Antennae: Feelers, in the bug world. They provide roaches with their sense of
smell.
Carboniferous era: Period of time which ended 280 million years ago, in which
cockroaches are thought to have originated.
Cerci: Small, sensitive hairs at the back end of a cockroach. They warn if
anything is sneaking up from behind by detecting even very slight air movements.
Colon: Part of the intestines that help digest food and get unwanted stuff (poop)
ready to go out of the body.
Crop: A section at the end of the esophagus where food can be stored before it
goes to the gizzard.
Detoxify: To alter or change a poisonous substance so it is no longer poisonous.
Entomologist: A scientist who studies insects.
Entomology: The science of studying insects.
Enzymes: Chemicals produced by living cells and used by organisms for important
functions such as absorbing oxygen and regulating water absorption.
Esophagus: The passageway leading from the mouth to the stomach.
Fat body: A place where energy is stored in a cockroach. Also breaks down
nutrients to provide energy and can help detoxify insecticides that may be sprayed on the roach.
Gastric caecea: Little sacks inside cockroaches where germs and enzymes used in
digestion are kept. (Did you know that humans use germs and enzymes in their stomachs to digest
food, too?)
Gizzard: The gizzard grinds food one more time before it enters the stomach. Other
animals (including birds and some dinosaurs) have been known to swallow stones to grind things up
in their gizzards. But cockroaches have another set of little teeth in there to do the job (those
would be tough teeth for a dentist to examine, huh?).
Insecticide: A substance used to kill insects. Also known as bug spray.
Malpighian Tubules: These tubes are like a cockroach kidney and they squirm or
writhe like snakes. They are filters that keep the cockroach's blood clean. (Weird name, nice
function.)
Midgut: The middle part of the intestine where the cockroach absorbs nutrients.
Nutrients: Substances that promote health and good growth like vitamins and
minerals.
Pheromone: The odor produced by a female cockroach that attracts males for mating.
Salivary glands: Place in the body where saliva (spit) is made.
Spermatophore: The package of sperm that a male cockroach transfers to a female
for mating purposes.
Spiracles: The tiny holes in the side of a cockroach's body through which it
breathes.
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