Fact 1: Cockroaches are Cannibals
Cockroaches eat other cockroaches. Cannibalism can occur if a roach has no other food, is overcrowded in a nest, lacks nutrients, or has a mating dispute. Larger roaches will be driven to eat their eggs, nymphs (young), and smaller adult roaches. Cockroaches of all ages may eat dead cockroaches and shed skins.
Fact 2: Live in groups
Cockroaches are social insects that usually live in groups. Cockroaches emit pheromones that leave chemical odors in their feces and on their bodies. These pheromones serve as a means of communication for the insects. The odor of the pheromone causes the roaches to cluster together in a harbor age area.
Fact 3: Live without a head for a week
Cockroaches breathe though little holes called "spiracles" found in each of their body segments, so they don't need their mouth or head to breathe. This makes them live without a head up to a week.
Fact 4: Ancient group of insects
Cockroaches are the first and only creatures to be discovered living in caves before the dinosaurs were wiped out 66 million years ago. Fossils resembling modern cockroaches are known from rocks as old as the Carboniferous period (320 million years ago), when they dominated insect communities. The exact evolutionary relationships of these fossil insects with modern roaches remain unclear; they were probably distant “cousins” rather than ancestors.
Fact 5: Live without food
When food is not available, cold-blooded animals, including roaches, will keep their body temperature as low as possible to preserve energy. This allows them to go for extended periods of time without eating. However, they can only survive for one week without water, which is why they are commonly found in humid or high-moisture areas around the home, such as basements and bathrooms.
Fact 6: Colorless blood
Blood of cockroach is not red because they do not contain hemoglobin as there is no need to transport oxygen through blood. It's blood is called as hemolymph. The colorless blood or hemolymph of cockroach has a clear plasma and numerous white corpuscles called hemocytes. Being devoid of any respiratory pigment, it does not serve for gaseous exchange. Its plasma contains about 70% water. rest of it is composed of amino acids, uric acid, proteins, sugars, fats and salts of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Transportation of these materials between different parts of body is the main function of hemolymph.
Fact 7: Cockroach milk.
Cockroach milk is as considered a "superfood" because of its high nutritional value. Its milk is not milk but yellowish fluid that solidifies into crystals in the stomachs of roach offspring. Cockroach milk reportedly packs protein, amino acids, and healthy sugars. Research has indicated that cockroach milk is beneficial for humans. Cockroach milk is obtained fro m female Pacific Beetle cockroaches. The milk has 4 times the protein content found in cow's milk.
Fact 8: Holding breathe for 40 mins.
Besides their ability to live without a head, cockroaches have even more interesting survival tactics. For example, cockroaches can hold their breath for forty minutes! They can even survive being submerged underwater for up to thirty minutes.
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