Biological impact of cockroach extinction?

[RainDreamer]

I just got chased out of my room by a cockroach or 2 (I didn't even want to look) a couple of hours ago and I had to resorted to nuke the room with Raid to exterminate them. Clean up is now done and my room looks safe...but my irrational hatred and fear for them has not subsided. And once again I plot of a way to get rid of them from the face of the earth (possibly bioengineered green jewel wasps?) for good. Impossibilities in my insane plots aside, what would be the ecological impact if all the cockroaches species are gone from earth? I just want to know...for science.

[WestAir]

If all cockroach species died, RAID would go out of business and a lot of people would need new jobs.

Not sure mother nature would care, though.

[pincushionman]

Cockroach predators would be hit, some very hard.

Competing species (among them, other pests) would begin to thrive for lack of competition. As a result, THEIR predators will see an increase (given that these groups overlap, the effect overall isn't so clear).

[m4v]

The death of all life in the planet. Considering that what you want to exterminate is the cockroach and nothing short of planetary destruction would get rid of them.

In all seriousness you will probably see an increase of other pests or diseases, since there would be more trash left to rot. Personally I just leave them be, roaches don't transmit any diseases and sure as hell I prefer them over breathing any amount of insecticide.

[RainDreamer]

roaches don't transmit any diseases

What O-o They don't? Are we even talking about the same creature?

And I prefer more advanced form of extermination if possible too instead of simple pesticide.

. They are like aliens for roaches, complete with parasitic offspring bursting out of bodies. Too bad they are very territorial and kill in such a small scale comparing to the breeding rate of cockroach to be an effective biocontrol method. Need to somehow bioengineered them to kill in group and much larger scale! *Evil laugh*

I had huge cockroach problem many years ago. My house was pretty clean inside, but they somehow managed to get enough food and, most importantly (for them), water to feed and breed. Thousands of them. Chemicals had only limited success.

And at some moment ... they vanished. All of them. Not only at my house, but in all the city. Some attribute their exodus to cellphone proliferation, I'm not sure.

But for many years, I only see a cockroach as old, dry corpse in old printer or other piece of hardware.

I live near a body of water at a newly developed area where there are still empty lots full of wild vegetation. It is like a mini biome between houses, full of life, including the annoying roaches. Can't get rid of them unless I have a flamethrower and a lot of fuel. I am interested in seeing how cellphone reach may drive roaches away...wonder if that is true. Maybe we can design pest deterrent technology!

Edited February 12, 2015 by RainDreamer

[m4v]

What O-o They don't? Are we even talking about the same creature?

They are not disease vectors such as mosquitoes, fleas or rats are. The worst they do is mechanically transport germs from one place to another, and the risks of that is debatable, maybe they can transport a dangerous germ but living in a clean environment has its own risks since you end having a weaker immune system.

Just googling "benefits of cockroaches" leads to stuff like

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/21/cockroaches-good-environment-nitrogen-cycle_n_1614913.html

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/06/06/benefits-roaches-babies-exposed-to-dirt-and-germs-may-have-less-allergies/

Edited February 12, 2015 by m4v