rackmup
08-15-2002, 09:33 PM
See that roach in the corner of the pool hall? Don't squish it! It can be very interesting should being a railbird become boring:
The world's largest roach (which lives in South America) is six inches long with a one-foot wingspan. It can reach the top of a standard bar-box if it stands on a stool.
Roaches By the Numbers
6 -- Number of legs on a cockroach.
18 -- Number of knees on most cockroaches (at least!)
40-- Number of minutes cockroaches can hold their breath.
75 -- Percentage of time that cockroaches spend just resting (when not running from errant cueballs.)
5,000 -- Number of species of cockroaches worldwide
280 million+ -- Years ago that cockroaches are thought to have originated (during the Carboniferous era)
Bad News
Some female cockroaches mate once and are pregnant for the rest of their lives ("Barefoot-ALL OF 'EM, and PREGNANT. That's the way it should be!" can be heard throughout the male roach community.)
A cockroach can live a week without its head. The roach only dies because without a mouth, it can't drink water and dies of thirst.
Wanna Race-to-9?
Cockroaches can run up to three miles in an hour.
Better Check Those Cracks in the Wall
Young cockroaches need only a crack as thin as a dime (about .5mm wide) to crawl into. Adult males can squeeze into a space of 1.6mm or the thickness of a quarter. Pregnant females need the most space to hide: 4.5mm or a space as tall as two stacked nickels. Some of the roaches in my pool room need simply to walk upright through the front door.
Little Hearts
A cockroach heart is nothing but a simple tube with valves. The tube can pump blood backwards and forwards in the insect. The heart can even stop moving without harming the roach.
Thirsty Critters
Roaches can live without food for a month, but will only survive a week without water.
When Cold, Roaches Snuggle
Most species of roaches live in the tropics. But roaches live all over the world, including the North and South Poles. Pest cockroachs can withstand temperatures as cold as 32°F (0°C), but will die if the temperature goes much below that. In extremely cold places, however, they survive by moving in with humans. (Hey, quit hogging the covers!)
Better Than Air Jordans!
Cockroaches can climb walls because they are equipped with a set of little claws on their feet designed for that very purpose.
Crushed-Roach Bandages?
Crushed cockroaches can be applied to a stinging wound to help relieve the pain. In a pureed state, they also make an excellent shaft conditioner.
Smell You Later
Sniff, sniff...oh, it's just "One Pocket" Louie. Roaches use their feelers, or antennae, as noses. Their sense of smell is so great, they recognize family and friends by their distinctive odors (as do some of the patrons of several pool rooms.)
Roach Perfume
Female roaches attract male roaches by producing pheromones. Pheromones are chemicals that make the female roach smell REALLY good to the male roach.
Alright Kids, Beat It!
Some female cockroaches incubate their egg cases in their bodies until they are ready to hatch. These babies stay with their mothers a day or two after they are born.
Yuck!
Male cockroaches transfer sperm to females in a "gift-wrapped" package called a spermatophore. Some males cover the package in a protein-rich wrapping that the female can eat to obtain nutrients to raise her young. Mmmm...yummy!
(just some NPR stuff that seemed interesting.)
Regards,
Ken
The world's largest roach (which lives in South America) is six inches long with a one-foot wingspan. It can reach the top of a standard bar-box if it stands on a stool.
Roaches By the Numbers
6 -- Number of legs on a cockroach.
18 -- Number of knees on most cockroaches (at least!)
40-- Number of minutes cockroaches can hold their breath.
75 -- Percentage of time that cockroaches spend just resting (when not running from errant cueballs.)
5,000 -- Number of species of cockroaches worldwide
280 million+ -- Years ago that cockroaches are thought to have originated (during the Carboniferous era)
Bad News
Some female cockroaches mate once and are pregnant for the rest of their lives ("Barefoot-ALL OF 'EM, and PREGNANT. That's the way it should be!" can be heard throughout the male roach community.)
A cockroach can live a week without its head. The roach only dies because without a mouth, it can't drink water and dies of thirst.
Wanna Race-to-9?
Cockroaches can run up to three miles in an hour.
Better Check Those Cracks in the Wall
Young cockroaches need only a crack as thin as a dime (about .5mm wide) to crawl into. Adult males can squeeze into a space of 1.6mm or the thickness of a quarter. Pregnant females need the most space to hide: 4.5mm or a space as tall as two stacked nickels. Some of the roaches in my pool room need simply to walk upright through the front door.
Little Hearts
A cockroach heart is nothing but a simple tube with valves. The tube can pump blood backwards and forwards in the insect. The heart can even stop moving without harming the roach.
Thirsty Critters
Roaches can live without food for a month, but will only survive a week without water.
When Cold, Roaches Snuggle
Most species of roaches live in the tropics. But roaches live all over the world, including the North and South Poles. Pest cockroachs can withstand temperatures as cold as 32°F (0°C), but will die if the temperature goes much below that. In extremely cold places, however, they survive by moving in with humans. (Hey, quit hogging the covers!)
Better Than Air Jordans!
Cockroaches can climb walls because they are equipped with a set of little claws on their feet designed for that very purpose.
Crushed-Roach Bandages?
Crushed cockroaches can be applied to a stinging wound to help relieve the pain. In a pureed state, they also make an excellent shaft conditioner.
Smell You Later
Sniff, sniff...oh, it's just "One Pocket" Louie. Roaches use their feelers, or antennae, as noses. Their sense of smell is so great, they recognize family and friends by their distinctive odors (as do some of the patrons of several pool rooms.)
Roach Perfume
Female roaches attract male roaches by producing pheromones. Pheromones are chemicals that make the female roach smell REALLY good to the male roach.
Alright Kids, Beat It!
Some female cockroaches incubate their egg cases in their bodies until they are ready to hatch. These babies stay with their mothers a day or two after they are born.
Yuck!
Male cockroaches transfer sperm to females in a "gift-wrapped" package called a spermatophore. Some males cover the package in a protein-rich wrapping that the female can eat to obtain nutrients to raise her young. Mmmm...yummy!
(just some NPR stuff that seemed interesting.)
Regards,
Ken