Roach Questions & Answers

Cockroaches often infest yards and homes… Living in close proximity to humans can cause questions to arise. Common cockroach questions and answers:
 

Are cockroaches immune to radiation?

Some roach species are seem to be indestructible, and can give pest control professional a bad rep when if improperly! However, it’s a common myth that radiation can’t kill roaches. Despite the facts, cockroaches are arthropods and more able to withstand radiation than vertebrates for a few reasons. Arthropods cells divide less often, as they MOLT. They’re bodies tissues (like bone marrow which is very sensitive to radiation) also divide less.

How long can roaches live without a HEAD?

Funny question! Large cockroach species can live for an entire MONTH or longer without a head! Smaller roaches, like the German cockroach, live for only 1 week with out their head. Roaches have open circulatory systems that can keep going with low blood pressure. They have very fast blood coagulation, so they don’t lose much blood. Coordination, which happens in our brains, is happening in roach thoracic areas, so cockroach heads aren’t as important for survival…. until they need to EAT! After a roaches head is removed, for one reason or another, they die after some time due to water loss, dehydration, infection, etc.

Can roaches walk up walls and on ceilings?

The answer is YES. Roaches come with special equipment (pretarsal arolia, and tarsal pulvilli) to help them grab hold of surfaces and walk up walls and on ceilings! BUT they have a hard time doing this on SMOOTH surfaces.

How long do roaches live UNDER water?

Because roaches have a spiracle respiratory system, Some roach species can remain underwater for 15 minutes without a problem. German roaches can live after being submerged in COLD water for 15 minutes, but die faster if the water is warm. American roaches, who LOVE sewer systems, can also survive after being submerged for several minutes.

How long can roaches live WITHOUT food or water?

Most roaches can live for several weeks without FOOD, but they live only 1 week without water, but a few species can survive several weeks without water.

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