Why is Cockroach Blood Blue?
WouterCockroach blood is a pale, whitish or yellow liquid. It lacks hemoglobin, the respiratory protein that gives blood a red color. It also does not flow like human or animal blood does. Instead, it is composed of fats, amino acids, and carbohydrates. These ingredients help it retain a thin consistency and a low viscosity.
Insects have a ventral nerve cord that consists of giant fibers that transmit sensory information from cerci (sensing air currents). These nerves are connected to the thoracic ganglia, which control the muscles of the legs in running behavior. A cockroach’s brain is divided into three areas: the head ganglia, the abdominal ganglia, and the thoracic ganglia.
The female cockroach carries its ootheca until it hatches. Once it hatches, she then hides it, and the ootheca incubates in the female’s uterus. The egg is so small that the roach cannot survive outside of the egg.
The reason for cockroach blood being blue is unknown. They breathe through spiracles in each body segment and tracheae. This system allows them to survive without a head for several days or even weeks before dying of dehydration or starvation. However, there are some insecticides that affect their nervous system and cause them to flip on their backs.
The bacteroids in cockroaches’ blood are a symbiotic relationship. They live in special cells in their fat bodies. The bacteroids carry all the vitamins the cockroach needs. Despite the fact that they are social, they do not bring back large objects like ants. In Africa, for example, they build huge structures, including tunnels from the house siding.
