8 Fascinating Facts about Cockroaches

Cockroaches can present health and safety hazards in the standard home. That’s why every homeowner should call for help with cockroach pest control in Atlanta, GA, when he or she sees one of the pests skittering across the floor. As disgusting as most people think they are, cockroaches are still fascinating. Maybe it’s the knowledge that they could survive well past the age of humans or maybe it’s just morbid curiosity about a creature that brings bile to many people’s throats. Here are 8 fascinating facts about cockroaches:

1. If you cut off a cockroach’s head, it will die of thirst. Cockroaches don’t use their mouths to breathe, so when their heads are removed the only problem they have is not being able to drink.
2. Cockroaches run about as fast as a slow person walks — 3 miles per hour. That’s a fast way to spread germs in a small area.
3. The German cockroach is the most common kind of roach.
4. Baby cockroaches might be the size of a speck of dust, but they can move as quickly as their full-grown relatives!
5. The largest cockroach in the world lives in South America. It can grow to be 6 inches long and have a wingspan of one foot! That’s the stuff of nightmares!
6. Cockroaches can live without eating for a month. They need water every week, though.
7. Cockroaches have been around longer than 280 million years. They’ve outlasted dinosaurs and will outlast us.
8. The American cockroach is a drinker. They love beer and are probably attracted to the mix of sugar and hops!

And Knowing Cockroaches Is…

While these cool facts might give you a newfound respect for the cockroach, don’t empathize or sympathize with them. Because cockroaches generally live in the filth, they can track bacteria and germs from one area of the home to another in a relatively short time. If that weren’t problematic enough, their skin and saliva can trigger allergies and asthma.

Half the Battle of Cockroaches

Maybe knowing about the amazing survival techniques and adaptations of the cockroach has made you feel a little nihilistic. After all, if they outlived the dinosaurs and they’ll out live people, what’s the point? This is one time when you don’t have to win the war. By winning the battle, you’ll be protecting yourself and your family. The future of cockroach supremacy is a long way away; right now, any home can get a handle on the population and make sure it doesn’t menace the home. By calling cockroach pest control in Atlanta, GA, you’ll be making headway for your community. More importantly, you will be able to breathe easier when the roaches are eliminated, and there will be no more jump-scares when you turn on the kitchen light and something skitters across the floor out of the light.