• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.299-310
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• 1997

A mutant, or(orange body), and the KNIH(Korea National Institute of Health) strain of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica(L.) (Orthoptera: Blattellidae), were observed continuously in semi-natural conditions through video taping and data processing by computers. Male adults were individually observed for 4-5 days in a rectangular-shaped rearing cage with four different microhabitats, allowing observations of behavior such as resting, feeding, drinking and communicating with other individuals. The frequencies of visits to and times spent within harborage were determined. Although there were relatively large variations among individuals, the average stays withing harborage ranged from 47-61% of the total observation time. The duration of within-harborage time was significantly different between maternal origins, while not distinctively different between the strains. Diel differences were observed in body strains. The time spent within harborage was longer in photophase than in scotophase. visiting frequency, which represented local activity around harborage, appeared slightly higher in the or strain than in the KNIH strain, and was significant in the or strain while it was not significant in the KNIH strain. Although there were variations among individuals, similar temporal patterns in some progenies from the same maternal origins were observed in time spent within harborage and in visiting frequency.