ANAtomy: Cockroaches have three separate body part: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. The head has antennae to help the cockroaches smell and pick up vibrations. They have strong mouth parts for scraping food, but very poor eye sight. That is why the antennae are so important for cockroach survival. Behind the head they have a plate called the pronotum, which differs from individual to individual. They have 6 legs, and a pair of wings for flight. The abdomen contains the reproductive organs, and the cerci. The cerci are two short protrusions that sense vibrations and allow the legs to move. LIFE CYCLE: Cockroaches have three lifecycles: Egg, Nymph, and Adult. Ootheca THE BEAN SHAPED, LEATHERY EGG CASE IS LAID BY THE FEMALE. GERMAN COCKROACHES (Blastula germanica) carry the egg on the end of their bodies for weeks, whereas other species deposit their egg in one to two days. ALTHOUGH IT DEPENDS ON THE CONDITIONS (HUMIDITY, SPECIES, AND TEMP), THEY NORMALLY HATCH IN 1-3 MONTHS. NYMPHS DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO FLY SINCE THEY ARE WINGLESS, BUT AFTER MOLTING AND GROWING IN STAGES THEY CAN DEVelop the wings. This process normally takes a few months to a year. They normally have different coloration than adult cockroaches Behavior COckroaches live in close proximity with people. They originated from tropical climates, but in more temperate climates they normally live indoors. They are nocturnal species, so they normally hide in crevices, whether that be indoor or outdoor. Cockroaches eat all kinds of food, but prefer sugar and starch. It is easiest for the cockroaches to find food in urban environments since there are many place to thrive.