Lapland cockroach - a mustachioed inhabitant of forest litter

People are familiar with cockroaches who prefer a synanthropic lifestyle. Insects settle in houses, eat sweets, meat products, rotten fruits and vegetables. Cockroaches spread throughout the world, but not all of the 4,600 species of the detachment settled next to people. Many arthropods choose a free life in the forest litter. Lapland cockroach is a typical inhabitant of Europe. He lives in the forest and eats plant foods. Nocturnal insects, sometimes leading to a secretive lifestyle, sometimes end up in people's homes and spoil food.

Morphological description of the species

Lapland cockroach (Ectobius lapponikus) belongs to the cockroach order, family Ectobiidae, genus Ectobius. The forest inhabitant is inferior in size to the red and black counterparts, its length is only 10-14 mm. The body shape is oval, flat. The triangular head is down and covered with a pronotum shield. The prominent organ of insects is the bristle-like antennae. Their length exceeds the size of the body. There are two complex eyes and two simple eyes. The mouth apparatus is gnawing, directed downward.

On the pronotum there is a black spot with fuzzy borders, the edges are transparent, rounded. The body is naked, without hairs. The color of the insect is grayish-yellow or brownish, glossy. Elytra leathery with obvious venation. Black spots stand out against the main tawny background. The hind wings are well developed, provide the ability to fly.

The abdomen consists of 8-10 segments. On the last one, paired articulated churches are located. Males have one or two different stylus. The female genitals are represented by a hidden ovipositor and ooteca, a capsule for bearing offspring. A Lapland cockroach has three pairs of strong limbs of a traveling type. There are many spikes on the hips of the middle and hind legs. The paw is five-segmented, with claws of different sizes on it.

Information. The life expectancy of the adult species Ectobius lapponikus is 3-4 months.

Sexual dimorphism

Male and female individuals can be distinguished by several signs:

• Body length - males 13-14 mm, females 9-10 mm.
• Elytra form - in males they are oblong, lanceolate, taper at the end, completely cover the abdomen. Females are wider and rounded; the edges of the abdomen remain open.

Information. The Lapland cockroach is very similar in structure to the steppe cockroach. Insects have the same color and shape of the elytra. You can distinguish between species in length, steppe grow up to 7 mm.

Habitat

The species Ectobius lapponikus is typical for the whole of Europe; in the north, its distribution border approaches the tundra. In the south, the range is limited by forest-steppe. Arthropods in the forest are found in Asia and China. Insects are intruded into North America. On the new continent, Lapland cockroaches took root well.

Lifestyle & Reproduction

Lapland cockroaches are inhabitants of the forest and meadow grass. Insects love heat and moisture. The lifestyle of males and females is somewhat different. Males are more active, they can be seen in the afternoon, afternoon. Cockroaches run around the grass and trees in search of food, occasionally fly from branch to branch. Females are slow, kept in forest litter. During the day they hide under stones, moss and vegetation.Activity is shown in the evening. The diet of cockroaches are green leaves, moss, lichen and mushrooms. Omnivores, can also try protein foods. If accidentally released into human housing, dry fish will be damaged.

Propagation Features

Cockroaches are distinguished by incomplete transformation, their life cycle includes three phases: egg, larva, imago. Representatives of the species Ectobius lapponikus mate in the summer. Males and females attract partners using wings. 2 weeks after mating, a brown ooteca appears from the female abdomen. This dense capsule protects eggs from being eaten by predators, mechanical stress and weather conditions. One ooteca contains 20-40 eggs. The female discards the capsule under the roots of trees or leaves.

Interesting fact. Most cockroaches lay their eggs in a protective capsule ooteca. The female carries it until the offspring is born or discards it earlier. Some species (relict cockroaches) are viviparous and exhibit parental behavior.

Larvae or nymphs look like adults from birth. The offspring is small in size, darker in color and lack of wings. Larvae feed on compost and lead a secretive lifestyle in the forest litter. To turn into an imago they will need 6-8 links. After each dropping of the integument, the larvae increase in size. Lapland cockroaches at the nymph stage winter.