Featured Insect

When it comes to entomophobia, (the intense fear of insects) cockroaches take the cake for being one of the most feared. Commonly associated with filth, the American cockroach, also known scientifically as Periplaneta americana, is to blame for tens of millions of people across the globe having Katsaridaphobia, or the specific phobia of cockroaches [3]. 

The American Cockroach belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta, and Order Blattodea [13]. As stated by A-Z Animals, cockroaches lay their eggs in groups of 9-10 egg cases on average. The eggs tend to be laid in protected areas, and in around 70 days, immature nymphs emerge from the eggs. At the nymph stage, cockroaches are a lot smaller and do not have wings. This life stage lasts 1-3 months. Cockroaches in the nymph stage molt many times to get from a tiny pale nymph to a dark adult size cockroach. Molting refers to shedding previous skin due to growth. By their last molt, the nymph becomes an adult [1]. American cockroaches at their adult stage (the one most commonly seen by humans) can be identified by their bodies, about 1.5 inches long, red-brown in color with a lighter spot behind the head. They have wings and can fly but typically scurry when disturbed. They also have six spiny legs that are very visible and two long antennae that jut out from the front of the head [1]. They use these antennae to feel around their environment, but also to pick up on odors that could be clues about the state of their environment [7]. 

According to Brad Stetson at Animal Diversity Web, despite its name, the American cockroach is actually from Africa, and now is found on every continent except Antarctica. They enjoy living in moist climates, though they can tolerate dry ones, and they like warmer climates, being unable to survive in cold conditions. They really like indoor environments, which humans frequently object to. They will eat pretty much anything (including other cockroaches) and are pretty durable overall [12]. An interesting fact about the American cockroach is that they can live for weeks without a head functioning as merely an active nervous system. When they do die, they die of dehydration, not lack of oxygen, as they breathe through tiny holes in the sides of their body [2].