Does Cockroach Have Blood?
WouterA common question people often ask is, “Does cockroach have blood?” The answer is a resounding no! Cockroaches do not have blood in the veins or capillaries, but instead, the cockroach’s blood is instead circulated throughout the body in a yellowish-transparent fluid called hemolymph. The blood is used by the insect for transport and does not carry oxygen. Because of this, the cockroach does not die from blood loss.
The cockroach does have blood, but not red blood. Cockroaches’ blood is a clear, yellowish or orange-coloured fluid. This is because cockroach blood does not contain hemoglobin, the component responsible for determining a person’s blood color. In vertebrates, hemoglobin contains iron and other red-colored compounds and changes the color of the blood when it binds oxygen.
In addition to carrying oxygen, cockroach blood does not carry pressure. Moreover, there is no brain in a cockroach, which means that it cannot control its breathing. Cockroaches breathe through spiracles in body segments, and air is delivered to the body cells through tubes. Cockroaches are able to live without food or water for a month or two without dying of starvation.
Cockroaches and termites both have blood, though the latter has it in blue liquid. The cockroach does not have hemoglobin, but it has chlorocruorin, which transports oxygen throughout the body. It has a similar circulatory system as a grasshopper does.
