Earthworm and Cockroach

Earthworms and cockroaches have similar bodies, but the cockroach’s egg-laying mechanism is quite different. The egg is a sack that is about 8 x 3 mm in size, and it is divided at the top into two segments. When the egg-laying process is complete, the ootheca splits open at the top, exposing the embryo inside. When water is in short supply, the female cockroach will eat the young nymphs.

The adult cockroach is about 4 cm long, with wings that extend from 4 to 8 mm from the tip of the abdomen. Males have a pale-brown or yellow band on their pronotum. The cockroach has jointed cerci at the tip of its abdomen. The cerci of the female cockroach are 13 or 14 segments long, while the cerci of male cockroaches have 18 or 19 segments. Both cockroaches have 2 pairs of appendages at the tip of their abdomen, the female having a median notch on its ninth sternite, while the male has a smooth or slightly indented margin.

Cockroaches are known to build their colonies inside homes. These critters are very persistent and can live for several months without food. Their diet consists of dead insects and cast skins. They often establish themselves in basements and crawl spaces, and they often infest buildings around utility pipes, air ducts, and under doors.