Fellow Immigrants
Posted by Voctor on May 3, 2004
Q: Can cockroaches survive underwater? If so, for how long? Thanks!
A: Yes, cockroaches can survive underwater, but not for long since they need oxygen they get from air, not water, to live. They probably can live underwater much longer than a mammal can (with a few exceptions) since they're ectotherms (cold-blooded) and therefore need less oxygen. How long can they live underwater would depend on their temperature, for one thing (the cooler they are, the less oxygen they need). Not sure anyone has done an experiment to determine how long they can live underwater - would be rather inhumane to find out, wouldn't it?
John Wiessinger ( May 3, 2004)
Filed under: Insects