Can Cockroaches Change Their Gender?
WouterIf you think cockroaches can change their gender, you’re not alone. A recent study from Hokkaido University has shown that female cockroaches have the ability to recognize a female and produce young even when they are not mated. This indicates an early stage of social cooperation, which is usually reserved for more evolved insects.
Cockroaches vary in size and coloration. Some species look similar, but only through close inspection can you tell which one is which. Knowing which cockroach species you’re dealing with is important, especially if you’re keeping one as a pet. Knowing what cockroaches look like will help you determine which pest control measures to take.
Some female cockroaches are much more wingless than males, so this may be a result of selection for higher reproductive rates. However, male cockroaches are still able to maintain their wings, and this is an important trait for their survival. It’s also worth noting that male cockroaches display highly ritualized courtship behavior. To attract a female cockroach, the male moves its abdomen up and down and raises its wings to expose its abdominal dorsum.
It’s important to note that female cockroaches reproduce more successfully when housed in groups, so if males don’t contribute to the population, they will continue to reproduce on their own. In fact, female cockroaches can sustain a colony of hundreds of females without a male. This is called parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis is often seen in other animals, including human humans, but it’s rare for an insect to be able to reproduce without a male.
