As bacteria are immune to antibiotics, cockroaches are becoming immune to insecticides. It is a natural process where the organism gradually gets used to the environment to which it is exposed. To some extent, some resistant microorganisms have learned to live in acid rain or toxic soil. Cockroaches thrive everywhere.
An unpleasant tenant is a very resistant insect that survives from the crumb of food and drops of water for a long time. Individuals last up to a month without water and three months without food.
Cockroaches are carriers of pathogens causing infections, including E. coli or salmonella.
High Resistance
Scientists from Purdue University tested German cockroaches for resistance to various types of insecticides. They found that cockroaches have been developing resistance to various kinds of insecticides – the one they were exposed to and to several other insecticides.
The cockroach tests were carried out for six months. The researchers found that insecticide immunity in the one generation colony increased four to six times.
“This is a previously unrealized challenge in cockroaches. Cockroaches developing resistance to multiple classes of insecticides at once will make controlling these pests almost impossible with chemicals alone, “stated the study leader, Michael Scharf.
What’s more, cockroaches genetically confer immunity to their offspring.
No Matter the Number of Insecticides
Exterminators kill unwelcome insects with a mixture of several insecticide types. In practice, this means that if one type of insecticide does not work, it is assumed to work the other or the third one. If cockroaches can develop immunity against several different kinds of insecticides, this chemical cocktail may become ineffective.
Cockroaches belong among the oldest groups of flying insects and are believed to have been living virtually unchanged for 350 million years. Cockroaches are so resistant that they would probably survive a nuclear war. They can face high radioactive radiation doses, approximately 300 times more than humans.
One cockroach female puts up to 300 eggs in its life. The idea that all cockroaches will be indestructible is somewhat frightening.
Source and credit: https://www.elitereaders.com/cockroaches-are-starting-to-become-immune-to-insecticides/, spangdahlem.af.mi, pixabay.com
