How Do Cockroaches Help Each Other?
Cockroaches are social insects, and while many species live in your home, some species are found outside in the environment. These creatures can be found in pipe chases, floor drains, boiler rooms, and laundry rooms. They are also found outside in yards and near trash containers. Although some species may be invading your home, the vast majority are beneficial members of the ecosystem.
Cockroaches are very social, and in fact form social groups. They sleep in groups and aggregate during quiet periods. This activity is believed to activate the group effect, which can help them reproduce. They also help each other find food, which means they can spread their knowledge of good food sources.
Cockroaches have very complex sensory systems. They can sense an earthquake and may even be able to detect it before it occurs. This could prove valuable in early warning systems. This method would need to be tested rigorously to make sure that it is accurate, though. In the meantime, it is possible to create cheap sensors that work just as well as the conventional ones.
Another way cockroaches help each other is by exchanging nutrients. Their droppings are a rich source of nutrients that are returned to the soil. This is one way farmers use them. Some farmers will leave bowls of water full of dead insects around their farms. This attracts cockroaches, which eat the dead insects. The dead insects attract other roaches, which expel their waste. This process continues until the nutrients in the soil are in the form that the plants can absorb.