How many cockroaches are there on earth

There are actually 4, species of cockroaches in the world. But just 30 are considered pests. Of those 30, however, four especially excel at making a nuisance of themselves: the German, American, Australian and Oriental cockroaches. Unfortunately, all four of those species occur in the U.

German cockroaches are most common, but it's the American cockroaches—the largest and most limber of the pest species—that really get the heart thumping when they scuttle across the floor.

We put the question to Srini Kambhampati, professor and chair of the biology department at the University of Texas at Tyler, and a world expert on cockroaches. Turns out, the sudden disappearance of Earth's 5, to 10, cockroach species would have ramifications far beyond your filthy apartment. Worldwide, the insects are a significant food source for many birds and small insectivorous mammals, such as mice and rats. Even humans eat them in some parts of the world.

None of these animals rely solely on cockroaches for food, Kambhampati said, so they probably wouldn't go extinct, but their numbers would drop. Why are there so many species of insects? Pearse, A. Observations on the Microfauna of the Duke Forest. Ecological monographs, Volume Sabrosky, C. How many insects are there? Selected References: Erwin, T. May, R. How many species are there on earth? Science, Volume Advanced Search International Search.

Here are ten of the most fascinating cockroach facts: 1. A Cockroach Can Live for Week Without Its Head Due to their open circulatory system, and the fact that they breathe through little holes in each of their body segments, they are not dependent on the mouth or head to breathe. They Can Run Up to Three Miles in an Hour While this may seem like an impressive athletic ability, what it really means is that they can spread germs and bacteria throughout a home very quickly.

Newborn German Cockroaches Become Adults in as Little as 36 Days In fact, the German cockroach is the most common of the cockroaches and has been implicated in outbreaks of illness and allergic reactions in many people. The American Cockroach Has Shown an Attraction to Alcohol Similar to other pests, this cockroach species is drawn to some alcoholic beverages, especially beer. Cockroaches are Really Old It is believed that cockroaches originated more than million years ago in the Carboniferous era.

Cockroaches Can Live Without Food for One Month Cockroaches are able to go for so long without sustenance because they are cold-blooded insects. How To Prevent Stink Bugs Stink bugs are an invasive species that release a smelly odor when crushed. Spotted Lanternflies Spotted lanternflies are an invasive species known to be a major threat to agriculture.