New Cockroaches

Introduction

The most successful insect in the history of Earth has learned to live with humans. Though we try to kill them, we haven’t yet managed to do so. This is because cockroaches are really good at being cockroaches. Since there are 3,500 species of cockroach, it is rather hard for us to keep track of them. For instance, a team of biologists had been studying the fauna on a small island near Australia for years when they noticed that there were two kinds of cockroaches living under bark and rocks on the ground: “slow-moving ones and fast-moving ones.” They did not know that one was new.

cockroach: The number of new species of cockroaches described in a given year has been increasing faster than the number of new bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species, according to scientists at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History

The number of new species of cockroaches described in a given year has been increasing faster than the number of new bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species, according to scientists at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History.

The finding is timely because last month was the 10th annual World Cockroach Day (July 18). And it comes as Dr. Louis Sorkin, an entomologist at the museum who specializes in roaches and other insects that live with people (and their stuff), is planning a 12-day tour this fall through several Latin American countries where he will search for more new types of roaches.

“There are so many kinds,” he said. “I’m sure there are more out there.”

roach: “I think people underestimate the tremendous diversity of cockroaches,” says author Gavin Svenson, assistant curator in the museum’s Entomology Department.

The new species, which has been named Zootermopsis nevadensis, is the fifth cockroach to be discovered in the United States since 2000. It joins the ranks of Periplaneta australasiae (the Australian cockroach), Blattella asahinai (the Asian cockroach) and Blatta lateralis (the American cockroach). All four were first identified in southern regions of the country.

“I think people underestimate the tremendous diversity of cockroaches,” says Gavin Svenson, assistant curator in the museum’s Entomology Department who led its investigation into Zootermopsis nevadensis’s identity. “We tend to mention them only when they’re pests or if we want to get rid of them.”

The team identified this new species through careful examination of specimens from several locations including Reno–Sparks Convention Center in Nevada; Tempe Municipal Stadium in Arizona; Salt Lake City International Airport; and Peace Arch Park near Vancouver B.C., Canada—all places where they’ve seen it before but never gave much thought because they assumed it was an already-known type until recently noticing differences between those populations and others elsewhere within their range like those found at Yosemite National Park or on Mount Shasta northward toward Oregon.”

bugs: The trio concluded that an average of 1.8 new species of cockroach were described each year between 1930 and 2010.

In a paper published in the journal Science on Thursday, the trio concluded that an average of 1.8 new species of cockroach were described each year between 1930 and 2010. That’s almost double the rate at which birds, mammals, reptiles or amphibians have been discovered.

The team also found that there was little overlap with existing species descriptions—a factor they say indicates that even more new cockroaches are waiting to be discovered by scientists.

Cockroaches

can be found in nearly every corner of the planet and while they might not be particularly charismatic creatures (they aren’t cute like pandas), they do play an important role in ecosystems as decomposers: breaking down organic matter into nutrients that can then be recycled into other organisms

pest roaches pest control insecticide insecticides

Cockroaches are a common pest in the home. They spread diseases, damage property, and can be difficult to get rid of. Cockroach control is important because they can destroy your home and food if left untreated.

There are many ways you can control cockroaches; however, one way that has proven effective is through baits and traps. Baits are consumed by pests but are safe for humans and pets who may come into contact with them after consumption by pests. Traps provide an alternative method for controlling cockroaches using glue boards or sticky traps that will capture any pests trying to cross over them

There are many more unknown cockroach species left to be found

New species of cockroaches are being discovered every year. Cockroaches are the most diverse group of insects, with more than 4,000 species already described and many more yet to be identified. These new discoveries could help scientists better understand how these bugs have evolved over time and how they will respond to climate change.

While we certainly don’t want cockroaches in our homes, we should remember that they are important for maintaining an ecosystem that supports all other life on Earth. In fact, there’s no other organism on the planet that plays as crucial a role in keeping things running smoothly!

Conclusion

Just as we’ve learned from history, new discoveries are crucial to human progression. Through exploration, innovation and research, it can be said that this world is a better place because of the continuous search for new information. New species have been discovered, questions have been answered and myths have been debunked. It’s inevitable that one day future humans will learn about another species of cockroach so that they may write about it in blogs such as this one–and hopefully the next generation will be more thankful than we are right now.”