If cockroaches we see living in our kitchens, bathrooms, and the sewers are such hardy creatures, why don’t we see large populations of them in gardens and woods where there’s plenty of moisture and food?

Question

If cockroaches we see living in our kitchens, bathrooms, and the sewers are such hardy creatures, why don’t we see large populations of them in gardens and woods where there’s plenty of moisture and food?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Biologist here. There are a lot of cockroach species that prefer wild areas and can’t even survive in most human homes. Some pest species can be abundant in wild areas too. Last year, I did a research project looking for shrews using pitfall traps in a desert area and sometimes we would catch hundreds of German cockroaches in a small bucket in a riparian area set out overnight. Probably would never ever see them because they are secretive, hide under leaves, and they are nocturnal.