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The social biology of domiciliary cockroaches: Colony structure, kin recognition and collective decisions
Abstract
A substantial body of research on eusocial insects seen in the last decades has gone hand-in-hand with the development of social evolution theory. In contrast, little attention has been given to the non-eusocial insect species that nevertheless exhibit a rich spectrum of social behaviours, thus effectively skewing our vision of insect sociality. Recent studies on the behaviour, ecology and genetic of “gregarious” cockroaches (Blattodea) have revealed a diversity of social structures and group dynamics unique among insects, providing an important comparative model for the broader understanding of insect social evolution. Here, we present an overview of the social biology of the domiciliary cockroaches (ca. 25 species adapted to human habitats) based on research on two model species, Blattella germanica and Periplaneta americana. We discuss the evolution of these domiciliary cockroaches, considering them in the context of “social herds” within the insect sociality framework.
... Previous studies have shown that cockroaches are capable of performing collective decisions when facing a choice among several shelters [31,32]. This collective choice arises from interactions between individuals, as they are attracted to hydrocarbons on the body surface (i.e., individuals actively seek close proximity with one another), and use the presence of other individuals under shelters as a social cue to indirectly estimate shelter quality [29,33,34]. This aggregation process is important for protection, reduction of water loss and increase in growth rate [33]. ...
... This collective choice arises from interactions between individuals, as they are attracted to hydrocarbons on the body surface (i.e., individuals actively seek close proximity with one another), and use the presence of other individuals under shelters as a social cue to indirectly estimate shelter quality [29,33,34]. This aggregation process is important for protection, reduction of water loss and increase in growth rate [33]. Several studies have shown that cockroaches also display measurable behavioural variability in social cohesion [28], boldness [35], learning [36], behavioural plasticity [37] and thigmotaxis [38]. ...
... The source population of cockroaches has been maintained at ULB as a breeding colony for over 20 years and individuals are thus likely to exhibit low genetic variability. Only males were used to avoid the effect of female sexual pheromones on the aggregation process [33]. It was not possible to precisely age the individuals, but as individuals accumulate damage over time due to agonistic behaviour, and we selected males which lacked any visible external damage, we can infer that they were young adults (±6 months). ...
Consistent inter-individual variation in the propensity to perform different tasks (animal personality) can contribute significantly to the success of group-living organisms. The distribution of different personalities in a group influences collective actions and therefore how these organisms interact with their environment. However, we have little understanding of the proximate mechanisms underlying animal personality in animal groups, and research on this theme has often been biased towards organisms with advanced social systems. The goal of this study is to investigate the mechanistic basis for personality variation during collective behaviour in a species with rudimentary societies: the American cockroach. We thus use an approach which combines experimental classification of individuals into behavioural phenotypes (‘bold’ and ‘shy’ individuals) with comparative gene expression. Our analyses reveal differences in gene expression between behavioural phenotypes and suggest that social context may modulate gene expression related to bold/shy characteristics. We also discuss how cockroaches could be a valuable model for the study of genetic mechanisms underlying the early steps in the evolution of social behaviour and social complexity. This study provides a first step towards a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with differences in boldness and behavioural plasticity in these organisms.
... In addition, Huang et al. (2020) considered the magnetic properties of the rotor and concluded that the energy consumption of the motor can be reduced by reducing the total number of changes in the position of the mirrors per second. In this paper, we have tested the efficiency of our improved automated vision driven Laser prototype to with the German cockroach Blattella germanica (Linnaeus 1767), which is one of the major urban pest species worldwide (Lihoreau et al. 2012). These domiciliary cockroaches can live in populations of millions of individuals, potentially spoiling food, household, and electrical appliances (Nasirian 2017), but also being a serious health hazard triggering allergic reactions and the development of asthma. ...
... Cockroaches are most active at night whereas during daytime they rest in secluded places, such as shelters (Lihoreau et al. 2012). Therefore, in the presence of light, cockroaches have a strong tendency to aggregate under these dark shelters (Halloy 2007). ...
Controlling insect pests still relies on the extensive usage of generic and established methods, such as pesticides, which utilise broad spectrum chemicals or toxins persisting in the environment and targeting non-pest insect species. Therefore, more effective and environmental friendly approaches are needed to counteract these damaging effects. Since a laser can be remotely directed to neutralise undesirable targets, this approach could be highly promising for controlling insect pests in a selective and ecofriendly fashion. In this study, we present a laser system automated by machine vision for neutralising and influencing the behaviour of insect pests. By performing experiments on domicili-ary cockroaches, Blattella germanica, we demonstrate that our approach enables the immediate and selective neutrali-sation of individual insects at a distance up to 1.2 m. We further show the possibility to deter cockroaches by training them not to hide under a dark shelter through aversive heat conditioning with a low power-laser. Parameters of our prototype system can readily be tuned for applications in various situations and on different pest species like mosquitoes, locusts, and caterpillars. The prospect of this study is to pursue the creation of a standalone, safe for the environment , compact, low-cost, and energy-efficient device system for pest control. ARTICLE HISTORY
... These studies reveal B. dubia cockroaches' sensitivity to stimulus variation in their social environment. Indeed, the effects of the social environment, or of social cues, on individual behavior seen in this study and the others described above all involved genetically unrelated individuals that had social experience with one another over extended time (see also Jeanson & Deneubourg, 2006;Lihoreau, Costa & Rivault, 2012). Work is needed in a wider range of taxa to understand the interactions among individuals within these groups, and how the relationships that may consequently develop, can structure the organization of social groups (Hinde, 1976;Atton et al., 2014;Bergman & Beehner, 2015). ...
Background
Like many cockroaches, Argentinian wood roaches, Blaptica dubia , prefer darker shelters over lighter shelters. In three experiments, we asked whether chemical cues from other roaches might influence shelter choice, a process known as conspecific or heterospecific cueing, depending on whether the cues come from an individual of the same or a different species, respectively.
Methods
Each experiment involved trials with focal B. dubia cockroaches in testing arenas containing plastic shelters of varying levels of darkness, with filter paper under each shelter acting as a carrier for chemical cues. In Experiment 1, we tested female and male B. dubia cockroaches with two shelters matched for darkness but differing in cues (conspecific vs . none). The shelter with no cue contained a blank filter paper as a control. In Experiment 2 (conspecific cueing) and Experiment 3 (heterospecific cueing), we tested B. dubia cockroach choices for lighter or darker shelters with filter papers containing chemical cues of other roaches or no chemical cues. For the conspecific cueing study of Experiment 2, we used chemical cues from other B. dubia cockroaches. In contrast, for the heterospecific cueing study of Experiment 3, we used chemical cues from a different species, the death’s head cockroach, Blaberus craniifer .
Results
In Experiment 1, B. dubia cockroaches overwhelmingly preferred shelters with conspecific chemical cues over darkness-matched shelters without cues. In Experiments 2 and 3, they strongly preferred darker shelters, especially when chemical cues were present. Additionally, they were more likely to be under the lighter shelter when chemical cues were present there. These results reveal that the public information B. dubia cockroaches gain from chemical cues—including those from other species—can drive shelter choices in this species.
... Aggregation is a common behavior across various insect species and can frequently result in the rapid growth of insect populations, sometimes causing severe outbreaks [6]. Aggregation pheromones are utilized by insects to attract and recruit conspecifics together and have been extensively studied in many insect species, especially in locusts, bark beetles, and cockroaches [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Locusts (Orthoptera: Acrididae) have been notorious for causing immense damage to agriculture throughout human history due to the formation of large-scale swarms [15]. ...
Pheromone plasticity is widely observed in insects and enhances their survival, adaptation, and reproductive success. Aggregation pheromones, which cause notable individual aggregation and consequently impact agriculture and human life, are renowned for their special function. Here, we present a review of research progress regarding pheromone plasticity in three typical aggregative insects: locusts, bark beetles, and cockroaches. These insects are major pest species with considerable impacts on the social economy and public health. Numerous studies have demonstrated the plasticity of aggregation pheromones in different populations of these insect species. Although pheromone chemicals and compositions vary across the three groups, the plasticity of aggregation pheromones is significantly impacted by population density, location, food resources, and gut symbiotic microorganisms, indicating the complexity of pheromone plasticity regulated by multiple factors. Finally, we discuss the potential application of pheromone plasticity in basic research and pest management.
... Απαντώνται κυρίως στα τροπικά και υποτροπικά οικοσυστήματα και υπάρχουν μόνο τέσσερα είδη που παρουσιάζουν κοσμοπολίτικη εξάπλωση (Meyer 2015). Επίσης, είναι κοινωνικά ή μοναχικά ζώα, χωρίς να διαχωρίζονται σε κάστες αλλά συχνά μπορούν να σχηματίσουν πολυπληθείς ομάδες έως και ενός εκατομμυρίου ατόμων (Lihoreau et al. 2012). Επιπλέον, είναι πεπλατυσμένα νωτοκοιλιακά, διαθέτουν πρόνωτο σε σχήμα ασπίδας, το οποίο καλύπτει τον θώρακα και την κεφαλή τους, πολύαρθρες κεραίες μεγάλου μήκους και στοματικά μόρια μασητικού τύπου. ...
Necrophilous insects, mainly those belonging to the orders Diptera and Coleoptera, are attracted to specific stages of the decomposition of a dead organism, following a pattern of chronological succession. Their classification and identification, together with the precise determination of their life cycle and age, are two determining factors in approaching the postmortem interval, the time interval that has occurred between death and the discovery of a dead body. The vesting of the knowledge of the biodiversity of necrophilous species of a particular area can become an important tool in the hands of a forensic entomologist providing additional information in forensic investigations. The current study, aims to provide the first data on the composition of the fauna of the necrophilous species of the urban ecosystem of Athens, Greece.For this purpose, an experimental study was carried out in three different locations of the main campus of the Agricultural University of Athens, in the context of which 3 different types of decomposed material of animal origin (beef liver, chicken stomach and fish) were exposed under natural conditions in two improvised types of traps (bottle and pitfall traps) aiming to capture forensically important insects of the area. During the sampling period, a total of 105 different arthropod species were recorded from 12 orders, of which 41 species are considered necrophilous. Furthermore, the population fluctuation of the most abundant necrophilous species was studied and their correlation with the environmental factors of temperature and humidity was analyzed and discussed. In addition, various ecological parameters of the most abundant species found in the context of this study were determined, whereas the reasons why only specific taxa were found to be dominant were then discussed, as well as the effect of the urban environment of Athens as an impact factor on the biodiversity of necrophilous species was also examined. In addition, the behavior of necrophilous Diptera, Coleoptera and all necrophilous insects captured towards the use of the three different animal baits was studied, while the possibility of the presence of a trophic preference towards a specific type of bait was also examined. Finally, a discussion is held on the role of the scientific branch of Forensic Entomology in Greece, with the aim the results of this preliminary study to constitute the first step for further research, purposing in the application of this science in future forensic investigations, which will be carried out in Greece.
... Banyaknya jenis Bactrocera dorsalis terdapat dalam perangkap diperkirakan karena ketertarikan dan rangsangan aroma feromon seks dari senyawa volatil atraktan sehingga B. dorsalis menyukai senyawa volatil yang berada didalam perangkap yang dipasang. Menurut Lihoreau et al., (2012) kebanyakan serangga mengandalkan sinyal kimia dari volatil feromon seks sebagai penarik lawan spesiesnya. ...
Abstrak. Hypothenemus hampei penggerek buah kopi merupakan hama penting pada tanaman kopi yang dapat menurunkan kualitas dan kuantitas biji kopi. PBKo dapat menyerang buah kopi mulai dari buah yang masih hijau sampai buah masak. Salah satu alternatif pengendalian hama PBKo adalah penggunaan ekstrak biji kopi sebagai atraktan. Tujuan dilakukan penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui keefektifan ekstrak biji kopi sebagai atraktan untuk mengendalikan penggerek buah pada tanaman kopi arabika di Kabupaten Aceh Tengah. Penelitian ini telah dilaksanakan sejak bulan April sampai September 2021. Pemasangan perangkap dilakukan di Kecamatan Lut Tawar Kabupaten Aceh Tengah sedangkan identifikasi dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Hama Tumbuhan Program Studi Proteksi Tanaman, ekstraksi biji kopi dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Analisis Pangan Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Syiah Kuala. Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) Faktorial dengan 2 faktor yang diteliti yaitu: (1) Konsentrasi ekstrak biji kopi yaitu, E0: 0%, E1: 20%, E2: 30%, dan E3: 40%, (2) Faktor ketinggian perangkap yaitu, T1: 75 cm, T2: 150 cm. Parameter yang diamati adalah jumlah imago betina H. hampei yang terperangkap, persentase buah yang terserang H. hampei serta serangga lain yang terperangkap. Berdasarkan hasil pengamatan jumlah imago H. hampei betina yang terperangkap, bahwa rerata pada perlakuan ekstrak biji kopi pada pengamatan minggu 1, 2, 4, 5 setelah pemasangan dilihat bahwa ekstrak biji kopi berpengaruh sangat nyata, tetapi berpengaruh tidak nyata pada pengamatan minggu ketiga. Jumlah H. hampei yang terperangkap dengan populasi tertinggi yaitu pada pengamatan pertama perlakuan ekstrak dengan konsentrasi 30% dengan rerata mencapai 1,759. Perangkap ekstrak biji kopi konsentrasi 30% lebih efektif mengendalikan hama H. hampei di Kecamatan Lut Tawar Kabupaten Aceh Tengah, dibandingkan dengan konsentrasi 20%, 40% dan pada perlakuan kontrol hama PBKo paling sedikit terperangkap.Kata kunci : Hypothenemus hampei, ekstrak Biji kopi, kopi Arabika. The effectiveness of coffee bean extract as an attractant to control fruit borer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferr.) on arabica coffee plants in Central Aceh Regency Abstract. The coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei is an important pest on coffee plants that can reduce the quality and quantity of coffee beans. H. hampei can attack coffee cherries ranging from green fruit to ripe fruit. One alternative for controlling H. hampei pests is the use of coffee bean extract as an attractant. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of coffee bean extract as an attractant for controlling fruit borer pests on Arabica coffee plants in Central Aceh District. This research was carried out from April to September 2021. The arrests were carried out in Lut Tawar District, Central Aceh Regency, while identification was carried out at the Plant Pest Laboratory of the Plant Protection Study Program, coffee bean extraction was carried out at the Food Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University. This study used a factorial randomized block design (RAK) with 2 factors studied, namely: (1) The concentration of coffee bean extract, namely, E0: 0%, E1: 20%, E2: 30%, dan E3: 40%, (2) The trap height factor is, T1: 75 cm, T2: 150 cm. The parameters observed were the number of trapped female H. hampei imago, the percentage of fruit attacked by H. hampei, and other trapped insects. Based on the results of observations of the number of trapped female H. hampei imago, that the average coffee bean extract treatment at weeks 1, 2, 4, 5 observations after installation was seen that coffee bean extract had a very significant effect, but had no significant effect on the third week observation, Total H. Hampei trapped with the highest population, namely in the first observation of extract treatment with a concentration of 30% with an average of 1.759. The 30% concentration of coffee bean extract traps was more effective in controlling H. hampei pests in Lut Tawar District, Central Aceh Regency, compared to concentrations of 20%, 40% and the H. hampei pest control treatment was the least trapped.Keywords: The coffee berry borer, coffee bean extract, arabica coffee.
Todo guatemalteco tiene presente lo ocurrido el 03 de junio del año 2018; evento en donde comunidades enteras quedaron soterradas y otras más fueron desalojados por el peligro inminente que representa el Volcán de Fuego para las familias que viven a sus faldas. Dichas familias fueron refugiadas en albergues transitorios unifamiliares-ATU'S-en finca "La Industria" ubicada en el departamento de Escuintla. Los albergues están hechos de madera de pino sin curar, las bases entre el piso del módulo y el suelo es de 30 cm aproximadamente y no cuentan con un sistema de control de desechos; creando así las condiciones ideales para que un brote de cucarachas de la familia Blattellidae prolifere y amenace la salud de los refugiados.
Insect pests represent a threat to the integrity of historic buildings and homes, causing serious losses and irreversible damage. These pests can cause extensive damage to organic materials, including wood, textiles, and paper. Beetles, termites, booklice, moths, and cockroaches are just some of the main insect pests that are frequently found in historic buildings and homes. Beetle species such as the furniture beetle and the powderpost beetle are well recognised for their capacity to infest and feed on wood. Termite infestations can remain undetected and cause considerable damage that may even lead to the complete destruction of a building’s structural integrity. Cloth moth larvae are known to damage textiles, including carpets, furniture, clothes, and tapestries. Some wood-destroying species of cockroaches have the potential to harm historic buildings. Booklice have the ability to eat cellulose fibres found in archived articles and artefacts stored in heritage buildings, causing deterioration and damage to documents over time. This article reviews the literature and presents an overview of the major insect pests belonging to five known orders Coleoptera, Blattodea, Lepidoptera, Zygentoma (long-tailed silverfish) and Psocoptera, which pose a threat to households, museums, depositories, libraries, and cultural heritage buildings. We also discuss their biology, their impact on human health, and the various potential approaches to identifying them.
Introduction:
To reproduce, the parasitoid emerald jewel wasp (Ampulex compressa) envenomates an American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) and barricades it in a hole with an egg on the host's leg. The larval wasp feeds externally before entering the host and consuming internal organs before forming a cocoon inside the host carcass.
Methods:
The vulnerability of jewel wasp larvae to predation by juvenile cockroaches was investigated, and data were recorded with time-lapse videography.
Results:
Cockroaches were found to be predators of parasitized hosts. When parasitized cockroaches were exposed to hungry cockroaches on days 0-8 of development, the developing larva was killed. Eggs were dislodged or consumed, larvae on the leg were eaten, and larvae inside the host were eaten along with the host. On day 9, 80% of the wasp larvae were killed and eaten along with the host. Conversely, on day 10, 90% of the larvae survived. On developmental day 11 or later, the wasp larva always survived, although the host carcass was consumed. Survival depended entirely on whether the cocoon had been completed.
Conclusion:
The results highlight the vulnerability of larvae to predation and suggest the cocoon defends from insect mandibles. This may explain the unusual feeding behavior of the jewel wasp larvae, which eat the host with remarkable speed, tapping into the host respiratory system in the process, and consuming vital organs early, in contrast to many other parasitoids. Results are discussed in relation to larval wasp behavior, evolution, and development, and potential predators are considered.
The German cockroach is considered to be the most resilient and ecologically important insect pest found in homes, apartments, and commercial facilities in the United States and across the world. This book expertly provides up-to-the-minute information about the behavior and biology of this pest--including taxonomy, distribution, morphology, and genetics--as it may relate to effective technologies for its control. Building on information presented piecemeal in books and articles appearing over more than 50 years, the book features over 1,200 references related to the German cockroach, most published within the last year. With contributions from the top experts, the book will be invaluable to students and practitioners of entomology and pest management.
This volume deals mainly with the biology of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (1.). Contributors were urged to emphasize recent findings, including unpublished data when possible, a goal that would not have been feasible if it were not for the two previously published books on the basic biology of cockroaches, The Biology o/the Cockroach (1968) by D. M. Guthrie and A. R. Tindall and The Cockroach, Volume 1 (1968) by P. B. Cornwell. Those topics not included in The American Cockroach, such as external morphology, are well covered in the two preceding books. In addition, these books provided a broad background upon which contributors to The American Cockroach have been able to build with recent trends, new and established concepts and integration. Although this book deals primarily with the American cockroach, many chapters offer a comparative approach in sections where the more recent and exciting research has been accomplished on other species. Most contributors place the cockroach in perspective with regard to its appropriateness or inappropriateness for various types of biological investigations. Many questions are realistically left unanswered when no acceptable or obvious solution is apparent; an invitation to new researchers to consider the cockroach as an experimental subject.
Some biological and chemical nature of the dispersion-inducing substances of Blattella germanica was studied by preference tests for the first instar nymphs of the same species and by gel filtration chromatographies. As the results, either the saliva collected from the mouth parts and the salivary reservoir or the crop content and its turbid counterflow from the mouth parts showed repellency. The sex, stage, and species specificities of the substances were lax when examined with the saliva of B. germanica, Periplaneta americana, and P. fuliginosa. The dispersion-inducing substances were soluble in water and heat stable but not extractable with organic solvent. The substances were partially purified on Sephadex G-25 and G-100 gel filtration column chromatographies; they were eluted into at least two different molecular weight fractions. Their molecular weights were estimated to be about 70,000-100,000 and less than 5,000; they were supposed to have proteinaceous nature. © 1984, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.
During habitat selection, the presence of conspecifics can frequently drive a nonuniform distribution of animals across habitats of equivalent quality. In group‐living species, subgroups of individuals might display mutual attraction while differing in their preferences for environmental resources. The final decision to settle requires individuals to integrate both environmental and social cues. This raises the question of the relative importance of sociality and resources preferences in determining habitat choice. In this study, we examined the interactive influence of conspecific attraction on individual resource preferences on refuge choice in groups of cockroaches. Shelters scaled to the sizes of nymphs and adult males were offered to groups of only nymphs and only males and to mixed groups. The choices of males were consistent across social conditions. Conversely, the preferences of nymphs shifted depending on the social context; the presence of males overrode the affinity nymphs had for scaled‐size shelters. We developed a numerical model implementing parameters derived from these experiments to test whether the final spatial distribution of individuals originated from a differential attraction between nymphs and males that was associated with their relative body size. Finally, we propose a general framework for understanding how similar mechanisms can promote the skewed distribution of organisms at different spatial scales.
Biology of Termites, a Modern Synthesis brings together the major advances in termite biology, phylogenetics, social evolution and biogeography made in the decade since Abe et al Termites: Evolution, Sociality, Symbioses, Ecology became the standard modern reference work on termite science. Building on the success of the Kluwer book, David Bignell, Yves Roisin and Nathan Lo have brought together in the new volume most of the world's leading experts on termite taxonomy, behaviour, genetics, caste differentiation, physiology, microbiology, mound architecture, distribution and control. Very strong evolutionary and developmental themes run through the individual chapters, fed by new data streams from molecular sequencing, and for the first time it is possible to compare the social organisation of termites with that of the social Hymenoptera, focusing on caste determination, population genetics, cooperative behaviour, nest hygiene and symbioses with microorganisms. New chapters have been added on termite pheromones, termites as pests of agriculture and on destructive invasive species, and new molecular and cladistic frameworks are presented for clarifying taxonomy, especially in the higher termites which dominate many tropical ecosystems. Applied entomologists, developmental and evolutionary biologists, microbial ecologists, sociobiologists and tropical agriculture specialists will all benefit from the new insights provided by this work. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011. All rights reserved.
A pilot experiment in genetic control of the German cockroach was conducted aboard a small vessel based at Norfolk, Virginia. It utilized "sterile" ♂ ♂ (double translocation heterozygotes) whose sterility effects were due to embryonic lethality plus complete entrapment of any remaining viable embryos within the egg case. Initial infestations were reduced by insecticides prior to male release. Three releases of unmated ♂ ♂ were made at monthly intervals. Infested harborages, located in the course of insecticide application, were used as release sites. The experiment was terminated after 41/2 months. The results showed that released ♂ ♂ joined groups near release sites and that they competed well against wild type ♂ ♂. Apparently neither they nor ♀ ♀ with which they mated moved far from these sites. Sterility effects differed in respect to specific sites and general areas. Population growth was retarded markedly in the galley, the area of heaviest initial infestation. Terminal infestation was heaviest in the mess deck, although the highest sterility among ♀ ♀ occurred at/near the mess-deck release site (only one mess deck-infested site was found prior to initation of the experiment). It is suggested that a slight increase in the number released would have suppressed/eliminated groups inhabiting galley harborages, but that site selection was the major problem in the mess deck. Analyses of nymphal age classes and mating types among ♀ ♀ led to a hypothesis that insecticide-induced dispersal of nymphs resulted in the infestation of many new mess-deck harborages. Population growth was unchecked at these sites because they were too far removed from the sterile male release sites.