Cockroaches are some of the most hated insects on the planet. They don’t look very appealing and they’re responsible for spreading a slew of diseases. However, there’s a lot we don’t know about these critters. Take a look below at our list of 25 awesome and mind blowing facts about cockroaches so you can learn something new about them.

1. Cockroaches are very adaptive to their environment. This is why you can find them living on every corner on the planet.

2. They have been on the planet for about 359 million years ago. That makes them older than the dinosaurs, and much older than us.

3. There are about 4,600 species of cockroaches. However, only 30 species share the same habitat as humans.

4. Cockroaches can grow to be about 3 inches in length.

5. The biggest cockroach is the Megaloblatta longipennis which measures at 3.8 inches with an 8 inch wingspan. It’s found in Central and South America.

6. Cockroaches can survive on almost anything. They eat debris, fruits, meat, other insects, human food, and the list goes on.

7. They’re cold blooded, which means that they can maintain a low rate of metabolism and survive without food for a month.

8. While they can survive without food for a month, they can die of thirst within 2 weeks.

9. They’re able to hold their breath for 40 minutes and can live for a week without their head.

10. After a cockroach’s head is cut off, clotting will seal off their neck and prevent any further blood loss. The brain of a cockroach is not responsible for its breathing nor is it responsible for carrying oxygen throughout their body.

11. Cockroaches have spiracles, which are small holes in their body which are responsible for sending air directly to the tissues using tubes that are known as “tracheae.”

12. They have ganglia clumps which allow them to perform basic nervous functions such as controlling reflexes.

13. Newly hatched cockroaches are able to run just under 3 miles per hour. Their hind legs allow them to move 27 times per second when running.

14. It takes 123 days for a newly born cockroach to reach adulthood.

15. American cockroaches are attracted to alcohol, due to the presence of hops and sugar.

16. In China, cockroaches are roasted or deep fried and sold on sticks on the streets.

17. Most species of cockroach can’t survive in freezing cold temperatures.

18. The Japanese cockroach, Periplaneta japonica, can survive -8 degree Celsius by hibernating. Even if it freezes, it can unfreeze itself when the temperatures increase.

19. A newly discovered species of cockroach, called a leaproach, was discovered on Table Mountain in South Africa in 2009. This species is called a leaproach because of its ability to jump, or leap.

20. Cockroaches are thigmotropic, meaning that they like to be in contact with something solid from all sides of their body.

21. Just like dogs, cockroaches can be conditioned.

22. While cockroaches can take much more radiation than us, they couldn’t survive the radiation that a nuclear blast would emit.

23. Cockroaches fart around 35 gm of methane per year, which is 43 times heavier than themselves.

24. The Madagascar hissing cockroach has air passageways that allow it to make different sounds, similar to how vocal cords work for humans.

25. Cockroaches are very social and prefer to be around other cockroaches. Though they’re rarely seen in a group, you can bet that if you see one, a much larger group is nearby.