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Japanese researchers find wood-feeding cockroaches munch each other s wings when mating The Mainichi
TOKYO Researchers in Japan have confirmed that pairs of wood-feeding cockroaches chow down on each other s wing when mating apparently the first time mutual cannibalism between mates has been observed in the natural world.
Unilateral cannibalism among species such as praying mantises, whose females eat the males, has long been known.
Wood-feeding cockroaches live inside rotting trees in forests in southwestern Japan s Kyushu region and other southern islands, and come out of the trees only during breeding season between April and July to find mates. The insects lay their eggs in tunnels they burrow into their trees, and both parents provide the baby cockroaches, or nymphs, a liquid food they produce from their mouths.
Male and female wood roaches are one of the few insect couples suspected of truly mating for life. The secret to one species long-lasting love? A bit of mutual cannibalism.
Cannibalism May Be Key for These Cockroach Couples
Newly mated pairs of one species, Salganea taiwanensis, take turns chewing each other’s wings down to stubs after they move into the homes where they will jointly raise babies. Scientists say this unique behavior may have evolved because of the roaches’ truly monogamous bond. New York Times
Cockroaches. (PC-AFP)
For certain cockroaches living inside rotten logs in Asia, nothing says “I love you” like some minor cannibalism.
Newly mated pairs of one species, Salganea taiwanensis, take turns chewing each other’s wings down to stubs after they move into the homes where they will jointly raise babies. Scientists say this unique behavior may have evolved because of the roaches’ truly monogamous bond.