Can Cockroaches Jump?

Need to get rid of cockroaches? Read on to learn the answers to all of your important questions. Need help? Call our professionals today to get started.

What Can Cockroaches Do? 

Cockroaches are one of the most loathsome pests you might find in your home. While they don’t cause expensive damage to the structural integrity of your home or pose the threat of giving you a poisonous bite, the sight of a cockroach can still bring chills down your spine.

But… can they jump?

Can Cockroaches Jump?

Jumping requires specific mechanisms within the structural design of the legs in order to push the weight of the body in an upwards direction. Cockroach legs are not built for this kind of activity. But just because cockroaches cannot “jump” in the traditional sense doesn’t mean they can’t move in a way that looks like jumping. Many species of cockroaches have wings, however, which they can use to throw themselves into the air to avoid danger or to get to a place quickly. In this way, cockroaches can be said to “hop” rather than “jump.” 

There is one type of cockroach that can jump, aptly named “leaproaches,” that has recently been found in South Africa.  Leaproaches have legs that are modified in such a way that they can propel their bodies upward and ahead, in a manner similar to that of a grasshopper. The leaproach has a large pair of back legs that are double the length of its other four legs, again, resembling the grasshopper.

Strange Cockroach Facts

Besides being proficient hoppers, cockroaches can move as fast as 3 miles per hour, and nymph cockroaches are almost as fast as adult cockroaches. Cockroaches are able to flatten themselves to such a degree that they can hide in the smallest of cracks and crevices around your home. 

Cockroaches use their mouths for smelling. They eat and breathe through holes in every segment of their bodies, but not their mouths. Due, in part, to the way they breathe, cockroaches can hold their breath for 40 minutes, making it very hard for them to drown. 

Find A Pest Specialist For Cockroach Control

If you are concerned about cockroaches and cockroach control for your home, please give us a call or fill out the form on this page. PestControlExperts.com is a team of experts who are highly qualified to provide the best recommendations for you and your home, no matter which part of the United States you live in.