Search and anemotactic orientation of cockroaches

Abstract

Orientation of three species of cockroaches, Blattella germanica, Periplaneta americana and Blaberus craniifer, was monitored in still air and in wind using a servosphere device. In the absence of wind the cockroaches exhibited search behaviour characterized by species-specific patterns of looping and straight locomotory segments. In wind the cockroaches alternated turning left and right rather than looping. Relatively straight course directions were maintained in wind, primarily upwind in B. craniifer and downwind in B. germanica; P. americana ran upwind at low wind velocities and downwind at high wind velocities. The antennae perceive the direction of air currents; for all three species the threshold of wind perception is between 0.015 and 0.03 m/sec.