Madagascar hissing cockroaches are of constant interest among connoisseurs of exotic insects. They represent not one species, but a whole genus of cockroaches. They live in Madagascar, in other countries they can be found in terrariums.
Instructions
Step 1
Madagascar hissing cockroaches belong to the ancient order of cockroaches, in which there are about 3500 species. According to scientists, the fossil remains of ancient insects are approximately 300 million years old. Madagascar hissing cockroaches stand out in a large company with their unique ability to hiss.
Step 2
Unlike other insects, which make sounds by rubbing parts of the body or using vibrating membranes, Madagascar hissing cockroaches use a respiratory system that is uncharacteristic of their fellows. The loud hiss they emit is generated by the air that is exhaled through the holes in the carapace (stigma). The entire body of cockroaches is permeated with a system of tubes of different thickness and many sections. Through them, air enters the body.
Step 3
The cockroach shell sections have paired holes through which exhaled air comes out. Insects hiss when the enemy approaches and, if desired, attract the attention of the female. During the mating period, Madakascar cockroaches can get so carried away that, in addition to hissing, they also begin to whistle. Often, a hiss can indicate a hazard warning.
Step 4
Throughout their lives, hissing cockroaches do not leave the dense, leafy litter that covers the ground in the Madagascar rainforest. The lack of wings allows the insect's flattened brown body to easily navigate through packed foliage. Males have a pair of horns, which give them a warlike look, without hindering freedom of movement.
Step 5
Horns are extremely necessary for males when meeting with other horned individuals. Cockroaches attack each other with their bellies or horns and at the same time make such a noise that the hiss and noise of the struggle are heard at a distance of 4 meters. The winner emits the loudest hiss, as if letting others know about his victory. In the process of fighting, males, first of all, tend to bite off each other's whiskers, since they catch the pheromones of females with them.
Step 6
After fertilization, the female Madagascar hissing cockroach bears offspring in a special cocoon-like pouch called ooteca. After 2-3 months, approximately 50 white translucent insects with black eyes are born.
Step 7
As they grow up, small cockroaches molt 5-6 times, shedding their skin like snakes. After 9 months, their molt stops, and a hard brown shell (exoskeleton) appears on the body. The length of an adult is from 6 to 9 cm. Madagascar hissing cockroaches live from 2 to 5 years.
