Cockroaches Can Jump & Fly?! In slow mo, it's AWESOME

A new research project focusing on cockroach jumping and flight behaviors captured by filming at 6,000 frames per second. Three common household pest species are featured here:
American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
German cockroach (Blattella germanica)
Smokybrown cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa)
Thanks to Prof. Coby Schal & Rick Rick Santangelo for supplying some of the roaches! Thanks to Nicolás Galvez for assistance on this research project.
Music licensed from soundofpicture.com

[@poporikishin4922]

Slow motion=majestic movement Normal speed=absolute terror

[@elijahsmall5873]

Lol so true

[@AverageHamsterNamedCupcakee]

True But I still think cockroaches are adorable

[@kaanboi964]

@@AverageHamsterNamedCupcakeesame idk why but the face is adorable

[@METALSCAVENGER78]

They are terror in every speed

[@DopeIsotope]

@@AverageHamsterNamedCupcakee You are mental

[@harrywoodman2988]

actually, I was a chemist working in an entomology lab making pheromones and karomones for a variety of studies. Someone managed to forget a small amount of a cockroach pheromone open on a lab bench on a Friday evening, when I opened the well lit door into the dark lab, I was greeted by a large flying swarm of American cockroaches of rather large sizes and vigorous flight... so yes, I have seen roaches fly, unfortunately

[@davidec.4021]

Jesus christ that must be someone’s recurring nightmare

[@DD-kc6hg]

Stuff of literal nightmare

[@asfanshirim9769]

The point is not seeing them flying. Seeing them jumping.

[@spvillano]

I've saw American roaches fly quite a few times, as they're indoor-outdoor insects in the US south. Confounding them, frequently lethally is a common home appliance - a fan. They don't compensate well for breezes and in an indoor environment, which is far more congested than an outdoor one, they'll fatally crash into a wall or other large object. Something of a delight in a Georgia Army barracks... German roaches, thankfully, don't fly, they simply control their landing with wingstrokes. For being rid of them, I recommend a couple of grams of antimatter from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

[@ariannasv22]

If I ever saw that at work I would just go back home for the day

[@amoghverma3108]

A slo-mo video can turn even a flying cockroach into a Pegasus

[@superultrabrosepisodesfore7529]

True

[@schmittenanimations179]

I'll admit, this is definitely cool... but I still think they're kind of gross. I think it's that they appear when you least expect them in places you least want them, they're big, and they move really fast ; v ;

[@harrywoodman2988]

if you think that's gross, you can buy a radio transmitter kit to make your very own remote control cockroach... really, its commercially available and you can do the simple "surgery" all on your own to make your very own cockroach cyborg with remote control driving!!!!!

[@ShadowChief117]

To add to that they're not exactly the nicest looking bugs and they tend to signify that something is really dirty

[@astick5249]

@@ShadowChief117 I actually think they are rather cute

[@TheStraightestWhitest]

@@astick5249 You're a Demon.

[@asdrgfbnpoq9788]

:ø

[@danbo409]

I've always had a deep, irrational fear of roaches (and other bugs, but roaches are by far the worst). Sometimes it can be hard to even see cartoon depictions of them without panicking. This video was so soothing, informative, and made with so much care that it helped see roaches in a new way without immediate fear. Thank you for sharing your work; as someone who has always feared bugs, it has helped learn more about them, their biology, the way they move, what they actually look like--all at a safe distance. Knowledge is the enemy of fear, and seeing bugs this close and in slow motion has helped give me a sense of familiarity and curiosity about these organisms that I don't think I would have had otherwise.

[@-beee-]

Big relate. Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@Mrdestiny17]

My favorite book series is Gregor the Overlander, in it there are large cockroaches about 4 feet in length. They speak in broken english and are honestly some of my favorite characters in the series. So I've always had a soft spot for them. If I find one in the house I'll catch and release it outside instead of killing it

[@94D33M]

As a male, I have a huge fear of cockroaches, that my male friends make fun of me....I've started watching videos of cockroaches for 5 mins everyday and started to see them as just normal insects living their life just like any other insect. I had to convince myself it's not as scary my brain perceives it to be

[@ksh2596]

I've grown up in a tropical area, in a badly built house that would be filled with roaches in the summer. The fear is real. I'm uncomfortable just typing this

[@zealkurusuthegatorman5439]

Major Relatable. Roaches freaks me out!

[@Erufailon42]

As someone growing up in Japan where "gokiburi" were pretty common, I know that roaches can fly. And it may be awesome, but as a kid it was HORRIFYING!

[@user-or4cj8bi3v]

Imma Japanese fellow living near the mountain and I know your feelings. They were my nightmare fuel when I was a kid.

[@Alephbeth17]

Gokiburi looks like tagame (giant water bug). Tagame also can fly and quite common to see in Japan. Do you think tagame is terrifying too?

[@user-or4cj8bi3v]

@@Alephbeth17 Water bugs are endangered species in Japan nowadays so I have never seen the wild ones actually. I only saw them on pet shops and asian cuisine market, but I think they look rather cool than disgusting for some reason. I guess it's because their frontal legs are similar to those of praying mantis. Maybe that's why.

[@Erufailon42]

@@Alephbeth17 I never encountered tagame in Japan. We have relatives of them here in Norway, and I hear they sting pretty hard.

[@sivakasiberlin]

@@Erufailon42 and u r not scared anymore when they fly?

[@thatguythatlikesdeadthings1625]

Anyone from the south should know this. But they're huge and we call them "water bugs". They live under manhole covers and during heavy rains it disturbs them and they try to come inside. My mother's husband is from the UK and never expected the flight. The first time he saw one he freaked because of it's size and went to get a shoe. His slow approach from behind as it was on the wall was a mistake. It flew directly into his face. I've never met a man with such a deep voice produce such a shrill scream before. For reference, I'm from Texas. These flying dickheads are a common sight

[@Chris47368]

😂

[@hir7038]

Idk why but most of them aim to you when they fly, but some of them go to your face, it's gross and scary

[@Meraxes6]

We had “palmetto bugs” in florida, which are really just huge flying roaches. Ugh. And hissing cockroaches are a thing too, they’re terrifying.

[@Chris47368]

@@Meraxes6 I quite like hissing roaches, they a non pest species and they mostly eat vegetation and general vegetation based detritus. They also are a massive contributer to the rainforest ecosystems the belong to. I also find their hissing defense mechanism more funny than anything - afaik they cant fly either. They also make excellent feeder bugs to other insects and more exotic pets too due their cheapness to maintain, feed and the high speed of reproduction within kept colonies. Much of what I said goes for dubia roaches too - except the hissing defence mechanism.

[@nightmarecrimson9121]

Oh boy... My little sister has so scared of Water Bugs because one time it landed on her back of her hair and she spun around yelling up a storm. She sometimes come into my Room to sleep soundly because I keep my room clean as a spot.

[@AquaMouse100]

I really appreciate how you talk about bugs. A lot of people talk about bugs in a very sensationalising way, which doesn’t help my phobia at all. You talk about them like any other animal, instead of some terrifying boogeyman!

[@silverfox9004]

I agree! those guys that put a negative look on their documentaries for bugs are so annoying

[@KP3droflxp]

True. A lot of documentaries try to savour this mostly irrational fear many people have.

[@dawnmichelle4403]

Never thought I'd find something beautiful about roaches, but those wings are amazing!

[@scrums173]

🤢🤢🤢

[@theboyinthedark6521]

WHAT🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@whopperr]

They look cool but kinda gross

[@theboyinthedark6521]

@@whopperr kinda? If you get bullied I hope you understand why

[@Dynamo69420]

@@theboyinthedark6521 stop discrimination against cockroaches, they are also insects. Pretty sure he sanitized the setup before recording them.

[@hyperactivehyena]

Anybody else have a love hate thing with roaches? From a distance they're awful, but close up they just have such nice little faces and personable little attitudes... IDK maybe Joe's Apartment screwed me up as a kid lol

[@SargR]

i always appreciated the roach's physical capabilities, but now i admire their strange grace even more. I'll still probably squish one if it invades my home, don't need any graceful infestations.

[@ven950]

I love your stuff so much, especially this - these wonderful shots and crisp footage can really open minds to how beautiful a bug seen as "disgusting" actually is. Their flight form is stunning.

[@7thangelad586]

Your films are unbelievable! I love to see the intimate and secret lives of insects. I’ve seen a lot of ladybugs in my home lately since the weather is cold. Will you consider some ladybug footage in the future? They’re such entertaining and beautiful little critters :)

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

Yeah they're beautiful until they stab you with their mouth 😖

[@Nutririana]

todos somos valientes hasta que la cucaracha vuela

[@melissak.8385]

with no judgment of this resilient lil' guy, if we were seeing him for the first time...we might say "gorgeous wings" 😄 beautiful antennae you got there!

[@SJHFoto]

I had no idea that roaches use their hind legs like that! Thanks, AntLab. Between you and AntsCanada (who really does focus almost exclusively on ants) I am learning new things (and I've been interested in insects for well over 40 years)

[@cicadeus7741]

Roaches are... underrated. Theyre social, and clever, and rather pretty with their lacewing-like heads and fine wings. They may be a pest, and my mom may cry hysterically upon seeing one, but i find these silky little buggers genuinely interesting.

[@billl2903]

Every time I watch these, I wonder if studies like this will ever have industrial or robotics applications. Especially the the leaf hopper mechanics, and how their leg jumps were basically spring loaded and gear aligned.

[@smileawhile3788]

I never would've thought I'd find a cockroach interesting or fun to watch but you pulled it off. Amazing video!

[@KP3droflxp]

Goolge colourful roaches

[@TateNations]

Please never stop doing these! This footage looks sooo good.

[@jamiestevener1248]

My daughter and I love these videos! Thank you for sharing such a cool thing that we didn’t know about roaches! Excellent filming and content!

[@splintmeow4723]

No hecking way! Such a treat, thank you for these! As much as I’d dislike them in my proximity, love what roaches do for the environment ❤️ Oh can you collaborate with journey to the microcosms somehow? Would be the ultimate collaboration 👀

[@oneminutebugs]

Great footage as always. Your videos show us all these amazing insect movements that happen in the blink of an eye, but slowed down look so graceful (apart from the face planting cockroach!).

[@dixiederivatives]

As always thanks for your awesome research! You just gave everyone a positive appreciation for roaches!

[@CMZneu]

Great video! as always.

[@hp.a.]

You're doing an amazing job. This is original, even unique. Keep up the great work.

[@ulrikchristiansen]

Do keep making these videos. It is a chance for all to see how amazing animals can be. Thanks very much!

[@CamponicoAnts]

Love your content and the way you film things ❤ Thank you!

[@inhkuarofdnour274]

Underrated channel.

[@Domzdream]

You clips are so awesome!! I always look forward to new clips! 👍

[@81leadbelly]

I love what you all are up to soooo much!!! I adore every video, especially this one! I remember seeing my 1st cockroach when I moved to Toronto! I was shocked when it jumped! I didn't know they could! The ones in Toronto look like light brown crickets and the jumping made me think it WAS a cricket at first! Insects are so cool!

[@ColdIronCoyote]

Very cool. Knew they had wings, never seen them in use.

[@isaaclim8645]

Well you're lucky then because I've had them land on me

[@mauart.7893]

@@isaaclim8645 yep that is gross and scary all in once.

[@isaaclim8645]

@@mauart.7893 and i was wearing my uniform at work so i had to maintain my composure lol

[@TheStraightestWhitest]

I've had them fly past, over, and right into me. Spain has more flying ones than non flying ones.

[@foramagasobeselettucepurpl6911]

@@isaaclim8645 Same. Landed on my sandwich while I was taking a bite.

[@metaphysicalmonsters3667]

What gorgeous animals! Up close their colors are so striking

[@pavankumarbareedu6086]

You've done an amazing job like you always do. This is just fantastic.

[@karonesechannel2599]

3:30 That jump is really cool tho, especially that he used the wings like an airplane's brake for stopping him

[@MrCatman6]

Useful, important research. much appreciated

[@dandruff6825]

High quality content. You deserve more subscribers!

[@FreddyBNL]

Good factual presentation, very well documented, structured and concise, which makes it a pleasure to watch.

[@just4uamnda]

Superb video! Thanks!

[@marlonochoaj]

You're a hero man. You're going where no man has gone before.

[@pikminfan6778]

Everybody gangsta till the cockroach start flyin.

[@scrug3708]

All the long-legged insects can flex their perfect jumps as much as they want, but I loved that roaches face plant. Good recovery, too.

[@jamesl9520]

I work in pest control. Love learning all I can. This was a great video thank you

[@singingmonstersofficial]

So roaches do fly.. New fear unlocked: *Flying Roaches.*

[@adamoore8073]

I love roaches! And I didn't know there was a jumping species either. That's really cool! Im excited to see more roach content

[@alejandrocastro211]

your work is beyond awesomeness

[@MrRudyc]

Thanks for this and all your hard work.

[@hypnohypnohypno97]

SO CUTE!!! My new favourite vid on yt! 🧡

[@dastanghaedrahmati6977]

I always wondered why some roaches fly and others don't. with a little bit of search I found out that apparently they're from a group of insects that don't get their wings until they have fully matured. great video as always. as gross as they can be they truly are fascinating

[@e.s.4184]

This is actually true of pretty much all insects! Only the adult stages get to fly.

[@Tasymantis]

not gross at all

[@robertmacpherson9044]

Splendid, as always!

[@porsche558]

Your videos are always fascinating! I will say this doesn’t make me dislike roaches any less LOL!

[@bacon_sammich2845]

You have excellent content, I love your videos, keep up the great work!

[@-beee-]

I'm more than a little afraid of roaches, but this helps me to appreciate them. Thank you for making these extraordinary videos!

[@belaoxmyx298]

Definitely puts jumping flying roaches in a way that most never considered. These slo mo videos make even disgusting insects interesting. Can’t wait until we see the next video

[@Domzdream]

So much complex information travels throughout the insect. It knows that the first two legs have to gauge the distance to the back leg and the drag of the body forward to prepare the back legs to propel it forward for a final jump. And look how it’s antenna are always gathering information of its environment.

[@TunaFreeDolphinMeat]

More videos more often please. Great stuff.

[@kujojotarostandoceanman2641]

this is so cool and majestic thank you

[@iridescent7816]

The first roach jump was so cute, though the second one looked like it was going to bash its head on the ledge rather than jump the gap. :'D

[@MyWildBackyard]

If you look at their wings, abdomens and legs, you can really see how they're related to mantises. Look up bark mantises, or even those Metallyticus splendidus, it's like a missing link. How does one get ahold of a slow-motion camera like this? I'd love to give it a try on some nature documentaries myself!

[@chriscanal999]

freaking awesome video

[@vinceknowseverything]

Amazing Work👍🏻

[@eetuthereindeer6671]

This is the best channel ever i swear 😂❤❤❤ awesome 👍👍

[@henryettoit897]

this is really high quality content

[@paulus0109]

Very cool done. Thnx.

[@AudreysKitchen]

This is really awesome.. roaches usually make me just grossed out, but here they actually look beautiful.

[@electraruby4078]

I really admire your gift of obsevation. Your life must be endlessly fascinating

[@IHCOYT]

Wow. So many interesting facts about roaches. There is always so much more to learn!

[@KP3droflxp]

Really cool video. Would love it if you could also film some of the thousands of non-pest species. Roaches are such great animals but the focus is alway on those few species that chose the unfortunate path of infesting homes.

[@calhun1567]

Class mate!

[@matthewxcountry]

Can you do the common Australian cockroach? It is a fairly strong flyer and flies quite regularly compared to the American and German roaches.

[@AntLab]

I do plan on filming some stronger-flying species! One thought we've had is that they might not jump to start their flights like all of the species in this video.

[@simplepixel5617]

This is disgustingly fascinating!

[@pato40000]

Siiiiiii! Por favor, haz más videos de cucarachas... Poco a poco las cucarachas van ganando mi corazón =) (especialmente las más exóticas que poseen colores llamativos)

[@dianahellman9254]

Fascinating! Do you think the authors of the original paper will be interested in your findings?

[@arajaraj100]

So strange. Such beautiful creations.

[@IvanIvanov-ug5dc]

3:00 - It is clear when you explain it to me, before that I wouldn't dream to explore in such details: they jump, it's all. It is an excellent thing to have a good explanation. I always thought that cockroaches couldn't fly or even jump. I knew that they can fall and run after that without any visible damage. It was very interesting.

[@astick5249]

Im gunna love this one!

[@erivida64]

That smoky brown lookes nightmarish, and who thought roaches couldn't jump? Coming originally from the tropics, I could've told you that they did, if you could decipher my terrified sobs.

[@neelxgo]

Magnificent as long as it's flying in the video only

[@AmpleWise]

they shows a bit more complex action than a leap roach, creating a momentum before making final jump, just like we do before jumping vertically, great footage and insight, thanks :)

[@sendoserra3470]

Nature is fantastic, thanks

[@Kain59242]

Cool footage, but I feel like the article was making a distinction about jumping being that species *main* form of locomotion, not that no other cockroach species can jump at all.

[@Varangian_af_Scaniae]

The Roaches jump is really elegant. Great you filmed it (preservation for the future) because now it's time to exterminate them.

[@samhaines8228]

may be a useful kinesiological model for robotics. fascinating in any event. beautifully filmed

[@saalamin1869]

Who doesn't know cockroaches can fly , have seen them flying and terrifying people for years. Not just only short burst of flught , they can fly quiet well if they need to.

[@kori7286]

Roaches don’t get enough credit. I’ve gained a massive appreciation for them after taking an entomology class.

[@wolfgirljw]

They're strangely beautiful.

[@DanielPetukhin]

Seems like you have publishable material :) do you publish papers? Also, the music resembles that of Ben Prunty. Am I right?

[@sunlizard9593]

These roaches are well trained getting them to jump like that

[@Gabriel.asmodeus]

Everybody's gangsta until big roach starts to fly

[@redharrier8273]

Cockroaches are intelligent and really quite cool. The large brown eggcase that the female lays is like a little clutch purse filled with tiny eggs lined up tightly one next to the other. It's fascinating to see how much trouble she goes to camouflage the egg after attaching it to her surface of choice. It's unfortunate that humans and roaches (and rodents like mice and rats) are at odds with each other.The pesticides we use to kill them kill slowly and cruelly - it takes a roach days to die as its nervous system fails after coming in contact with the commonly used pesticides. I'm very glad that your lab has decided to offer them a spot in the limelight! Would you please consider highlighting how they eat and show us close-ups of their mouthparts, if possible?

[@nikanyxspitzer]

Literally everyone’s worst nightmare.

[@HaxxorElite]

They look pretty cute

[@starscream548]

Could you please do a video on Madagascar hissing roaches, and maybe even the mites that live on their face

[@crossoverqueen1775]

I find a lot of roaches cute. They're just trying to live just like us, though I definitely wouldn't want them in the house unless they were a snackrifice for my lizard. And the only roaches I feed him are dubia roaches from the pet store. I've always found them fascinating and would often go outside at night during the summer and try and catch the ones that appeared on the sidewalk or in the grass. I'm not sure what kind they were, but my mom *hates* them!

[@obsidiancakes634]

I was legit just recently looking for slow motion roach flight footage

[@johnmurdoch8534]

Roaches are wonderful. Most roaches will do a hop..and in the right wind conditions they can do a considerable glide. Smaller roaches do genuinely fly, like Panchlora nivea. On that note id love to see a roach flying compilation with the exotics. Like nivea or a blaberus species.

[@astick5249]

I love the way it pushes itself forwards 0:18

[@simonsays5587]

As always 👍👍 don't mind the beauty of roaches. Do mind waiting so long for the next Antlab😁🖐️

[@TaraTheFox]

We have a lot of the smokey browns here. I still remove them from the house with prejudice, but I've been admiring their dark red brown carapace lately, and the cute white stripe on their first instar :)

[@tamirbahar]

Does the jumping roach from the paper exhibit the same leg-repositioning behaviour?