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The History of Roaches

Roaches---also known as cockroaches---have existed on Earth for millions of years, and their earliest ancestors date from over 300 million years ago. Despite their notorious reputation for being able to adapt to almost any circumstances---even surviving high amounts of nuclear radiation---roaches have changed very little over time. There are both negative and positive depictions of them in history as well.

General Characteristics
- Roaches are fairly large insects, especially in tropical regions. The largest species is the Australian giant burrowing cockroach, which can be as long as 3.5 inches and weigh more than an ounce. The roach is notoriously hardy and has adapted to a wide range of environments all over the world, though it prefers warm conditions found within buildings. Most species despise light, except for the Asian cockroach, which is attracted to light.
Evolutionary History
- The modern species of roach has existed for tens of millions of years. Some fossils of these specimens have been discovered in amber, preserved completely intact. However, the first ancestors of the modern cockroach date from the Carboniferous period between 300 and 350 million years ago, from the "Blattoptera" family of insect ancestors. This family also spawned termites and mantises. The main difference between these Blattopteran fossils and the modern cockroach is that the ancestors had external ovipositors---egg-laying appendages found in females---and the modern cockroach has internal ovipositors.
Negative Depictions in History
- Roaches have inspired loathing and revulsion in humanity for millennia. In Franz Kafka's classic work, "The Metamorphosis," the protagonist awakens one day to find himself transformed into an enormous insect that closely resembles a cockroach, and this change gives him a sense of revulsion. During the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, Hutu extremists described their Tutsi enemies as cockroaches. In the video game "Fallout," which takes place in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, giant cockroaches are some of the first enemies to present themselves.
Positive Depictions in History
- Some of the earliest known writings about cockroaches laud their medicinal properties; sources from the first, ninth and 14th centuries all suggested remedies that involved grinding cockroaches up with oil or boiling them. The resilience of the cockroach has been a source of admiration for many in history, even up to modern times---pop icon Madonna has been quoted as saying, "I am a survivor. I am like a cockroach, you just can't get rid of me."

Insects & Science