Why Cockroaches Are So Hard To Kill

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Cockroaches are one of the most widespread and resilient creatures on this planet. They are practically everywhere around us, hiding in the walls, sewers, and perhaps your cupboard. They are also one of the most hated creatures by humans. If you are like most people, you will become determined to kill all of the roaches when you see them in your house. Despite such hatred towards them, how do cockroaches manage to thrive all around the globe?

Science Insider tells you all you need to know about science: space, medicine, biotech, physiology, and more.

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Following is the transcript of the video:

You might not want to think about this but over 3,500 species of cockroaches live on this planet.

The good news? Only about 30 of those species have adapted to live around humans.

The bad news? 30 species of cockroaches can live around us!

Roaches are one of the most common pests in the US. So, it's no surprise that humans are always trying to kill them. But no matter how many times we stomp them, squash them, and bomb them with toxic chemicals, these pesky pests always seem to pop up time and time again. So what's going on?

Let's take a closer look at the roach you probably know better than you'd like: Periplaneta Americana. AKA: the American Cockroach.

But this name is misleading. This guy is actually from Africa, not America. It made its way to the US by infesting boats in the 16th century. And has been spreading to almost every corner in the world ever since.

Turns out, it's one of the largest species of cockroach around. But that's not the only big thing about it. New research has revealed that it has a massive genome — one of the largest of any studied insect!

And many of these genes are exactly what make this roach a master survivor. Let's start with its genes associated with something called chemoreception. That's how roaches smell and taste their environment.

Turns out, they're actually way better at sniffing out and eating food than most other insects. The American roach has 154 olfactory receptors for smell and 544 gustatory receptors for taste — more than any other insect on the planet!

As a result, these cockroaches are not picky eaters. Sure, they like cheese, meat, and sugar like the rest of us. But they'll also go for things like cardboard, book bindings, human toenails, rotting meat, blood, excrement, and even each other.

That's right, these roaches have been known to eat other dead or crippled cockroaches — all in the name of survival. It sounds gross, but this diverse diet makes it easy to find a meal just about anywhere, even if it's poisonous to most animals.

This roach has a bunch of genes called cytochrome p450s, which help it withstand poisonous chemicals like peppermint. These genes code for detoxification enzymes, which keep the insects safe.

On top of that, this roach has a super-strong immune system that seeks out and kills harmful microbes and fungi, making the most unsanitary environment look like a 5-star hotel to the American cockroach.

Not gross enough, yet? Well consider this: cockroaches can live for nearly a week without their heads.

Yeah, that's not a myth. They don't have a highly-pressurized network of blood vessels like humans, so they don't bleed out. Instead, their necks actually seal off the opening.

They can't regenerate a whole head, but roaches do have an impressive set of regenerative superpowers. For up to the first two years of its life, the American roach goes through a series of regenerative molts as it matures into an adult. During a single molt stage, it can replace lost limbs. And over a series of molts, it can regrow antennae and even its eyes.

Roaches may be hard to kill, but there's an easy way to help keep them clear of your kitchen — Cleanliness!

A roach won't just survive in unsanitary conditions but actually enjoys it. Its heightened senses mean it actually relishes rotting food.

So, store food in airtight containers, cover trash bins, and keep your basement dry. It might also be smart to plug holes in your walls, unused electrical outlets, and especially drains since — get this — roaches can use your plumbing to climb from sewers to your bathroom sink.
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At 1:30 AM: My energy is 0.08% and i'm going to sleep (:
Me: see cockroach on my bed.
My energy: 100%.

asurvivor
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“And it’s been spreading to every corner of the world”


COVID: Finally a worthy foe

crispywhitebattery
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The ones that fly are the worst. And when cockroaches jump too is frightening. I only experienced seeing them when I was little at a school. Never saw one again and I'm so glad. I remember walking down the hall and I spotted a cockroach scurrying and I kept watching it as it entered into a classroom. Probably a good minute later I heard screaming from that class.

ameliawilder
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I freaking hate cockroaches to the point that if i accidentally step on them, I wont use my slippers ever again or any thing that I use to smack them.

ariseuguncalves
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As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.

andrewhooper
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Cockroach:you guys will never kill me!
Literally everyone who owns a predator pet:shut up

TheNeorch
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In my country, They uses slippers to kill a cockroach. Most of them is Changdao.








And it's works 😂😂😂

phoomgaming
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forgot to mention they can survive asteroid impacts, nuclear war/winter, & extinction level events

wuhaninstituteofvirology
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In Texas they FLY over here lemme tell you I have to throw my sandal in the air to get them.🤣🤣🤣

idkwhattoputmynameas
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Basically they picked up slaves and them roaches 😕 in the 1600’s

LAAA
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I’m moving to Mars as soon as the rocket is fueled up

milwaukeewisconsin
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I can kill a cockcroach on the ground ez pz. However, when it flies, it's a whole different ball game.

jude
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And somehow these cockroaches figuring out how to kill us

Winehello-qgny
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Spiders: *Why Cockroachs Are So Easy To Kill*

thymoti
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I haven’t noticed the cockroach was flying near me because i was on my gadget, it was flying and i thought the sound of it was just some paper. I felt extreme fear after i noticed it.

TinatarantadoNyoko
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I once laughed at a cockroach that fell on it’s back.
It got up, turned around to face me and then I saw the most traumatic thing that happened in my life.
*It flew at me*

russt
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We're Men.
*UNTIL THE ROACH FLIES.*

localextremist
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You kill the weak ones, the stronger ones live on and evolve into even stronger roaches...

HeIoStuff
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Everyone gangster
*UNTIL THE ROACH STARTS FLYING*

lance
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THANOS couldn’t even snap them out of existence.

reaper
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