May 4th, 2018 by
When you’re talking about horrible pests, you’d be remiss not to mention the cockroach. Many households, restaurants, and factories have been unfortunate enough to be infested by the insect – ultimately serving to make the premises that they’ve invaded appear unhygienic and unsightly. They carry germs and bacteria which can cause health issues, including asthma attacks, allergic reactions, and sickness bugs. Their grisly appearance and sudden movements are too much to bear for some people, and when they’ve gathered in numbers, they can be incredibly tough to shift from the area. Yet, despite how revolting some people find them to be, cockroaches are actually quite an interesting form of insect. From living for weeks on end without food, to scurrying around without a head – here are five incredible things you didn’t know about cockroaches.
1. No Food Required… For A Month
Cockroaches certainly like filling their little bellies up but that’s not to say that they need to. In fact, the scuttling insect can survive for a whole month without eating – an incredible feat for any living thing it must be said. Admittedly, their small stature only makes it easier for them to survive as they aren’t required to eat much in order to get by. As is common with cold-blooded insects, cockroaches don’t actually need to consume food very often to ensure their survival. However, on the other hand, they do need to drink water much more regularly. After just a week without H2O, the cockroach will die. Of course, you could still try to bait them into eating…
2. Miles Ahead of The Competition
If you’ve seen a cockroach scurrying along its merry way, then you’ll know how quickly they can move. However, we bet you didn’t know just how fast they actually are. Incredibly, cockroaches can cover three miles in just an hour – an incredible speed that even Usain Bolt would be impressed by! Of course, the downside to this is that it makes them incredibly hard to catch in your premises, and if you are hoping to get them out of your home, your best bet is to use an insecticide like a spray or powder. It also means that they can spread germs much faster than some other pests can.
3. Once Is Enough
When cockroach infestations take hold in your home, their numbers can be great. However, you may be surprised to learn that they don’t actually mate very often at all. In fact, they copulate just once during their lifespan, with the female cockroach storing up enough male sperm to produce a maximum of 400 offspring. The female is able to lay eggs whenever she desires so long as it is within its lifetime. Incredibly, a recent study also found that female cockroaches don’t even need their male counterpart in order to reproduce. The experiment conducted saw 15 virgin cockroach females spawning all-female offspring through the use of Parthenogenesis. Wow!
4. Glowing Praise
There’s no doubt about it: cockroaches aren’t the prettiest species on the planet. With their bulbous bodies and prickly legs, this is one pest which won’t be winning any beauty contests anytime soon. Nevertheless, there is one rare form of cockroach that is at least a bit more pleasing to the eye and that’s the Luchihormetica Lukea. This almost extinct breed of cockroach is said to have spots which glow after being exposed to the light – giving it a unique look when compared to the rest of its clan. So, the next time someone talks about how horrible cockroaches look, be sure to play devil’s advocate with this fascinating factoid!
5. Losing Their Heads
It’s common sense to assume that if a living thing has its head chopped off, chances are it will die. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to cockroaches. If you’re hoping to exterminate a cockroach, decapitating it won’t work. The tough insect will live for weeks afterwards thanks to holes on the sides which allow them to still breathe due to their open circulatory system. In fact, the only reason they do meet their demise after decapitation is because they have no mouth to drink water with. If anything, it further highlights the importance of using smoke bombs and similar products to get rid of them instead. Forget a headless chicken – a headless cockroach is where it’s at!
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