Cockroaches are often associated with dirty kitchens and grimy
bathrooms - scuttling away as soon as you enter the room and turn on the light.
But pest controllers aren't the only people interested in them - these insects
are inspiring research into antibiotics, robots and mechanical limbs, writes
Mary Colwell.
In Havana the
native bright green Cuban cockroach is often kept as a pet and the insect even
appears in old folktales. In one story, a beautiful young Cuban cockroach
called Martina tests the character of her suitors by annoying them when they
come to visit.
Out of the 4,500 known species, only
four are considered pests. Most don't live near human homes and they perform a
vital ecological role, eating dead and decaying matter.