Oct
27
the American Cockroach
October 27, 2009 | | Leave a Comment
have been thinking a lot lately about the southern coastal creature called a cockroach. These crunch little fellow live most places in the coast region and beyond. I say crunchy and you will understand once you step on one. You actually hear the crunch. That is the best part of cockroaches is hearing the crunch as stomp down on one. Yes, these sound cruel. But cockroaches abundantly are part of the southern culture. Once walking down the street in Charleston, SC on a muggy summer evening you can always look down and see several cockroaches parrallel with your shoes. What a special feeling to gently in rhythm with your walk to allow the bottoms of your shoe crush the creature into a very thin layer of cockroach gump.
“The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), also known as the Palmetto Bug or Waterbug,[1] particularly in the southern United States, is the largest species of common cockroach, and often considered a pest. It is native to the Southern United States, and common in tropical climates.” Wikipedia
“HABITAT: American cockroaches generally live in moist areas, but can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. They prefer warm temperatures around 84 degrees Fahrenheit and do not tolerate cold temperatures. In residential areas, these cockroaches live in basements and sewers, and may move outdoors into yards during warm weather. These cockroaches are common in basements, crawl spaces, cracks and crevices of porches, foundations, and walkways adjacent to buildings. They feed on a wide variety of plant and animal material.” from http://sites.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/amercock.html 1996.
