There are 4,600 recognized species of cockroaches contained in 460 genera of the Blattodea order; this order also contains termites. The earliest fossil evidence of cockroaches stems from the Carboniferous period, about 300 million years ago. The name of the Blattodea order derives from the Latin “blatta” and translates as “an insect shunning light.” Cockroaches are one of the fastest running insects.
Cockroaches are one of the most primitive of the neopteran insects; neopteran insects are able to flex or fold their wings over their abdomen as opposed to the Palaeoptera insects. Cockroaches are found throughout the world. Most species occur in the tropical and subtropical regions, but there are species able to survive frigid temperatures by the ability to produce an anti-freeze glycerol.
Although humanity looks upon all cockroaches as invasive pests, of the thousands of species, less than a dozen are the variety we would rather not share our home or food with. Some species, the Lord Howe wood feeding cockroach and the Seychelles Gerlach’s cockroach, are in danger of becoming extinct.
The cockroaches depicted are the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, the oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis, and the Pennsylvania wood cockroach, Parcoblatta pennsylvanica.
