The Cockroach: Unwanted Inhabitants and Why You Shouldn’t Crush Them
Posted September 22, 2023 by: Admin
Why You Should Never Crush a Cockroach
There are primarily two reasons why you should never crush a cockroach that crosses your path:
- Cockroaches are gregarious insects.
- Crushing cockroaches releases oothèques (egg cases).
This solution, which is more medieval than effective, would prove ineffective.
Crushing cockroaches releases gregarious pheromones
As mentioned earlier, cockroaches are gregarious or conformist insects. They mass-produce an aggregation pheromone. For those unaware, an aggregation pheromone is an odorous substance that prompts individuals of the same species to gather in a specific location.
Note that cockroaches live in shelters where their excrement is plentiful, and they feel perfectly safe there. Furthermore, they feed even more under the influence of this pheromone. The abundance of pheromones and secretions signals to cockroaches that their shelter has not yet been discovered by those they consider their enemies, namely, the occupants of the house.
When a cockroach is crushed, a significant amount of this aggregation pheromone is released, alerting the remaining cockroaches that they are not likely to be discovered. This will encourage them to stay and continue to thrive. The logic may seem somewhat bizarre, but this is what is likely to happen when you crush a cockroach. Killing an isolated insect will do more harm than good.
Crushing a cockroach will release oothèques
You should also avoid crushing cockroaches because if the insect in question is a female, its oothèques will release eggs or larvae that are about to become nymphs. There is a strong possibility that the eggs of future generations will remain stuck under your shoe, and since they are not dead, they will quietly continue their life cycle and transform into cockroaches.
These are the two main reasons why you should not crush a cockroach. It will only result in more resilient colonies.
Crushing a cockroach can have a psychological impact on the person doing it. When a female cockroach dies, it releases 1 to 4 oothèques, each containing 10 to 50 larvae, depending on the species. This explains why people have the impression that hundreds of cockroaches emerge from the female cockroach when it takes its last breath. Needless to say, such a sight is revolting. This false impression can cause a phobia of cockroaches in young children.
Therefore, if you encounter a solitary cockroach, it is best to capture it with a damp paper towel and flush it down the toilet or burn it outside the house.
Eradicating Cockroaches is Not Easy
Whether the dwelling is large or small, cockroaches remain hidden in the shadows and always manage to sneak near sources of food. And when they cannot reach those sources, they settle for whatever comes their way. It is due to this unparalleled survival ability and their exoskeleton that these insects are so challenging to eradicate.
In an individual house
In an individual house, it is possible to get rid of cockroaches using industrial or natural products.
In a collective building
In a collective dwelling, individual treatment will not be sufficient. It is advisable to treat all apartments and seek professional assistance. Collective control yields better results than targeted control.
