Were There Prehistoric Cockroaches?
Popular mythology tells us that cockroaches can survive anything: a meteor strike, a resulting ice age or even nuclear war, but entomologists suggest that the myths might not be based on truth.
How Ancient are Cockroaches?
Claiming that cockroaches have been around for 300 million years is a lot like claiming that a pterodactyl is a chicken. Yes, they are related… But no, they are not the same thing. That doesn’t mean cockroaches are the new kids on the block, either.
Fossil evidence suggests that cockroaches and their closely related ancestors have been crawling the earth for as long as 150 million years. There was even an entire age when cockroaches were one of the most dominant species on earth.
But those 300-million-year-old fossils? Those are roachoids, an evolutionary precursor to cockroaches. They are the species that both modern roaches – all 7,000 species of them – and the praying mantis developed from. In fact, they look a lot like a cross between a roach and a mantis. And they were significantly bigger than most modern cockroaches.
How Big Were Prehistoric Cockroaches?
Roachoids, in particular, were somewhat larger than modern cockroaches. Fossil evidence indicates some roaches were up to 3.5 inches long, and some, like the roachoid, flew and preyed on other insects. However, way back then, they mostly resembled a praying mantis more than the cockroaches we know today.
Modern roaches are usually less than 1.5 to 2 inches long, except in some subtropical environments. So – while there weren’t any giant prehistoric cockroaches – in comparison to modern cockroaches, they were larger.
Likewise, modern roaches are not good at flying. They have wings that they will use to turn themselves over when they land on their backs. Some species of cockroaches, like the Asian and wood cockroaches, are decent flyers, but most roaches just run off the edge of a higher surface (like cabinets) and glide down to the countertop below.
Were Cockroaches Around With the Dinosaurs?
Modern roaches were just beginning to appear as the dinosaur era came to an end. In fact, many people credit roaches with cleaning up the mess after the mass extinction of dinosaurs. Scientists have found cockroaches preserved in amber, just like the mosquitoes in Jurassic Park, and fossil evidence suggests that there were plenty of the little creepy crawlers around before the Ice Age.
Did Cockroaches Survive the Ice Age?
Yes…most likely with human help, though, of course. Like other insects, cockroaches do not have an inherent way to stay warm or keep cool. Insects are cold-blooded, so they struggle to survive in extreme temperatures. Each species thrives in specific temperature and humidity ranges. Domestic cockroaches, for example, are well-suited to the temperatures we keep in our homes. They can’t develop or reproduce if it’s too cold (below 45°F) or too hot (above 115°F).
So, most likely, when ice from the North Pole spread southward, covering much of the northern hemisphere, the roaches caught a ride south with early humans fleeing the ice and the cold. Unfortunately, we’ll never really know.
Call Fox for All of Your Pest Control Problems
Since cockroaches are sneaky little critters that are great at hiding and reproducing, they continue to create massive headaches for humanity. Spotting just one roach can be scary because we’ve all heard the saying that for every cockroach you see, there are dozens or even hundreds hiding nearby. That’s why it’s usually best to leave roach control to the professionals. Contact us today to help get these sturdy, sneaky, ancient pests under control.
