Cockroaches eat on anything - almost.

The cockroach has the most powerful stomach;

it eats on anything - almost.

"Old Archie, this living fossil is called, older than the dinosaur; 

for whatever reasons it's still around, is beyond man's favor." ~

 

Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature School on Blog

 

Closeup of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) most common species in every home, on garbage, drainage canals, and practically in all places where there is filth. Yellow band on the prothorax, reddish brown all over the body characterize the American cockroach. They are gregarious in nature but do not form colonies in the true sense like bees and ants and termites.

  

Other species include the Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) which is dark and bigger. It is also nocturnal like all its kin, except the German cockroach (Blatta germanica) which is active and visible during the day, and much smaller, except the brown headed species. Cockroaches have incomplete life cycle (hemimetabola) - egg, nymph and adult. The nymphs undergo four or five moltings before becoming adults. Photos credit: Wikipedia

Cockroaches eat on  anything -.almost.

Being omnivorous, cockroaches voraciously consume all kinds of materials that are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oils.  But when these are not available they turn to unlikely food source like soap, photographic film, clothes, wood and drugs.  In fact they even turn into predators, devouring other insects, and sometimes biting people in their sleep. Their bite often gets swollen and infected. Cockroaches are found in all places where humans live and conduct his trade, commerce and industry. Only rats can be compared with the tenacity of the cockroach.    

The cockroach has very powerful digestive enzymes:  proteases digest protein, invertase breaks complex sugar, and amylase breaks starches.  Its saliva contains powerful enzymes coming from the gastric caeca, while the Malphigian tubules secrete an enzyme that is equally disgusting.  It is no wonder that just a single frass (feces) can spoil a whole pot of rice by its obnoxious smell. By the way there are three most common species that we encounter in the home and public places. 

These are the American cockroach or Periplaneta americana (large, rust red with a yellow band across its thorax), the German cockroach or Blatella germanica (pale yellow, only one-third the size of the American species) PHOTO and the oriental cockroach or Blatta orientalis (dark brown to black, the biggest and filthiest of all cockroaches.)

Meticulous sanitation is the best way to get rid of cockroaches. To keep their population down, sprinkle carbamate (Sevin) on the kitchen floor, pathways and possible hideout of the pest, preferably before retiring at night.  Keep doors and screens properly closed to prevent entry of the insect. ~