Scientists say cockroaches are becoming resistant to insecticide
Scientists from Purdue say German cockroaches are becoming resistant to insecticides, and they can develop a resistance to chemicals they haven't been exposed to.
Their immunity is passed on to offspring. Researchers say resistance can increase four to six times in a single generation, and a cockroach can produce 200 to 300 "super roaches" in its lifespan.
"This is a previously unrealized challenge in cockroaches," lead author Michael Scharf told CNN.
"Cockroaches developing resistance to multiple classes of insecticides at once will make controlling these pests almost impossible with chemicals alone."
Researchers were able to maintain cockroach populations by rotating through a variety of chemicals in their study but weren't able to reduce their numbers.
The authors say a combination of traps, insecticides, and good sanitation to control cockroaches may be necessary to control cockroaches.
The complete study can be found in Scientific Reports.
