BIOTIC ASSOCIATIONS OF COCKROACHES — ROTH & WILLIS 73 



in different structures may be used by the same species, although there 

 seems to be some overlapping by different species into the same kinds 

 of daytime shelters. The comparative ecology of domiciliary cock- 

 roaches has not been thoroughly investigated, so any interpretation of 

 observational data is necessarily speculative and inconclusive at this 

 time. Our discussion on pages 324 to 343 is also pertinent to this 

 section. 



LAND-BASED STRUCTURES 



Dwellings provide a variety of microhabitats that are acceptable to 

 cockroaches. It has been stated that old houses, or houses that have 

 many cracks and crevices, or have basement kitchens that are not kept 

 clean and in good repair are particularly liable to invasion by cock- 

 roaches (Laing, 1946; British Museum [Nat. Hist.], 1951). Although 

 this statement is undoubtedly true, it has been our personal experience, 

 as well as the experience of others, that new, clean, and well-planned 

 houses and apartments are also easily and sometimes quickly invaded 

 by cockroaches. Mallis (1954) has cited the following places that are 

 frequently infested by cockroaches in homes. In the kitchen, cock- 

 roaches are found in and around sinks, in cupboards above and below 

 sinks, under tables and chairs, in stoves, around breadboards, in utility 

 cabinets, in kitchen closets, under linoleum, behind, under, and inside 

 refrigerators and iceboxes. In living rooms cockroaches are found in 

 furniture, studio couches, sewing machines, closets, and bookshelves ; 

 behind picture frames, pennants, calendars, and other wall ornaments. 

 In bathrooms cockroaches are found in and behind utility cabinets 

 and toilets ; they may be found in wicker clothes hampers, in brooms 

 and mops, and in door hinges. Ordinarily, cockroaches are not found 

 in bedrooms unless they are abundant elsewhere in the dwelling. 

 Additional harborages are cited under specific cockroaches in the list 

 below. 



In markets DeLong (1948) found the German cockroach in bags 

 of potatoes and onions, in crates of citrus fruits, in pads and shredded 

 papers in banana boxes, and in cases of bottled beverages. The insects 

 were attracted by coffee and crawled into the folds of coffee bags. 

 They were found in cartons of canned goods ; in bread and baked 

 goods ; in cartons of packaged cookies, cakes, and crackers. Packaged 

 cereals were attractive, and cockroaches were sometimes found in 

 packages of cigarettes. The insects occurred in scales (by the hun- 

 dreds) and in cash registers. Rather heavy infestations were found 

 under stainless-steel cappings that covered wooden arms on the fish 

 cleaning stand. The insects were numerous in display cases where 



