Lingerdog's World

This thought occurred to me at work a few days ago. I was working...yep actually working for a change and not day dreaming about softball, when I hear blood curdling screaming coming form the kitchen.

I'm thinking horrible things, a gunman has come in, someone has just collapsed of a heart attack, her hand fell off. I was not expecting what had happened, which was, she moved some paper towels and there was a roach underneath.

And I get it, you don't like roaches, so squish the little bugger, you don't need to scream for twenty seconds straight and scare the office half to death.

So I started wondering, why do we hate roaches so much? When I think about it from a logical point of view the first things I examine are the fact that roaches are bugs, just like moths and beetles and any other number of bugs, that we don't freak out about, even when we see them in a house.

Then there are the facts of roaches "Because roaches eat garbage and waste, they can spread bacteria like Salmonella and Shigella from place to place. As they walk, they leave trails of fecal matter, which they use to find their way around. On top of being gross, these trails can cause stains and odors. The proteins in cockroach saliva and waste can also cause allergies and aggravate asthma."

But how many people actually know that, and don't just hate them because they always have.

"There are about 4,000 species of cockroach, of which 30 species are associated with human habitations and about four species are well known as pests."

So is it just the anecdotal fear of mass infestation that causes the hate, and brings about the freak out at the site, giving the roach discoverer visions of a scene from Joe's Apartment?

"People also hate roaches because they can be extremely difficult to get rid of. One reason is because of their natural behavior. They reproduce quickly and are hard to kill. Since they're nocturnal, many people don't notice their presence until there are so many that they've run out of places to hide."

So is this it? Is that the reason the freak out happens? Or is there some deep seated fear in us, some generational knowledge passed on through our DNA that tells us that cockroaches are our enemy and plan to take over the world at the first opportunity?

I leave you with this thought, to me, they are just another insect, and while a home infestation definitely not something to take lightly, also not the end of the world.

"While Blatella germanica and a few others make nuisances of themselves, most species of cockroach generally mind their own business. Many cockroaches live in warm, tropical areas and feed on decaying wood and leaves. They help break down this organic debris; in the process, they add nutrients to the soil through their waste. They're also a food source for small reptiles and mammals. In other words, in spite of their bad reputation, cockroaches are ­an important part of many ecosystems. "