Cockroaches are household pests that are very unpleasant and can spread diseases such as salmonella. But can roaches feel pain? Below you will find all the information you need on the subject.
Before you start and ask if insects like cockroaches feel pain, you have to know the meaning of pain.
Pain is a biological response to a stimulus that endangers an organism. Before the pain, a rejection stimulus occurs that can appear in different ways:
- Flight
- Dilation of the pupils
- Detachment of the affected limb
- Increased respiration
- Incrise of cardiac frecuency
- Yelling or vocalizations
These pain sensations may be possible due to nociception; this is a process where you can recognize the threat stimulus and react with that response.
Do Cockroaches Feel Pain?
Scientists argue that insects and other invertebrates do not perceive the same kind of awareness humans have of pain or discomfort. This means that cockroaches and other insects can respond to certain stimuli but cannot recognize patterns or learn from experiences.
Roaches cannot experience pain as humans do. It is very difficult to prove that cockroaches can feel pain like any human. Pain is an emotional experience that involves memory and other processes that are not related to a response to stimuli.
Insects may likely perceive a harmful stimulus as a situation to avoid, but the pain is most likely not in their equation.
Studies show that insects do not respond with high priority, nor do they have protective behavior over stimuli. According to an entomologist, insects may interpret pain and the world very differently.
Other Research On Pain
Experts say the insects do not meet the International Association for the Study of Pain’s definition of pain. Studies show that cockroaches and other insects do not have a disagreeable sensory or emotive experience associated with potential or actual harm.
Since insects don’t feel emotions, they may not be able to feel pain like humans do. But so far, research is ongoing on the issue of pain in insects.
Entomologist Matan Shelomi concluded in a Forbes article that insects can feel the damage done to them and avoid it. They have a small capacity to detect the damages that they have suffered in the past. He also affirms that for insects, as for cockroaches, not feeling pain is a favorable aspect.
The lifespan of a cockroach can be up to a year; insects generally have a very short lifespan. If insects worry about what they can eat, they will not fulfill their main purpose: mate and reproduce.
Although cockroaches and other insects feel pain, they are very unpleasant, and people will always find a way to eliminate them. There are many home remedies that you can use to eliminate these pesky pests that are so nasty and gross from your home.
If the infestation is very large, you can seek a professional’s help so that you can use the indicated treatment to get rid of cockroaches effectively. Clean and frequently maintain throughout your home to make it less attractive to insects and prevent them from entering your home.
