The Dawn of Roaches

 


  A cockroach knows how to sing and dance, but it is the hen who prevents it from performing its art during the day

 Cockroaches have been a highly susceptible insect that are known for been difficult to get rid of within households. The nigeria breed of cockroaches are particularly irritating when they cluster together and they posses a characteristic choking smell and they can pose a serious danger to health as some of it's breed are carriers of disease causing virus and may cause allergies to residents within. In this article, I have gathered several relevant facts and theories that shows the surviving features of a cockroach and give a brief explanation as to how each features actually contribute to it's survival.

Skeletal Features

The skeletal structure of a cockroach is quite simple. It's not a single build but a series of plates connected by a membrane that can stretch thereby allowing them to transfer tractive force from other parts of the body to their legs when there is a load on them, e.g a human stepping on them, and compress reducing amount of force on their limbs which aids thier speed during escape. They are able to reach a maximum speed of 3mph which is equivalent to x50 their body's length.

Research also shows that cockroach can withstand up to x500 of their body weight under compression. This is why a mere footstep won't kill a cockroach or hitting it with broom or paper.

Adaptability

Cockroaches are one kind of insect that can chew almost anything they see including each other. They are known to be drawn towards waste and litters, which turns out to be the main factor that brings about cockroaches in residents in Nigeria. Their immune system is pretty advance that their body produces it's own antibiotics, it contains bacteria that breaks harmful substances in their body into less harmful substrate, making it possible for cockroaches to eat substances that could have been lethal to other insects.

BEWARE!, They also posses good regenerative ability, i.e they can regrow lost limb. They act dead when they lost their legs deceiving the attacker and also providing them with enough time to replace the lost limbs and get moving on track.

Metabolism

Apart from the fact that cockroaches have good regenerative ability, they also have a weird respiratory system. Close observation shows that roaches breathe using tiny holes all over their lower abdominal section, without any supervision from their brains, i.e they do not need their head for breathing. They can live without their head for about a week, and thereafter die of dehydration because they still need their head to eat or drink.

Metamorphosis



A female cockroach can birth up to 20 ootheca or nymphs at a time in a single mate, and can store sperm from a male cockroach for a long time or maybe forever and reproduce anytime they fit, so all it takes is a female cockroach in a resident and an intrusion of cockroaches will move in thereafter. Since one can be unsure of their gender, the proper precaution is to get rid of any sight of cockroach immediately to avoid future regrets.

Cockroaches can live up five (5) years depending on the breed, they don't rely much in their sight and they can't hear either. Instead, they have a pair of antennae that detects even the smallest vibration around them, so it's difficult to sneak up on them. Their antennae also detects changes in barometric pressure and they tends to follow the direction that takes them away from wind. So they are a natural indicator for incoming rainstorm or any severe weather condition.

References:

Edo University, Nigeria by  Dr Marian Onwude Agbugui.

The Block Buster

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1 Comments
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous April 16, 2023 at 6:58 AM

    Fantastic! Good job

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