5 Myths About Cockroaches

Of all the pests, the cockroach seems to be the one that attracts the most rumour and mythology. Let’s clear the air, let’s dispel the untruths that surround this creature.

The first myth is that cockroaches only live in dirty houses. This is totally untrue, cockroaches will live anywhere they can. They are just more apparent in dirty houses as the food is out in the open.

The second myth is that cockroaches are afraid of the light because they scuttle away when a light is turned on. The truth is they were asleep in the dark and turning the light on just scares them the same way it does to people.

Myth number three is that roaches are dirty creatures. This is not true, they are compulsive about cleaning themselves. In fact, much like a cat, they spend hours a day cleaning themselves, it is just they go into dirty places all the time.

The fourth myth is that there are albino cockroaches. This is false, the reality is that cockroaches shed their skin and while the new skin dries it is white. Within a few hours, the new skin will be brown.

The final myth is one that has yet to be proven or disproven conclusively: that of cockroaches being able to survive a nuclear holocaust. While some tests have shown they have a higher resistance to radiation than humans, the reality is that if the rest of life on Earth died, so would cockroaches, probably. No one really knows, and no one wants to know.