Cockroach Haven
• Cockroaches have fossils that date back 350 million years. These ancient insects walked on the earth long before humans. Dating back to the dinosaurs.
• Based on studies after the atomic bomb drop on Hiroshima, cockroaches may be one the few animals able to survive the radiation of a nuclear blast.
• Here's some bad news. Some female cockroaches mate once and are pregnant for the rest of their lives.
• Some female cockroaches are devoted mothers, carrying their offspring in little pouches like kangaroos.
• A cockroach can live a week without its head. The roach only dies because without a mouth, it can't drink water and dies of thirst.
• Cockroaches can climb walls because they are equipped with a set of little claws on their feet designed for that very purpose.
• Cockroaches will eat just about anything and can be perfectly happy feeding off the glue of a stamp or a spot of toothpaste left on a sink.
18 = The number of knees on most cockroaches (at least!)
40 = The number of minutes cockroaches can hold their breath
• In some countries insects are considered a delicacy.
Cockroaches are some of the oldest living creatures around! There are fossils that place them as old as 350 million years, and there have been relatively little changes in the cockroach over time. These pesky insects are also some of the hardiest, living in all environments and able to survive radioactive and nuclear exposure.
Like all insects, they have six legs, two wings, and two antennae. Preferred foods are sugary, but a cockroach isn't picky. If sweet isn't on the menu, they'll still come to dinner. The cockroaches also prefer dark to light and are more often seen at night.
If food is scarce, cockroaches will wait. They can survive more than a month without food, but will die after less than two weeks without water. How's that for dieting?
Often, the American cockroach is mistaken for a water bug, which isn't a roach at all. They can grow to 1.5 inches in length and are reddish brown in color with light marks.
The German cockroach is most commonly seen in homes and like warm and muggy places. This insect is more than a nuisance since it has been linked to allergies and certain illnesses. They like bathrooms, kitchens, and anywhere else that people eat and drink. Smaller than the American cockroach, the German roach grows to be about five eighths of an inch long and is tan with two dark stripes. These roaches eat anything and don't have a preference to sweet and floury foods. They even like soap and toothpaste as a main dish.
The average life span of a cockroach is between 100 and 200 days. In this time, they can reproduce at astounding rates. Many cockroaches mate once and are pregnant the rest of their lives. Now, that's a lot of babies being born!
Many cultures sell and process cockroaches as a food source. They are reputed to be a wonderful replacement for nuts in recipes and are found in main dishes to desserts. One of the reasons they are so popular as a food source is the abundance in which cockroaches and other insects are found. The American culture has an aversion to bug eating, but most cultures around the world consider the insects a delicacy and some even consider the cockroach a staple in their diet.
Next time it's your turn to cook, why not offer this tasty dish?
Stir Fried Cockroach
4-5 Cockroaches (recently frozen)
1 Onion (~4 oz)
1 Red Pepper (~4 oz)
1 Green Pepper (~4oz)
Salt (1 TBS)
MSG (2 TBS) (white crystalline compound used as a food additive to enhance flavor; often used in Chinese cooking)
Corn Starch (1 TBS)
Cooking Oil (4 TBS)
White Rice (bag)
Steps:
1. Remove and discard the solid wing covering flaps and all legs of the cockroach.
2. Put the whole cockroach into a pot of boiling oil quickly fry for 15 seconds.
3. Heat up a wok until hot. Add 4 spoons of oil and put all vegetables into it to stir fry for 3 minutes.
4. Put the half fried cockroach in to the wok and add salt, MSG, and corn starch.
Serve on or with a bed of white rice.
