Pests are destructive and annoying. However, they have some incredible superpowers that also make them interesting. This is primarily because of their smaller size compared to larger animal species. Some of the best predators in the world are also insects. They naturally possess many advanced technologies that humans have spent years developing for survival. Knowing what household pests are capable of will help you understand them better and deal with them more easily if you suspect you have an infestation.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are the hardest of all insects. They can live more than a week without a head, will eat almost anything, can run at great speed, and are experts at hiding. The organs controlling the cockroach’s vital functions are in the middle of its body. When they lose their head, which only contains a primitive brain, they continue to function until they get hungry or thirsty. They can also hold their breath for 40 minutes.
Cockroaches also have the ability to survive nuclear explosions that would wipe out all of humanity. They can withstand exposure to 100,00 radon units before dying. This is because cells are most susceptible to radiation when they are dividing. Human skin cells divide about every half to one and a half hours, depending on where they are on the body. Cockroach cells divide only when they moult, which is a weekly occurrence that lasts two days.
Studies have shown that cockroaches’ brains contain nine antibiotic molecules, making them capable of rapid healing. These particles are far superior to the ones we use in modern antibiotics.
Spiders
Bark spiders can produce webs that are 25 times more durable than steel. Kevlar is the material that makes bulletproof vests, and it’s among the toughest materials ever made by man. Spider silk is up to three times tougher. Despite that, it’s incredibly lightweight. Spiders weave it from bank to bank above rivers and lakes to catch prey. Scientists have been spending a lot of time in their labs working hard, attempting to replicate spider silk. However, so far, nothing beats the silk made in the bellies of spiders.
Spiders can also spin their silk into gold. The American Museum of Natural History in New York City is home to the largest known tapestry of spider silk, woven using 1,063,000 spiders in Madagascar.
Fishing spiders can dance on the surface water to sneak and attack fish. They can also stay submerged in water for almost 45 minutes and are excellent swimmers.
Moths
Tiger moths can detect high-frequency projections and make fake echoes of non-existent objects. This ability keeps them safe from predatory bats. Some moth species can also imitate other creatures, such as wasps and tarantulas. Some even mimic bird droppings. Interestingly, many adult moths don’t eat. Instead, they just mate, lay eggs and die.
Beetles
Ironclad beetles have hard exoskeletons; even if you trod on them, they wouldn’t be harmed. You can’t even get a pin through them without using a more powerful tool. Besides that, they can also play dead.
The bombardier beetle can spray boiling liquid when threatened.
The dung beetle can pull over 1,000 times its body weight. It’s considered the world’s strongest insect.
Ants
Ants are powerful for their size, being able to lift more than 1,000 times their body weight. Their exoskeleton forms protective armour, and when feeling threatened, they produce a foul odour that protects them from predators.
Fire ants can produce a burning sting, which can sometimes be severe enough to hospitalise a person.
Mound ants have necks structured to withstand enormous pressure, and carpenter ants can produce super colonies that can exceed 100,000 specimens.
Wasps
Voodoo wasps can hypnotise their prey into a zombie-like state and control them. They create a cocoon, attach themselves to a leaf and get the caterpillar to act as bodyguards, protecting them from predators. They lay their eggs inside young caterpillars’ bodies and feed on their hosts’ bodily fluids.
Fleas
Fleas can jump up to 100 times their body length. They are surprisingly durable creatures and can last up to a hundred days without food. Even if you think you can get rid of them by vacating your property for a while, you’ll most likely return to even more aggressive fleas that won’t hesitate to feed on humans and animals.
Their life cycle is also very flexible. They are more common and reproduce faster in warmer climates, and they can survive in a heated home during winter. Because of this, winter is the most challenging time of year to get your pet and home rid of them.
An adult female flea can lay up to 40 eggs a day, which amounts to 1,085 eggs, on average, over its life span. Since the eggs aren’t sticky, they fall on carpets, wood floor cracks, and pet bedding. They affect wildlife, so eggs and larvae can be found virtually everywhere. They can be carried inside your home riding on clothing and backpacks. If you bring home even only one adult female flea, in 60 days, your home will be overrun by as many as 20 thousand fleas.
Flies
Flies can defy gravity. You’ve probably seen them walking upside down on the ceiling. This superpower is due to their legs having two large pads at the ends. These pads are covered in claw-like hairs, which produce an oily substance. This substance is almost like glue, and it enables flies to seemingly defy gravity. Besides that, their taste receptors are located in their feet. They can taste food simply by walking on it.
Flies also have a gigantic field of vision, which allows them to see across 360 degrees and detect even the slightest movement around them. This is one of the many reasons they’re hard to kill and difficult to stop from infesting properties.
Final Words
If you have any kind of pest infestations from one of these insects, it’s safest to call pest control experts. Trusted pest control companies will eradicate any type of pest in the most humane way possible.
