If a cockroach stays on its back too long will it die?

Answer 1

Cockraches dont naturaly die upsied down.

They sometimes die upsied down because when they are on their backs they cant get up so they do nothing and just die.

Adhiraj: Creatures with exoskeletons frequently have a primitive muscle/blood flow circulation system tied into each other and it is hydraulic by nature. The natural state of their legs is curled up and a force of exertion combined with the pushing of blood through their legs causes them to straighten. They have fine motor control of this which allows them to move, in fact it's probably unconscious such as the way we move our limbs, the process is lsot on us we just know we can do it.

Now, when the insect in question hasn't got enough food or water they grow weak, or with something like old age. So they find it harder to exert to force their legs "open" So imagine their standing on all their legs and can't summon the effort to keep the set on one side open. That side will collapse and they will tip. This causes them to roll over onto their backs. You can try this with a healthy insect and they will tilt and get back up but it's a strain and they use their legs a lot. When they are too weak to do this they are stuck, and frequently die shortly afterwards as they become too weak to right themselves.

Answer 2

They might be pretending to be dead. I have seen some upturned ones turn back up again and run away.They also withstand being pressed under or between pieces of uneven wood, as they flatten out and stay alive as long as they can.They are supposed to live on the least amount of food and water, making them the most adaptable creatures.Wonder who invented them.

Answer 3

"First, few cockroaches die on their backs in the wild. Natural death of cockroaches probably occurs in the stomach of a bird, bat or other small animal.

Second, Cockroaches are not used to living on a polished marble or vinyl floor. They are more used to a ruguous living plane including leaves and sticks and other vegetable debris. Thus when a cockroach finds itself on its back (by some mistake in its orienteering) it may have trouble righting itself if there is not debris around to grab hold of with its legs. (Try it, put a cockroach on its back on a polished floor with and without some crinkled paper.)

Third, often we come across dead cockroaches in buildings that have died of insecticide. Most of these insecticides are organophosphate nerve poisons. The nerve poison often inhibits cholinesterase, an enzyme that breaks down acetyl choline (ACh), a neurotransmitter. With extra ACh in the nervous system, the cockroach has muscular spasms which often result in the cockroach flipping on its back. Without muscular coordination the cockroach cannot right itself and eventually dies in its upside down-position."

Quoted from: http://www.bio.umass.edu/Biology/kunkel/cockroach_faq.html#Q6

Answer 4

well it depends how long its on there for! it could stay on its back for a long time and die of dehydration or die of starvation! or it may not die at all and can flip its self over and crawl/fly away! thanx for asking!

Answer 5

Cockroaches do not intentionally lay on their backs. When a cockroach is in your home they are not used to the smooth floors so they have trouble getting traction.

Answer 6

they dont normally die, but if they do it is because they cant flip themselves back up

hope this helps :)

clikc recomend ;)

Answer 7

Because of their weight.

Answer 8

because they don't have streangh dumbo

Answer 9

no