COCKROACH, any of the species of Blotto or allied genera, belonging to the family Blot tido., order Orthopfera. The body of the cock roach is much flattened, being adapted to life under the bark of trees, under stones, in cracks, etc. The four wings are much alilce in size and net-veined; the antennm are long and slender, and to the end of the body are appended many jointed antenniform limbs which contain olfac tory organs like those in the joints of the an tennw. Cockroaches are hatched in nearly the same form as the parent, differing mainly in not having wings. The eggs are deposited in a bean-like case (ootheca), which is divided into two compartments, each containing about 30 eggs; these egg-sacs are carried about for some tame by the female, projecting from the end of her hind-body. One small native species (Platymodes pensylvanicus) lives under stones, but the species so abounding in our homes have been introduced from the Old World. The pe culiar odor given out by cockroaches is ex pelled from glands in the hind-body, and either present in both sexes, or only in the males. In the croton bug or common small cockroach of our cities, these glands are very large, giving out a fcetid odor, and occur only in the males.
While nearly a thousand species of blattids are known to be now living and 200 fossil spe cies are described, mostly from Palmozoic strata. chiefly the carboniferous states, several forms are household pests. They swarm in our kitchens, spreading through those parts of the house warmed by hot water or steam pipes, and are troublesome from eating clothing, cereals, devouring the paste in bindings of books; they also abound in ships, where they devour ship biscuit, etc., impregnating the pantry with their
disagreeable odor. On the other hand, the cocic roach is. an enemy of the bed bug, doing great service in reducing their numbers. The devel opment of the cockroach is slow and the num ber of eggs deposited not great. Phyllodromia germanica, the German roach or croton bug, reaches maturity in from four and a half to six months.
Of the many species known the most annoy ing is the Gennan roach, whose native country is, however, not known, though supposed to have had an eastern origin. The Oriental codc roach (Periplaneta orientolis) is derived from tropical Asia, and is supposed to have been in troduced into Europe two or three centuries since. The female is nearly wingless; it is a large dark brown species, living in colonies. The best remedies are insect powder, phosphorus paste, and a proprietary substance called Ger man snowflake powder. Consult the textboolcs on entomology; also Howard and Marlatt, (The Principal Household Insects of the United States) (Bulletin No. 4, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Entomology, Wash ington 1896) ;