How Do Hissing Cockroaches Hiss?

What are Hissing Cockroaches?

There are roughly 4,000 different species of cockroaches in the world today and, out of these vast numbers, only about 30 to 40 of them are actually considered pests due to invading homes and causing health risks for people. In fact, as wild as it seems, some species of roaches are even kept as pets (similar to those who keep tarantulas as exotic pets). In particular, the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach is becoming a new, popular pet in some places. These roaches are cheap, low maintenance pets and are shockingly very cleanly creatures, making them actually safe to handle… unlike most roaches. Also, contrary to their wild cousins, they do not possess wings, nor can they bite.

Why Do They Hiss?

These unique, dark-colored roaches are named after their fascinating ability to make a noise that very much resembles the hiss of a cat. While cats typically hiss when they are upset, angry, or scared, this is not always the case for the Madagascar Hissing Roach. In fact, these insects can hiss for a variety of reasons, and even let out different hissing sounds depending on what they are trying to communicate.

When disturbed or alarmed by being picked up abruptly, shaken, or startled, they let out an alarm hiss, which is often used to signal danger to other nearby roaches. When they’re angry or fighting one another, their hisses are used as a display of aggression. And, when seeking a mate, males will use a special version of the hiss to attract a female.

How Do They Hiss?

Similar to how a cat hisses using their mouth and lungs, hissing roaches also manipulate their breathing apparatuses to create their infamous hiss. Most insects breathe through a series of holes along the sides of their bodies known as spiracles. It is a simple manipulation of the air being forced out of the spiracles at a very fast rate which causes the hiss-like sounds. This is similar to how you can force your breath quickly out of your own nose, creating an audible “whooshing” sound. But, with so many breathing orifices to force air out of, and their tiny size, this “whoosh” turns into a hiss for these creepy crawlies.

Citations

Cruise, A. (no date) How Do They Hiss? and Other Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Questions Answered, Carolina Biological Supply Company. Available at: https://www.carolina.com/teacher-resources/Interactive/how-do-they-hiss-and-other-madagascar-hissing-cockroach-questions-answered/tr41025.tr (Accessed: June 1, 2021).

Dovey, D. (2017) Best Pet for Children: Why Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are Ideal , Newsweek. Available at: https://www.newsweek.com/madagascar-hissing-cockroaches-exotic-pets-724423 (Accessed: October 2020).

Liesch, P. J. (2015) Why do hissing cockroaches hiss?, Morgridge Institute for Research. Available at: https://morgridge.org/blue-sky/why-do-hissing-cockroaches-hiss/ (Accessed: June 1, 2021).

Potter, M. (2018) Cockroach Elimination in Homes and Apartments, The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment. Entomology at the University of Kentucky. Available at: https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef614 (Accessed: August 2020).