Economics and Medical Importance of German Cockroaches

Abstract

Abstract Cockroaches have survived on this planet for over 300 million years, in part because they have taken an evolutionary strategy of generalization. The roughly 4,000 species of today are largely unchanged from their ancestors, having retained primitive chewing mouthparts that allow them to readily adapt to evolving food sources. Most of these species are feral and not associated with us in any way. But about 50 species became peridomestic or domestic with humans as we evolved from nomadic hunters to relatively sedentary producers of crops and tenders of domestic animals. Chewing mouthparts enabled cockroaches to consume a wide range of materials we produce, store, consume, discard or excrete. Because these 50 species are so closely associated with us, and commonly feed on decaying food, crumbs or scraps, and commonly occur in unsanitary areas such as sewage systems and septic tanks, their presence is perceived as a constant threat to our welfare. Principal among these is the German cockroach. Although no detailed records are kept that provide an accurate monetary figure on how much money is spent annually on German cockroach control, it is possible to assess the scope of our interactions with German cockroaches through direct and indirect comparisons. The best estimates of total damages attributed to cockroaches comes from 1988 data (Douce and McPherson 1989). Within Georgia, household and structural damages caused by insects were estimated to be *124.65 million; cockroaches accounted for 40% (*449.86 million).