of adult cockroach, Periplaneta americana. The enzyme was partially purified with ammonium sulphate precipitation and affinity chromatography. The specific activity of the arginase was 3.0 µmol/min/mg of protein. The Michealis (Km) constant was 0.33 mM and the arginase preferred arginine as substrate. The optimum pH was 7.0, while the optimum temperature was 80°C. The ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione (GSH) and 2-mercaptoethanol completely inactivated the enzyme. The amino acids: lysine, valine, serine, and asparagine showed moderate inhibition (with residual arginase activities of 81.7, 96.1, 96.9 and 97.0%, respectively), while proline and cysteine (>100%, respectively) stimulated the arginase activity. The cations: Sn2+, Hg2+, Ni2+ and Co2+ showed slight inhibition on the enzyme. The enzyme was markedly enhanced by Zn2+ and Mg2+. Key words: Arginase, insect gut, cockcroach, characterization.&nbsp

Potensi Daun Salam (Syzygium polyanthum) Sebagai Repelen Alami Bagi Kecoa Amerika (Periplaneta americana)

Cockroaches are insects that cause more disadvantage to people. Beside leaving the smelly odor, cockroaches are also as vector of several diseases. American cockroach is the most common cockroach found on Indonesian settlements. By using sintetic insecticide to control the cockroach can harmfull to human being. The possible solution that can be done is by using repellent made of plants material that containing insect repellent, such as bay leaves. Bay leaves containsessential oils, flavonoids, and tannins which is suspected as insect repellent. This study aimed to determine the ability of bay leaves as natural repellent for adult American cockroach. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with 3 treatments (the young leaves, old leaves, and control)and 10 replications. Analysis of variance and continue with Least Significant Difference (LSD) at the 5% significance level was used for data analysis. The result showed that 5 gram of bay leaves could be a natural repellent for the American cockroach adults as long as72 hours. This is indicated by average percentage of the repellent power both of old and young bay leaves remained above 70% for 72 hours. Keywords: american cockroach, bay leaf , repellent