Why Are Cockroaches White?
If you’re curious as to why cockroaches are white, there’s a good reason for it. The cockroach lacks hemoglobin, a pigment responsible for red coloration. Instead, it produces white blood within its exoskeleton. This trait makes it much easier for cockroaches to hide in dark places.
Cockroaches change their shell every six hours. The process is called molting. This occurs when the active larva outgrows its old shell and grows too large for it. This process can occur eight or ten times in a cockroach’s lifetime. It’s at this stage that the body unprotected by its shell is almost transparent and starts to turn white. This creates an illusion that the cockroach is a special species.
Cockroaches’ blood changes from white to orange when they carry eggs. During this period, a roach’s blood contains vitamins to nourish her young. After several hours, the cockroach regains its traditional black color. White cockroaches live in caves or other dark places that don’t get much sunlight. They’re no more harmful than their regular counterparts, but their lack of color does make them more easily recognizable to predators.
Some people believe that the white cockroaches are a result of radioactive radiation. Others believe that the white color of cockroaches signals the impending end of humanity. However, it’s important to remember that it’s not a sign of the end of the world. While we should not dismiss the possibility of an insect-dominated world, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that modern ecology is hardly clean. Insects and other arthropods can acquire resistance to pesticides and other chemicals.