53* 



SOME SOUTH INDIAN INSECTS, ETC. 



Distribution. — Common in towns but not so common as P. 

 americana (see figure 74) which seems to be dispossessing this 

 species in many districts. Probably introduced by shipping. 



Lifehistory. — The eggs are deposited all together, contained in a 

 hard horny case. The young lead an independent existence as 

 soon as they hatch out. The life-cycle is a long one, probably over 

 two years from egg to adult, the adult being also long-lived. 



Status. — In the field cockroaches do little, it' any. damage, but 

 in houses, especially in towns, this and other species are well-known 

 household pests. They gnaw unsightly patches in any leather 

 articles (harness, boots, book-binding, etc.), and not only 1 

 food to which they find access but contaminate it with their 

 disgusting smell whilst there is a further possibility of their 

 communicating pathogenic germs onto food which they touch. 

 Cockroaches have also been shown recently to be of some import- 

 ance in the occurrence of cancer in mice. Corks are frequently 

 destroyed and form favourite places lor the deposition of the 

 egg-sacs, which are placed in holes gnawed in the cork. 



Control- — Traps and paste containing borax are the best 

 remedies. Small cockroaches may often be trapped in any empty 

 tin with a little grease smeared around the inside and a lump of 

 bread, etc., as bait. 



BLATTELLA GERMANICA, Linn. 



I '.. — Blattella germanica. 

 The outline figure shows the 

 natural size. (< higinal.) 



Blatta germanica, Linn.. S 

 Nat. (ed. XII), p. 688 (1767). 



Ectdbia germanica, Marlatt, 

 U.S.A. Ent. Bull., No. 4. P- 92, 

 f. 42. 



Blattella germanica, Shelford, 

 E.M.M. (mm. 154- 



Phyllodromia germanica, Kirbv. 

 Cat. Orth. 1. 87. 



Distribution.- Common in 



towns. An introduced species. 



Lit, history. 



Status and] 

 Control. 



See Periplaneta 

 J australasia. 



