Can a roach survive a nuclear bomb?

Answer 1

Yes and No. Yes if they are in an enclosed space they are immune to radiation given off from a nuclear bomb. Also, If they are in an enclosed space or underground then they will be able to survive the shock wave and ground zero. No, if they are above ground when the shock wave comes around they will be killed just like any other thing. (By the way when i say enclosed space i mean really enclosed like inside a phone pole r something) But chances are they will die at ground zero. The only real dangers to them are the shock wave and ground zero

Answer 2

Not the blast or thermal flash close in, but most insects have a much higher LD50 for radiation than primates do and humans are primates. So roaches are more likely to survive the prompt radiation and fallout radiation than humans are. But even then, enough radiation will kill anything.

The fact that roaches hide in small cracks most of the time will partially protect them from blast and thermal flash, but not from the secondary fires and firestorm that often forms.