• Home
  • Main Website
  • Commercial Pest Control
  • Property Care
  • Pest Reviews
  • Contact Us
deBugged
  • Home
  • Main Website
  • Commercial Pest Control
  • Property Care
  • Pest Reviews
  • Contact Us
Home  /  Cockroaches  /  Flatulent cockroaches adapt to climate change
19 July 2016

Flatulent cockroaches adapt to climate change

Written by Jackie
Cockroaches insects Leave a Comment

It seems cockroaches are quite adaptable creatures when it comes to climate change according to recent research. The widely loathed insects can hold their breath to save water, a new study has found – a trick that could help them to thrive in the face of climate change.

cockroach scuttling across floor

The research highlighted that cockroaches close the spiracles (through which they breathe) primarily to save water. In dry environments the insects took shorter breaths than in moist conditions. This reduces the amount of water cockroaches will lose. Their nifty breath-holding adaptation has allowed cockroaches over time to colonise drier habitats. It may also allow them to thrive in future climates changed by global warming.

It’s well known that cattle, sheep and even elephants generate the greenhouse gas methane. On average a cow release between 70 and 120 kg of Methane per year. Methane is also 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of potential to intensify global warming according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2007).

Yet studies have now shown that insect flatulence may account for one-fifth of all the methane emissions on this planet! Insects such as centipedes, termites and beetles are all major producers of methane. Cockroaches, however, are the only one which is considered a pest in the UK, as they are carriers of harmful bacteria, particularly Salmonella.

cockroach in plugholeCockroaches release more methane in relation to their body weight than any other creature in Britain. The American cockroach for example, can give off up to 35g a year of methane; more than 43 times their average body weight. Even after death they can continue to release methane for up to 18 hours, making cockroaches among the biggest contributors to global warming.

So if you’ve noticed an unpleasant, lingering odour under your sink, behind appliances or in store cupboards it may just indicate you have a flatulent cockroach problem!

Signs of a Cockroach Infestation

  • Unusual smell – An established cockroach infestation produces a lingering and unpleasant odour that taints items they contact.
  • Cockroach droppings – If little water is available cockroaches will produce brown/black cylindrical droppings, approx. 2mm long.
  • Smear marks – If water is abundant cockroaches will produce brown and irregular shaped smear marks. Check for marks on horizontal surfaces and at wall-floor junctions where cockroaches scuttle along.
  • Shed skins – Cockroaches shed ‘cast nymphal’ skins 5-8 times as they mature to adults. These shed skins are usually found close to where the cockroaches are sheltering.

Share On
Jackie

I joined UK Marketing for Rentokil Pest Control in January 2009. What an enlightenment that has been - cheese mites, bed bugs and confused flour beetles, I never knew such things existed but I have certainly learnt how Rentokil expertise and experience eliminates them. Now my mission is to use the website to show the UK that whatever their pest problem, Rentokil have the solution. Life outside of work revolves around my husband and kids, so life is pretty hectic!

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Need some advice?

Talk to one of our experts:

For your Home

0808 231 5834

For your Business

0808 231 7897

Checking...

Ouch! There was a server error.
Retry »

Sending message...

Quick Form

Fill in the form below and we will be in touch soon


Find us on Facebook

Find us on Twitter

Find Us on LinkedIn

Rentokil Pest Control

Rentokil Pest Control is part of Rentokil Initial — one of the world's largest providers of business services. Formed over 80 years ago, the company has grown to become UK's longest-established, best known and most trusted pest control service provider.

Camberley. 3,500+ employees

Rentokil Pest Control

Categories

  • Pest Control
  • United Kingdom
  • Property Care
  • Rodents
  • Birds
  • Pestaurant
  • Flying Insects
  • Crawling Insects
  • Spiders
  • Other Wildlife

Subscribe to the debugged blog


Category Posts

  • Ghost ants and deaths head cockroaches Countries
  • Tis the season… for un-festive Christmas pests Countries, Insects, Mice, Rats
  • How to Stop Flies Being Bad News for Your Business Countries, Flies, Flying Insects
  • #pestaurant ‘popping up’ at Writer’s Square, Belfast soon Countries, Pestaurant

Latest Video

Recent Posts

  • how to get rid of ants in the house
    Top tips to help deter and get rid of ants May 5, 2022
  • Damp problems in the home
    Damp Problems in Houses November 19, 2020
  • Rentokil technician servicing RadarConnect
    Tips for Preventative Rodent Pest Control November 16, 2020
  • Hiring Apprentice Technicians – Application Info November 16, 2020

© 2020 Rentokil Initial plc and subject to the conditions in the Legal Statement.

  • Latest News
  • Careers at Rentokil
  • Woodworm Specialists
  • Damp Proofing
  • Pestaurant
  • Noises in the Attic
  • Pest Control Customer Reviews
  • DIY Consumer Products
  • Manage Cookies
  • Company Information
  • Modern Slavery Statement
  • RI Gender Pay Gap
  • RI Supplier Code
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • eBilling
myRentokil
myLearning
TRUSTPILOT