Cockroaches will definetly outlive humans.
I found a large American Cockroach in my bedroom, as they tend to freak me out, I grabbed a large knife from my dresser and sliced it alongside the upper abdomen. Both parts continued to move. It laid still for a moment, but when I went to pick it up, the body made a run for it. It ran about 5 feet and stopped. I picked it up again and put it on my dresser, with the head. The head was moving it’s mouth and little mandible things quickly, it looked very mad. I took pictures of it, and a video so I could prove it was still moving. Then I started to feel bad for it and cut it’s head from it’s abdomen, thinking that would surely do it in. Of course it didn’t, because apparently the brain doesn’t have much to do with it. I packed it into a plastic bag, went on the internet to investigate (make sure it was really a cockroach). I found your site. Now, I read the cockroach page, the unnecessary carnage page, and the bug love page. I felt much worse for killing it. Then I got up to get a soda, walking past the plastic bag I noticed the one of the cockroach’s legs is still moving. It’s been at least 30 minutes now since I first killed it. Is this normal? I think I may have some super cockroach strain. I know the praying mantis males compulate without their heads, but how long can an insect go without a head?
Patrick

Hi Patrick,
I’m not sure I can answer your question accurately. Death of the Cockroach is imminent. The exact moment of death in any being is definitely a hot topic worth debating, and science and religion are often at odds. Chickens run about without heads but that is usually a matter of seconds or minutes at most. I think the Cockroach accomplished quite a feat by provoking both your sorrow, your pondering and your subsequent webwearch. We believe much of what you observed was reflex reaction. Our question to you is “What is a large knife doing on your bedroom dresser?”

Update (02/06/2006)
Hey Guys!
This is just a comment for the carny page. The decapetated roach that was still moving after 30 mins is quite normal. I read once that a roach is able to live for 7 days without a head and will thus eventually die of hunger. This was proven with a test I did, my headless roach lasted 5 days. I think the 30 min roach didn’t make it for that long cause of the fact that the knife took more that just the head. I’ll see if I can find the articel for you again. Nways, Great Site! Love it!
Hardus Swanepoel

Dear What’s that Bug?
Last night, as I was preparing to bicycle over to a friend’s house, I noticed that my chain had fallen off. When I bent down to reattach it to the gear ring, I noticed this little feller, quite dead, resting on my derailer cables. I enjoyed keeping him on my bike for a few miles, as bugs are the only hitchhikers a cyclist can really pick up. I was charmed to have a rider, despite his deadness. When I brought my bicycle into my friend’s home, it was time for my rider to leave (not polite to bring cockroaches into a home, even if they aren’t breathing), and I ripped a page from a nearby phone book and prepared a makeshift coffin. It was only later that I wondered about the connection between my chain falling off and the presence of the bug. Could there possibly be a cause and effect at work here? Was this cockroach some sort of suicide attacker, hoping my chain problem would cause me to have an incident? Can bugs be devious? Are there any cockroaches in Al Queda? Should I call Homeland Security? Please advise.
Thanks,
Another paranoid American.

Dear Paranoid American,
While I would like to assure you that this was just a random event, ask any homemaker, and you will be assured that Cockroaches are indeed devious, well-organized and capable of planning strategies. What is most disturbing about your hypothesis is that this is definitely an American Cockroach, Periplaneta americana, and not an illegal immigrant. If there is an Al Queda connection, it would be frightening to think that we may soon be on high alert against native Americans. This is way too big for What’s That Bug? to handle and most assuredly a job for the leader of the Free World.

Kitchen bugs
Dear Bugman,
For the last few months there have been bugs in our kitchen, they have begun increasing in numbers and are getting rather disturbing as they move very quickly. When you turn the lights on you just catch glimpses of them as they dart all the way across counters to hidden cracks in the cupboards. We are getting frustrated with them as we are finding them even in places that we have recently cleaned and disinfected like the silverware drawer. We were hoping you could tell us what they are and what we can do about it since there numbers are starting to increase rapidly. Attached are several pictures. Their length when full grown appears to be about 1/2" to 5/8" and their width is about 1/4". Thank you.

You have a German Cockroach Infestation.

bug indentification
I just recently move to Florida and I have found two of these insects in my apt. what is it…please email me back….I have tried to find it online and i am not having any luck…Thank you so much…
Have No Clue

You have some type of cockroach, probably immature. It is difficult to tell exactly what is going on in your photo. It appears as though the cockroach has endured some type of bodily harm.

new pic of bug
hey thanks for your help i found a dead bug after spraying and got a couple of better pics of it this one is one of the little ones i had mentioned i hope these pics are better in helping you tell me what they are like i said before i have only found five now and i have sprayed three times. thanks for all your help
thank you
Amos

Hi Amos,
Your new photo definitely is of an immature cockroach. It looks to be a German Cockroach, Blattella germanica, which is an insidious pest. It is recognized by the two darker longitudinal stripes on the head shield. Better find the breeders as well or you might quickly be overrun.

huge bug
Hi
im not sure if we have a palmetto bug or what but here’s a pic just cought it half an hour ago clawing it’s way near the entrance door big spooky thing, never seen anything like it
Lubo

Hi Lubo,
It is definitely a roach, possibly a Palmetto Bug or an American Cockroach. Palmetto Bugs live in the deep south, Florida especially. They can fly and are larger that American Cockroaches.