The Longevity of Starved Cockroaches1

Abstract

The duration of survival was determined for adults of both sexes of the following spp. of cockroaches, under conditions of partial or complete starvation at 27[degree] C and 36 to 40% or 70% relative humidity (r.h.): Blatta orientalis, B. germanica, B. vaga, Diploptera punctata, Eurycotis floridana, Leucophaea maderae, Nauphoeta cinerea, Neostylopyga rhombifolia, Periplaneta americana, Pycnoscelus surinamensis, and Supella supellectillium. Following complete starvation, survival times at 36 to 40% r.h. ranged from 4.8 days for B. vaga males to 42 days for P. americana females; the larger spp. tended to survive longer than the smaller. All spp., except L. maderae at 70% r.h., were unable to survive longer on dry food alone than when starved completely. In general, water alone enabled most spp. to live significantly longer at 36 to 40% r.h. than did dry food alone.