Do Cockroaches Have Taste Buds?
WouterCockroaches have taste hairs throughout their body, but the researchers at the University of North Carolina focused their research on the taste hairs around the mouth. These taste hairs contain specialized receptor cells that respond to bitter and sweet molecules. These receptor cells send signals to the brain to promote appetite or aversion to food.
Some researchers believe that roaches evolved this trait when people poisoned them with sweet bait. Others think that the trait has a much older origin. Cockroaches arose from plants, and before humans lived on the earth, they would have had to avoid bittersweet compounds. Eventually, humans began to build dwellings and developed sugary baits, and the cockroaches lost their sugar-avoidance ability.
The researchers found that the taste receptor cells in the mouths of regular cockroaches and the German roach population respond to glucose differently. In these experiments, the roaches did not eat the glucose because it stimulated the bitter receptor cells. However, regular cockroaches were willing to consume it.
This means that cockroaches have taste buds that are located in the labium and maxillary palps. In addition, they have campaniform sensilla, which are used for sensory responses. The compound eyes are also involved in vision.
