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Depopulation of cockroaches in post-Soviet states

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Since the beginning of the 21st century, the rapid disappearance of several types of cockroaches has been observed in Russia and other post-Soviet states. Various factors have been suggested as causes of their depopulation.

Background

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A mass depopulation of cockroaches has been observed since the beginning of the 21st century in Russia and other countries of the former USSR. Observers[who?] have noted a rapid disappearance of various types of cockroaches from cities and towns in Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus.[citation needed] However, no such depopulation has been observed in larger Russian megalopolises such as Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Nizhny Novgorod.[1]

Scientists from Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg have suggested that the oriental cockroach should be added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[2][3]

Suggested explanations

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The depopulation of cockroaches may be exaggerated, or this phenomenon may be temporary or cyclic.[1][4] A number of explanations of the phenomenon are discussed in the media, of varying degree of credibility.

  • Usage of plastic bags to store domestic waste and the discontinuation of rubbish chute usage.[5]
  • Cockroaches may have migrated out of homes to other, more suitable places.[6][7]
  • Transitioning from antiquated roach-management methods such as egg yolk and boric acid to newer poisons and methods may have led to more effective depopulation.[8][9][10][1]
  • Usage of modern construction materials may also contribute to the phenomenon; the population of cockroaches might have been reduced due to their purported ingestion of unsafe substances.[11][12][13] However, cockroaches were noticed to disappear even in the houses where such construction materials were not used.[14]
  • The emergence of Pharaoh ants, who compete with the cockroaches for food, and may even feed on them. The ants will feed on dead cockroaches. [15]
  • Ozone holes may also lead to abnormal chronobiology in cockroaches.[12][13]
  • Internal competitions between cockroaches may decrease the number of cockroaches.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Исчезновение тараканов на Белгородчине не связано с радиацией :: ИА Бел.Ру - Новости Белгорода он-лайн (in Russian). Bel.ru. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Российские экологи бьют тревогу: исчезающих из домов тараканов хотят переселить в Красную книгу". Newsru.com. 21 April 2008. Archived from the original on 7 September 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  3. ^ "Тараканы вымирают : Насекомых занесут в Красную книгу". Weekend.rbcdaily.ru. 18 April 2008. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  4. ^ Alexandr Goncearenco neksa neksa.net. "Архив за 02.06.2006 - "Независимая Молдова"". Nm.md. Archived from the original on 9 September 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Газета Русский Курьер :: Тараканы в бегах". Ruscourier.ru. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Тараканы бегут из Украины". Pk.kiev.ua. 7 November 2007. Archived from the original on 14 March 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  7. ^ "В Алматы снова вернулись тараканы". Zakon.kz. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Факторы, вызвавшие исчезновение тараканов, могут привести к гибели человечества". Asfera.info. 28 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  9. ^ "3 канал - Главная тема. Итоги". 3channel.ru. 21 April 2008. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  10. ^ "Тараканы в опасности". News.ntv.ru. Archived from the original on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  11. ^ "Украинские ученые озабочены исчезновением тараканов » Наука и здоровье » Корреспондент". Korrespondent.net. 29 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  12. ^ a b Большой город (in Russian). Bg.ru. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  13. ^ a b Задумайтесь: куда исчезли тараканы?. "Задумайтесь: куда исчезли тараканы?". Greenword.ru. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  14. ^ "Куда пропали тараканы?" Archived 2018-08-25 at the Wayback Machine, Komsomolskaya Pravda, February 14, 2007 (retrieved August 24, 2018)
  15. ^ Lee, Chow-Yang; Loke, Pooi-Yen (2004). "Foraging Behavior of Field Populations of the Big-Headed Ant, Pheidole megacephala (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" (PDF). Sociobiology. 43 (2). Retrieved 15 October 2022. Results indicated throughout the study period that P. megacephala preferred the freshly-killed lobster cockroach (more than 40%)
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