Just the thought of a cockroach scurrying across the floor can make some people’s skin crawl. They are known as bottom feeders, disgusting, creepy, and the epitome of slum lords. But these little creatures have adapted in ways most other animals have not. Cockroaches have one ultimate goal, survival, and they have some fascinating ways of doing that. Just in time for Halloween, we have the 411 on all things cockroach related. You may never learn to like them, but if nothing else, you will be surprised and fascinated by these little buggers. And you may even find useful facts to use at your next dinner party. Let’s dive into the fascinating facts about cockroaches. 
They Have Been Around a Long Time
Cockroaches may not be the most dangerous insects in Utah, but they certainly are the oldest. Cockroach fossils have been found that date back to over 300 million years. That’s older than many dinosaur species. In that time, they have adapted to the changes of the earth and its inhabitants, including their number one enemy, humans. These evolutionary adaptations are why cockroaches have become notorious for being extremely hard to kill.
Cockroaches Can Hold Their Breath For a Really Long Time
Suffocating a cockroach is not going to work. Cockroaches have been reported to hold their breath for up to 40 minutes! No matter what type of environment it seems like roaches are prepared for it.
Cockroaches Are Flexible
They don’t look like it, but cockroaches are incredibly flexible. They can spread their legs and flatten their exoskeletons to limbo their way through tiny gaps and spaces a quarter of their size.
Cockroaches Can Go a Long Time Without Eating
Cockroaches make their way into our homes because they are looking for an easy meal. But even if you decided to throw out all your food and move out of your home, these resilient bugs would still be there if you come back months later. That’s because when they run out of food, cockroaches turn into cannibals.
Cockroaches Eat Each Other
Cockroaches will eat anything to stay alive, including each other. You can try to starve them out, but it seems they have adapted to this scenario as well. When times get tough, they have been known to turn on each other to keep their species alive. This also serves to regulate their population when they get too big to sustain themselves. 
Roaches Can Stay Pregnant
Here’s a fun fact you can bring up at this year’s Halloween bash. Once a female cockroach mates, she can store the sperm for her entire life and get pregnant whenever she wants. Therefore, she can wait until she finds the perfect household with lots of crumbs lying around, then decide to lay her eggs and create a cockroach infestation. No, we’re not kidding.
Roaches Can Survive Without a Head
As if the above wasn’t enough to scare your pants off, cockroaches have adapted to such a level that they can survive several weeks without their heads. This is because their control centers are not located in their heads but in the thorax. Better yet, or maybe worse, depending on how you look at it, while headless, cockroaches can still lay eggs. This just shows to what extent this captivating creature will go to survive.
Even though cockroaches are captivating, they can still pose a health threat to you and your family in the form of allergies and asthma. If you want to prevent cockroaches and other pests from invading your home, you want to call the professionals at Ferta-Lawn. Our effective perimeter treatment will protect your home from critters before they enter. It can be applied throughout the year and is applied directly to the foundation of your house and around the windows. It not only helps prevent cockroaches, but it will help to control ants, wasps, earwigs, millipedes, and more. Contact us today online or give us a call at 801-295-3057. Find us on Pinterest, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram.
