Cockroaches

The debate about cockroach filthiness rages on. Some experiments suggest they are not as dirty as we think. They groom a lot as most of their perception comes from their legs and antennae, so they always need to keep those clean.

On the other hand, they're spreading germs around. And because they might be spreading germs you would never have contact with otherwise, this might pose a danger. They can also carry some harmful bacteria such as staphylococcus and salmonella. So, all things considered, you don't want them crawling on your food.

Roaches can also cause allergic reactions. Their saliva, faecal matter and body part leftovers can all cause allergies and asthma attacks. If this happens, consult your general physician immediately!

Read also: Are Bed Bugs Dangerous?

The most common areas where cockroaches can be found living are bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, garages and basements. They often enter homes through pipes and drains. So make sure to pay attention to hidden, dark places with access to water, such as plumbing behind sinks, baths, toilets, dishwashers and laundry machines. These places provide moisture, shelter and a safe breeding ground for roaches.

Learn if cockroaches are attracted to the light of your home.

Cockroaches have an egg case called ootheca. Some species carry it with them until the eggs hatch. Other species hide it where it's safe. Some favourite hiding spaces would be:

• Dark and humid - the bathroom would be a perfect place for roaches because they love dark and humid places. The basement would be another fan favourite. Under the kitchen sink is also among the usual suspects.
• Behind or under furniture and appliances - it's dark, it's safe, and it probably contains food. The area behind your cupboards, behind or under the fridge, behind or even inside the sofa - all fantastic places for the little buggers to hide their offspring.

It's a myth that cockroaches only infest poorly maintained places. You can have the most immaculately cleaned apartment and still get a cockroach infestation. Sure, a mess would make it easier for them, but cleanliness doesn't guarantee an infestation won't happen. What are roaches really looking for when they're infesting your property?

• Food;
• Water;
• Shelter;
• Warmth;

With this in mind, leaving food around is by far the worst offender. Second place would be having leaky faucets. Roaches love bathrooms because bathrooms are usually both warm and humid (does this remind you of tropical climates where roaches thrive?). 

Let's first be clear - cockroaches can absolutely not survive a nuclear explosion. The heat from the explosion will exterminate them after than we could. Aside from the heat, there will be a radiation aftermath that makes things a bit more interesting (if they are far enough away to survive the detonation).

Cockroaches are very resilient creatures. They're certainly more resistant to radiation than we are (about 10 times more). That being said, they're still not immune to it. The simple structure of their bodies makes their cellular division less complicated than ours. We have a lot more cells, which makes us more susceptible to radiation damage because cells are most vulnerable while dividing. Roaches don't have that problem.

This doesn't make them immune to radiation. They're still relatively low on the radiation resistance scale compared to other arthropods. Radiation can still kill them. And the aftermath of a nuclear event has enough radiation to kill at least some of them. So while some of them might be able to survive if they're far enough away from the explosion, many of them will perish.