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Cockroaches are ancient creatures that have been around since dinosaur times. There is a lot of fascinating information that people circulate about cockroaches, but what is real and what is myth? Can a cockroach really live without a head? And if so, for how long?
This is one of those crazy bits of info that is absolutely true. A roach can live without a head for 1-2 weeks. When a cockroach loses its head, its neck will generally seal by clotting, so it will not bleed out. This is because roaches have an open circulatory system without vessels that transport the blood. Roaches also do not require a mouth or head to breathe because they are not reliant on blood to carry oxygen to the rest of their body. They breathe through tiny little holes known as spiracles. These holes are located on each body segment and are not controlled by the brain. Instead, the spiracles pipe air directly to bodily tissues through tubes called tracheae. Lack of food is also not an urgent problem. Since roaches are cold-blooded animals, they do not expend much energy to heat up their bodies. That means they can get by on less food and may not need to eat for nearly a month. This is one reason why trying to starve cockroaches is a losing battle. What generally kills a decapitated roach in the end is dehydration. This may seem like a random thing to research, by scientists are studying thisroach decapitation phenomenon to help them understand more about such things as hormones, insect reproduction, and neuron activity. It also helps to put into perspective why roaches are so hardy and difficult to kill. Regardless of whether a roach has its head or not, you do not want it in your house! Roaches are one of the most common household pests throughout the country. Take the matter into your own hands and start getting rid of the roaches today. PF Harris insecticides, roach tablets, and traps are great resources to get you going in the right direction. Do-it-yourselfroach controlstarts with PF Harris.