Cockroach
2499027
226121445
2008-07-16T22:23:26Z
Dyanega
1357080
[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 226120777 by [[Special:Contributions/78.150.129.56|78.150.129.56]] ([[User talk:78.150.129.56|talk]])
{{otheruses|Cockroaches}}
{{Taxobox
| name = Cockroaches
|fossil_range=[[Carboniferous]] - Recent
| image = Cockroachcloseup.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| status = LR/lc
| image_caption = ''[[Periplaneta americana]]''
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Arthropod]]a
| classis = [[Insect]]a
| subclassis = [[Pterygota]]
| infraclassis = [[Neoptera]]
| superordo = [[Dictyoptera]]
| ordo = '''Blattaria'''
| subdivision_ranks = Families
| subdivision =
[[Blaberidae]]<br />
[[Blattellidae]]<br />
[[Blattidae]]<br />
[[Cryptocercidae]]<br />
[[Polyphagidae]]<br />
[[Nocticolidae]]<br />
}}
'''Cockroaches''' (or simply "roaches") are [[insect]]s of the order '''Blattaria'''. This name derives from the [[Latin]] word for "cockroach", ''blatta''.
Though cockroaches are generally considered [[pest (animal)|pest]]s, only about 30 species (less than 1%) infest urban habitats{{Fact|date=October 2007}}; 55 species in total live in the U.S.<ref>[http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/B-1458.html Cockroaches, Recognition and Control B-1458<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Among the most well-known pest species are the [[American cockroach]], ''Periplaneta americana'', which is about 30 [[millimetre|mm]] (1.2 inch) long, the [[German cockroach]], ''Blattella germanica'', about 15 mm (1/2 inch) long, the [[Asian cockroach]], ''Blattella asahinai'', also about 15 mm (1/2 inch) in length, and the [[Oriental cockroach]], ''Blatta orientalis'', about 25 mm (1 inch). [[Tropics|Tropical]] cockroaches are often much bigger, and [[Blattoptera|extinct cockroach relatives]] such as the [[Carboniferous]] ''[[Archimylacris]]'' and the [[Permian]] ''[[Apthoroblattina]]'' were several times as large as these.
==Selected species==
*''[[Periplaneta americana]]'', American cockroach
*''[[Eurycotis floridana]]'', Florida woods cockroach
*''[[Blatta orientalis]]'', Oriental cockroach
*''[[Blattella germanica]]'', German cockroach
*''[[Blattella asahinai]]'', Asian cockroach
*''[[Pycnoscelus surinamensis]]'', Surinam cockroach
*''[[Supella longipalpa]]'', brown-banded cockroach
[[Image:Common Cockroach - Project Gutenberg eText 16410.png|thumb|right|Oriental cockroach (''Blatta orientalis''). a, female; b, male; c, side view of female; d, young.]]
*''[[Periplaneta australasiae]]'', Australian cockroach
*''[[Periplaneta fuliginosa]]'', smokybrown cockroach
*''[[Parcoblatta pennsylvanica]]'', Pennsylvania woods cockroach
*''[[Periplaneta brunnea]]'', brown cockroach
*''[[Discoid cockroach|Blaberus discoidalis]]'', discoid cockroach or false death's head
*''[[Death's head cockroach|Blaberus craniifer]]'', true death's head cockroach
*''[[Gromphadorhina portentosa]]'', Madagascar hissing cockroach
==Evolutionary history and relationships==
[[Mantodea]], [[Isoptera]], and Blattaria are usually combined by [[entomologists]] into a higher group called [[Dictyoptera]]. Current evidence strongly suggests that [[termite]]s have evolved directly from true cockroaches, and many authors now consider termites to be a family of cockroaches<ref>{{cite news | title = Termites are 'social cockroaches' | language = English | publisher = BBC News | date = [[13 April]] [[2007]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6553219.stm | accessdate = }}</ref><ref>Eggleton, P. &al. (2007), ''Biological Letters'', [[June 7]], cited in ''Science News'' vol. 171, p. 318 </ref>, as Blattaria excluding Isoptera is not a [[monophyletic]] group[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6553219.stm].
Historically, the name Blattaria has been used largely interchangeably with the name '''Blattodea''', though in most recent treatments, the latter name refers to a larger grouping that includes numerous fossil groups that were related to roaches, but not true cockroaches themselves. Another name, '''[[Blattoptera]]''' has come into use for this same [[paraphyletic]] group<ref>Grimaldi, D (1997): A fossil mantis (Insecta: Mantoidea) in Cretaceous amber of New Jersey, with coments on early history of Dictyoptera. American Museum Novitates 3204: 1-11</ref>. These earliest cockroach-like fossils ("Blattopterans" or "roachids") are from the [[Carboniferous]] period between 354–295 million years ago. However, these fossils differ from modern cockroaches in having long [[ovipositor]]s and are the ancestors of [[mantid]]s as well as modern cockroaches. The first fossils of modern cockroaches with internal ovipositors appear in the early [[Cretaceous]].
==Behavior==
[[Image:Bush Cockroach.jpg|thumb|right|A bush cockroach]]
Cockroaches live in a wide range of environments around the world. Pest species of cockroaches adapt readily to a variety of environments, but prefer warm conditions found within buildings. Many tropical species prefer even warmer environments and do not fare well in the average household.
Cockroaches leave chemical trails in their feces as well as emitting airborne [[pheromones]] for swarming and mating. Other cockroaches will follow these trails to discover sources of food and water, and also discover where other cockroaches are hiding. Thus, cockroaches can exhibit [[Emergence#Emergent properties and processes|emergent behavior]],<ref name="viegas">{{cite web |url=http://animal.discovery.com/news/briefs/20060327/cockroach.html |title=Cockroaches Make Group Decisions |publisher=[[Discovery Channel]] |author=Jennifer Viegas |accessmonthday=10 June |accessyear=2006}}</ref> in which group or swarm behavior emerges from a simple set of individual interactions.
Research has shown that group-based decision-making is responsible for complex behavior such as resource allocation. In a study where 50 cockroaches were placed in a dish with three shelters with a capacity for 40 insects in each, the insects arranged themselves in two shelters with 25 insects in each, leaving the third shelter empty. When the capacity of the shelters was increased to more than 50 insects per shelter, all of the cockroaches arranged themselves in one shelter. Researchers found a balance between cooperation and competition exists in group decision-making behavior found in cockroaches. The models used in this research can also explain the group dynamics of other insects and animals.<ref name="viegas"/>
Cockroaches are mainly nocturnal and will run away when exposed to light. A peculiar exception is the [[Asian cockroach]], which is attracted to light. Another study tested the hypothesis that cockroaches use just two pieces of information to decide where to go under those conditions: how dark it is and how many of their friends are there. The study conducted by José Halloy and colleagues at the [[Free University of Brussels]] and other European institutions created a set of tiny [[robot]]s that to the roaches appear to be other roaches and can thus alter the roaches' perception of [[Critical mass (sociodynamics)|critical mass]]. The robots were also specially scented so that they would be accepted by the real roaches.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1684427,00.html?imw=Y
|title=Robotic Roaches Do the Trick
|first=Michael D.
|last=Lemonick
|publisher=Time Magazine
|date=2007-11-15}}</ref>
Additionally, researchers at [[Tohoku University]] engaged in a [[Classical Conditioning]] experiment with cockroaches and discovered that the insects were able to associate the scent of [[vanilla]] and [[peppermint]] with a sugar treat. <ref name="parry">{{cite web |url=http://discovermagazine.com/2007/sep/pavlovian-cockroaches-learn-like-dogs-and-humans |title=Pavlovian Cockroaches Learn Like Dogs (and Humans) |publisher=[[Discover Magazine]] |author=Wynne Parry |accessmonthday=5 September |accessyear=2007}}</ref>
==Physiology==
===Digestive tract===
Cockroaches are most common in tropical and [[subtropical]] climates. Some species are in close association with human dwellings and widely found around garbage or in the kitchen. Cockroaches are generally [[omnivorous]] with the exception of the [[wood]]-eating genus ''[[Cryptocercus]]''; these roaches are incapable of digesting [[cellulose]] themselves, but have symbiotic relationships with various [[protozoa]]ns and [[bacteria]] that digest the cellulose, allowing them to extract the nutrients. The similarity of these symbionts to those in [[termite]]s are such that the genus ''Cryptocercus'' has been believed to be more closely related to [[termite]]s than to other cockroaches<ref>Eggleton, P. (2001). Termites and trees: a review of recent advances in termite phylogenetics. Insectes Sociaux 48: 187-193.</ref>, and current research strongly supports this hypothesis of relationships<ref>[http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/20/6/907.pdf Evidence for Cocladogenesis Between Diverse Dictyopteran Lineages and Their Intracellular Endosymbionts]</ref>.
===Trachea and breathing===
[[Image:Cockroach nymph australia.jpg|thumb|left|Nymph of a cockroach, 3 mm in length]]
Cockroaches, like all insects, breathe through a system of tubes called [[tracheae]]. The tracheae of insects are attached to the [[spiracle]]s, excluding the head. Thus cockroaches, like all insects, are not dependent on the mouth and windpipe to breathe. The valves open when the [[carbon dioxide|CO<sub>2</sub>]] level in the insect rises to a high level; then the CO<sub>2</sub> [[Diffusion|diffuses]] out of the tracheae to the outside and fresh [[dioxygen|O<sub>2</sub>]] diffuses in. Unlike in [[vertebrates]] that depend on [[blood]] for transporting O<sub>2</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub>, the tracheal system brings the air directly to [[cell]]s, the tracheal tubes branching continually like a tree until their finest divisions tracheoles are associated with each cell, allowing gaseous oxygen to dissolve in the cytoplasm lying across the fine cuticle lining of the tracheole. CO<sub>2</sub> diffuses out of the cell into the tracheole.
While cockroaches do not have lungs and thus do not actively breathe in the vertebrate lung manner, in some very large species the body musculature may contract rhythmically to forcibly move air out and in the spiracles; this may be considered a form of breathing. [http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/kunkel/cockroach_faq.html#Q21].
===Nervous system===
Like all insects, the cockroach nervous system is decentralized, with some functions distributed in the ventral [[Ganglion|ganglia]]. Though decentralized, the insect nervous system is fundamentally similar to that of [[Vertebrate|vertebrates]] in terms of development, structure, and mechanisms of function. A decapitated cockroach can still walk and show responses to stimulation of its legs, as can a [[Spinal_cord|spinal-transected]] cat on a treadmill. However, a cockroach can survive complete decapitation for up to several weeks before dying of starvation or dehydration<ref name='Sci-Am 2007-03-15'> {{cite journal|title=Fact or Fiction?: A Cockroach Can Live without Its Head|journal=Scientific American|date=2007-03-15|first=Charles|last=Choi|coauthors=|volume=|issue=|pages=|id= |url=http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=5244F57C-E7F2-99DF-3E40BA295C3DCC0A&sc=I100322|format=|accessdate=2007-06-29}}</ref>.
===Eggs and egg capsules===
[[Image:Blatella germanica cdc.jpg|thumb|Female ''[[Blatella germanica]]'' with ootheca]]
Female cockroaches are sometimes seen carrying egg cases on the end of their abdomen; the egg case of the German cockroach holds about 30–40 long, thin eggs, packed like frankfurters in the case called an [[ootheca]]. The eggs hatch from the combined pressure of the hatchlings gulping air and are initially bright white [[nymph (biology)|nymphs]] that continue inflating themselves with air and harden and darken within about four hours. Their transient white stage while hatching and later while [[ecdysis|molting]] has led to many claims of glimpses of an albino cockroach.
[[Image:Snodgrass common household roaches.png|thumb|left|'''Common household roaches''' A. [[German cockroach]], B. [[American cockroach]], C. [[Australian cockroach]], D&E. [[Oriental cockroach]] (♀ & ♂)]]
A female German cockroach carries an egg capsule containing around 40 eggs. She drops the capsule prior to hatching, though live births do rarely occur. Development from eggs to adults takes 3-4 months. Cockroaches live up to a year. The female may produce up to eight egg cases in a lifetime; in favorable conditions, it can produce 300-400 offspring. Other species of cockroach, however, can produce an extremely high number of eggs in a lifetime, but in some cases a female only needs to be impregnated once to be able to lay eggs for the rest of her life.
===Size===
Cockroaches are rather large insects. Most species are about the size of a thumbnail, but several species are bigger. The world's largest cockroach is the Australian [[giant burrowing cockroach]], which can reach 9 cm in length and weigh more than 30 [[gram]]s. Comparable in size is the Central American giant cockroach ''[[Blaberus giganteus]]'', which grows to a similar length but is not as heavy.
===Hardiness===
Cockroaches are among the hardiest insects on the planet, some species capable of remaining active for a month without food, or being able to survive on limited resources like the glue from the back of postage stamps.<ref name='M & V E'>{{cite book|last=Mullen|first=Gary
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}}</ref> Some can go without air for 45 minutes or slow down their heart rate.
[[Image:Periplaneta-americana-Eier.jpg||thumb|right|[[Ootheca]] of [[American cockroach|Periplaneta americana]]; Florianópolis, SC, Brazil]]
It is popularly suggested that cockroaches will "inherit the earth" if humanity destroys itself in a [[nuclear warfare|nuclear war]]. Cockroaches do indeed have a much higher radiation resistance than vertebrates, with the lethal dose perhaps 6 to 15 times that for humans. However, they are not exceptionally radiation-resistant compared to other insects, such as the [[Drosophila melanogaster|fruit fly]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1567313.htm|title=Cockroaches & Radiation |accessmonthday=10 June |accessyear=2006}}</ref> The [[MythBusters]] of [[Discovery Channel]] tested this popular belief in an episode aired on January 30, 2008, and confirmed that fruit flies do indeed have a higher resistance to radiation than cockroaches.
The cockroach's ability to withstand radiation better than human beings can be explained in terms of the cell cycle. Cells are most vulnerable to the effects of radiation when they are dividing. A cockroach's cells divide only once each time it molts, which is weekly at most in a juvenile roach. Since not all cockroaches would be molting at the same time, many would be unaffected by an acute burst of radiation, but lingering radioactive fallout would still be harmful.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/kunkel/cockroach_faq.html#Q5 |title=Are cockroaches resistant to radiation? |author =Joseph G. Kunkel |accessmonthday=10 June |accessyear=2006}}</ref>
==Pest control==
Cockroaches are one of the most commonly noted pest insects due to their large size. Since they feed on human and pet food, they can also serve as vectors for disease transmission. In addition, a 2005 study on factors that affect [[asthma]] in U.S. inner-city children shows that cockroach allergens appear to trigger asthma symptoms more severely than other known factors. This study, funded by the [[United States|US]] [[National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences]] (NIEHS) and the US [[National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases]] (NIAID), was the first large-scale study to rank asthma triggers according to severity.
General preventative measures against household pests include keeping all food stored away in sealed containers, using garbage cans with a tight lid, frequent cleaning in the kitchen, and regular vacuuming. Any water leaks, such as dripping taps, should also be repaired. It is also helpful to seal off any entry points, such as holes around baseboards, in between kitchen cabinets, pipes, doors, and windows with some steel wool or copper mesh and some cement, putty or silicone caulk.
American cockroaches have been known to live up to three months without food and a month without water. Frequently living outdoors, although preferring warm climates and considered "cold intolerant," they are resilient enough to survive occasional freezing temperatures. This makes them difficult to eradicate once they have infested an area.
[[Image:Roach control.jpg|thumb|upright|Cockroach control, with cockroach baits, boric acid, and hydramethylnon gel.]]
There are numerous parasites and predators of cockroaches, but few of them have proven to be highly effective for biological control. [[Wasps]] in the family [[Evaniidae]] are perhaps the most effective insect predators, as they attack the egg cases, and wasps in the family [[Ampulicidae]] are predators on adult and nymphal cockroaches (e.g., ''[[Ampulex compressa]]''). The [[house centipede]] is probably the most effective control agent of cockroaches, though many homeowners find the centipedes themselves objectionable.
Bait stations, gels containing [[hydramethylnon]] or [[fipronil]], as well as [[boric acid]] powder, are toxic to cockroaches.<ref name="alamance">{{cite web |url=http://www.alamance-nc.com/Alamance-NC/Departments/Environmental+Health/Environmental+Hazards/Cockroaches.htm |title=Cockroaches |publisher=[[Alamance County]] Department of Environmental Health | accessmonthday=11 May |accessyear=2008}}</ref> Baits with egg killers are also quite effective at reducing the cockroach population. Additionally, pest control products containing [[deltamethrin]] or [[pyrethrin]] are very effective.<ref name="alamance" />
In Singapore and Malaysia, taxi drivers use [[Pandanus_amaryllifolius|Pandan]] leaves as a cockroach repellent in their vehicles.<ref>Li J. and Ho S.H. [http://www.ntu.edu.sg/eee/urop/congress2003/Proceedings/abstract/NUS_FoS/TDP%20USP/Li%20Jingmei.pdf Pandan leaves (''Pandanus amaryllifolius'' Roxb.) As A Natural Cockroach Repellent]. ''Proceedings of the 9th National Undergraduate Research Opportunites Programme'' (2003-09-13).</ref> In Russia, some people, after opening all cupboards, leave a saucepan half-full of sulfur burning on a gas ring, then quickly come back in to switch it off (with gas mask) and leave the residence for a few days. This is said to be protective for ten years.{{fact|date = April 2008}}
Recently, a method called the [[Vegas roach trap]] has gained popularity as a successful way to control a cockroach infestation.
Some of the earliest writings with regards to cockroaches encouraged their use as medicine. [[Pedanius Dioscorides]] (''[[1st century]]''), [[Kamal al-Din al-Damiri]] and [[Abu Hanifa ad-Dainuri]] (''[[9th century]]'') all offered medicines that either suggest grinding them up with oil or boiling them. The list of ailments to be treated included earaches, open wounds and "gynecological disorders."{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
==Popular culture==
In popular culture, cockroaches are often regarded as vile and extremely resilient pests, due to their shiny [[exoskeleton]]s (making them look slimy, contrary to their fastidious habits), and their size, unusual for a scavenging insect.
;Movies
*''[[Joe's Apartment]]'' — The bugs are cheerful, swinging party-goers who help the titular human hero.
*''[[Creepshow]]'' — Swarms of them terrorize a cantankerous and verminophobic old man.
*''[[Damnation Alley (film)|Damnation Alley]]'' — A post-apocalyptic [[Salt Lake City]], Utah is infected with a four-inch long, flesh-eating mutant variety (played by the [[Madagascar Hissing Cockroach]]).
*''[[Mimic (film)|Mimic]] '' — Diseased cockroaches are the target of the genetically-altered titular species.
*''[[Bug (1975 film)]]'' also starred [[Madagascar Hissing Cockroach]]es, this time able to produce fire from their abdomens, wreaking havoc.
*''[[Men in Black (film)|Men in Black]]'' — A giant cockroach-like alien's actions threaten to lead to the destruction of the Earth.
*''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master]]'', the character Debbie falls and Freddy Krueger turns her into a cockroach (her biggest fear), and squishes her.
*''[[An American Tail]]'', the chief villain, Warren T. Rat, carries with him a cockroach named Digit who he forces to count his money and frequently abuses, even threatening to eat him at one point.
*''[[Naked Lunch]]'', the main character, William Lee's "case worker" appears to him in the form of large cockroach that speaks through a hole in its abdomen. Later, this cockroach appears again as a hybrid of a cockroach/typewriter that has a keypad on its face. The case worker reveals his name as "Clark Nova", which also happens to be the name of Lee's typewriter model.
*''[[Godzilla vs Gigan]]'', both ''King Ghidorah'' and ''Gigan'' are controlled remotely by ''Nebulans'', an alien race of giant cockroaches that inherited a waste planet after the dominant species on it polluted it into oblivion.
*''[[Enchanted (film)|Enchanted]]'' features the magical Princess Giselle using her voice to summon various creatures from [[New York City]] to help her tidy the apartment she is staying in, including many cockroaches.
*The 1983 film [[Scarface (1983 film)|Scarface]], [[Tony Montana|Tony]] refers to Gasper Gomez and the Diaz Brothers, rival gang leaders to Frank Lopez, as cockroaches in one of the film's most famous lines: "I'll bury those cock-a-roaches."
*''[[Mouse Hunt]]'' includes a scene at the beginning in which the mayor of [[New York City]] chokes to death on the head of a cockroach accidentally ingested during a dinner at a gourmet restaurant.
*''[[Wall-E]]'' The main character, a robot named Wall-E, has a pet cockroach.
;Television
*''[[The X-Files|X-Files]]'' episode "[[War of the Coprophages]]", cockroaches are seen to group together to murder people. The character Dr. Berenbaum (based on the [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois]] entomologist) suggests that it is actually swarms of cockroaches that are responsible for most [[Unidentified flying object|UFO]] sightings because they can generate an electro-static field which can be illuminated dependent on atmospheric conditions. In one of the scenes, a cockroach that escaped can be seen crawling over the camera, making it appear that the viewer's television has become infested. Though the shot was not planned, the producers decided to leave it in the episode.
*''[[ALF (TV series)|ALF]]'', Alf inadvertently releases a [[Melmac (planet)|Melmacian]] cockroach in the house. When it is sprayed with [[insecticide]], it grows bigger until it is large enough to eat him. He discovers that a bottle of perfume will kill the cockroach.
*The short-lived kids television show ''[[Freaky Stories]]'' was hosted by a cockroach named Larry.
*In the television show "[[King of the Hill]]", the character [[Dale Gribble]] has been shown as a breeder of cockroaches. He attempts to breed a colony of [[Madagascar hissing cockroach]]es to do his bidding, theorizing that they will believe he is their mother and obey if he is the first thing they see when they hatch.
;Written works
*[[Franz Kafka]]'s story ''[[The Metamorphosis]]'', the character Gregor Samsa awakes to find himself transformed into a giant insect, often interpreted as a cockroach. Actually, the type of bug into which Gregor transforms is not specified, though it is referred to as "[[vermin]]" and the little physical description offered could match either a cockroach or beetle. This novel has been parodied in various ways, including at least two other published works: [[Marc Estrin]]'s 2002 ''[[Insect Dreams: The Half Life of Gregor Samsa]]'', where Gregor Samsa prospers despite his transformation, becoming an important figure in society, and [[Tyler Knox]]'s 2006 noir comedy ''[[Kockroach]]'' in which a cockroach wakes up one morning as a man and becomes a leading gangster in [[Times Square]] during the 1950.
*[[Daniel Evan Weiss]]'s novel ''[[The Roaches Have No King]]'' tells the story of a humanized colony of cockroaches, who swear revenge against their hosts for renovating the kitchen and thus preventing easy access to food supplies.
*Along with rats, cockroaches are frequently seen infesting various locations in [[Steve Purcell]]'s [[comic book]] series ''[[Sam & Max]]'', and one storyline features a race of gigantic cockroaches living on the moon.
*[[archy and mehitabel|Archy]] is a cockroach in an historic series of newspaper columns by [[Don Marquis]].
*''[[Revolt of the Cockroach People]]'', an autobiographical novel by [[Oscar Zeta Acosta]], cockroaches are used as a metaphor for oppressed and downtrodden minorities in US society in the 1960s and 70s, particularly Mexican-Americans. There are several references to the folk song [[La Cucaracha]] throughout the novel.
*Vertigo comics' [[The Exterminators (comics)|The Exterminators]] the main villain is a breed of cockroaches named Mayan Hissers, being responsible for "destroying" Mayan civillization.
*Milquetoast the cockroach was a character in the comic strip [[Outland (comics)|Outland]] by [[Berkeley Breathed]].
;Games
*The cult classic computer game ''[[Bad Mojo]]'' involves a person turned into a cockroach, loosely based on Franz Kafka's ''The Metamorphosis''.
;Music
*"[[La Cucaracha]]" ("The Cockroach") is a traditional Spanish language folk song.
*In 2007, American group [[Ween]] released their 11th studio album entitled ''[[La Cucaracha (album)|La Cucaracha]]''.
*Hardcore rapper [[Necro]] has a track called ''Cockroaches'' in which he raps about people's fear and/or dislike of cockroaches.
*The album ''[[Infest]]'' from the band [[Papa Roach]] features a large roach on the cover.
*The [[Shuffle Demons]] did a song in 1986, ''Get Out Of My House, Roach'', on the album ''[[Streetniks]]''.
*[[Sleepytime Gorilla Museum]]'s second studio album, ''[[Of Natural History]]'' features the song ''Cockroach,'' which describes cockroaches with disgust.
*The album ''[[Lonesome Crowded West]]'' published in [[1997]] by [[United States|American]] [[indie rock]] band [[Modest Mouse]] contains a song titled ''Doin' the Cockroach''.
*International pop superstar [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] has famously quoted, "I am a survivor. I am like a cockroach, you just can't get rid of me."[http://thinkexist.com/quotation/i_am_a_survivor-i_am_like_a_cockroach-you_just/333818.html]
;Nicknames
*[[Boxing]] coach [[Freddie Roach]] was nicknamed La Cucaracha (The Cockroach) when he was still competing as a fighter.
*In Australian [[rugby league]], the [[New South Wales state rugby league team|New South Wales State of Origin Team]] are informally known as the Cockroaches, due to the commonality of the cockroach as a household pest in [[New South Wales|that state]]. Their opponents, the [[Queensland State of Origin Team]], are known as the [[Cane Toad]]s, after [[Queensland|that state]]'s most common pest.
*Former England cricket captain-turned-media cricket analyst and commentator [[Michael Atherton]] was nicknamed as 'The Cockroach' by the former Australian cricket captain [[Steve Waugh]] because he was extremely difficult to stamp out.[http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/287834.html]
*On the television series "[[The Cosby Show]]," the Cosby's son Theo has a best friend nicknamed "Cockroach."
==References==
===Notes===
{{reflist}}
===Bibliography===
*''Cockroaches: Ecology, Behavior, and Natural History'', by William J. Bell, Louis M. Roth, and Christine A. Nalepa, ISBN 0-8018-8616-3, 2007
*''Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders'', edited by Christopher O'Toole, ISBN 1-55297-612-2, 2002
*''Insects: Their Biology and Cultural History'', Bernhard Klausnitzer, ISBN 0-87663-666-0, 1987
==External links==
{{commonscat|Blattodea}}
*[http://blattodea.speciesfile.org/HomePage.aspx Blattodea Species File] Online world catalogue of cockroaches.
*[http://pested.unl.edu/pesticide/pages/index.jsp?what=pageObjD&pageObjId=106 Online book about cockroaches]
*[http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/Roaches/ Allpet Roaches] Photos and information about pet relevant species.
*[http://www.bugpeople.org/taxa/Blattodea/OrderBlattodeaPage.htm Order Blattodea (Cockroaches), Exploring California Insects] photos of a few California species
*[http://www.pestworld.org/Database/Article.asp?ArticleID=16&UserType=Consumers Cockroach health threats]
*[http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7467.html UC Davis on cockroaches]
*[http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/kunkel/cockroach_faq.html The cockroach FAQ]
*[http://npic.orst.edu/pest2.htm#cockroaches Cockroach Pest Control Information - National Pesticide Information Center]
*[http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/pes_american_cockroach.shtml Harvard University fact sheet on American cockroaches]
*[http://en.rian.ru/science/20080117/97179313.html Cosmic cockroaches faster developers, Russian scientists say]
[[Category:Pest insects]]
[[Category:Cockroaches| ]]
[[Category:Insects]]
{{Link FA|sl}}
[[ar:صرصور]]
[[gn:Tarave]]
[[bn:তেলাপোকা]]
[[zh-min-nan:Ka-choa̍h]]
[[ca:Blatodeu]]
[[cs:Švábi]]
[[da:Kakerlak]]
[[de:Schaben]]
[[et:Prussakalised]]
[[el:Κατσαρίδα]]
[[es:Blattodea]]
[[eo:Blato]]
[[fa:سوسک]]
[[fr:Blattaria]]
[[gl:Cascuda]]
[[ko:바퀴목]]
[[hr:Žohari]]
[[io:Blato]]
[[id:Kecoa]]
[[is:Kakkalakkar]]
[[it:Blattodea]]
[[he:תיקנאים]]
[[la:Blattodea]]
[[lb:Kakerlaken]]
[[lt:Tarakonai]]
[[hu:Csótányok]]
[[ml:കൂറ]]
[[ms:Lipas]]
[[nl:Kakkerlakken]]
[[ja:ゴキブリ]]
[[nap:Scarrafone]]
[[no:Kakerlakker]]
[[nn:Kakkerlakk]]
[[oc:Blattaria]]
[[pl:Karaczany]]
[[pt:Blattaria]]
[[qu:Pallaysu]]
[[ru:Таракановые]]
[[simple:Cockroach]]
[[sk:Šváby (hmyz)]]
[[sl:Ščurki]]
[[sr:Бубашвабе]]
[[su:Cucunguk]]
[[fi:Torakat]]
[[sv:Kackerlackor]]
[[ta:கரப்பான்]]
[[te:బొద్దింక]]
[[th:แมลงสาบ]]
[[vi:Gián]]
[[tr:Hamam böceği]]
[[uk:Таргани]]
[[zh-yue:曱甴]]
[[zh:蟑螂]]