Unconquerable Almost

Cockroaches are generalized insects with few special adaptations. Most are the size of a thumbnail, but they can be as big as 3.8 inches and weigh 30 grams. Their largest wingspan is 7.3 in. They are used as food and medicine in China, Mexico, and Thailand; boiled, sautéed, grilled, dried or diced. In Thailand cockroaches are fried twice in a wok of hot oil, which makes them crispy with soft innards that are like cottage cheese. Fried cockroaches are ground and sold as pills for stomach, heart and liver diseases. At 320 million yrs old, they are the most primitive living insect. They can tolerate cold to -188F by manufacturing an antifreeze made out of glycerol, survive up to 15 times the lethal dose of radiation for humans, exceed 4X normal lifespan in labs, live a month without food, and live on limited resources such as glue on the back of stamps. They can live 45 minutes without air. Decapitated specimens exhibit behavioral functionality, including shock avoidance and escape behavior. The severed head is able to survive and wave its antennae for several hours or longer when refrigerated and given nutrients. They have a ten-segmented abdomen each with a pair of spiracles for breathing, The external tough exoskeleton, is coated with wax to repel water. Wings are attached to the second and third thoracic segments. The first pair of wings, are tough and protective, a shield on top of the membranous hind wings, used in flight. The three pairs of legs are sturdy, with five claws each. The front legs are shortest, the hind legs longest, providing the main propulsive power when the insect runs. Spines on the legs help in locomotion on difficult terrain. Their leg structure has provided inspiration for robotic legs. Some are aquatic, living near the surface of water, diving for food. Most of these respire by piercing the water surface with the tip of the abdomen which acts as a snorkel, but some carry a bubble of air under their thoracic shield when they submerge. They are social, gregarious, or inclined to aggregate and exhibit parental care. They have an elaborate social structure characterized by overlapping generations, non-closure of groups, equal reproductive potential of group members, absence of task specialization, common shelter, social dependence, information transfer and kin recognition. It is believed that pheromones are involved in these behaviors. Some species secrete these in their feces while others use glands located on their mandibles. German cockroaches leave fecal trails with an odor gradient. Other cockroaches follow such trails to discover sources of food and water, and where other cockroaches are hiding. Only four species are regarded as pests. Development from eggs to adults takes four months. Females normally live a year, and may produce 300 to 400 offspring. Some species make a hissing noise while others make a chirping noise. The males practice courtship rituals, such as posturing and stridulation. Like many insects, cockroaches mate facing away from each other with their genitalia in contact, and copulation can be prolonged. A few species are known to be parthenogenetic, reproducing without the need for males. Cockroaches are mainly nocturnal and run away when exposed to light. Cockroaches appear to use just two pieces of information to decide where to go, namely how dark it is and how many other cockroaches there are. Knowing all of this, I still stood upon the cockroach bearing down with all my weight, and rubbed it out of existence.