How long can a cockroach live without its head?

A cockroach can live for about a week without its head. Due to their open circulatory system, and the fact that they breathe through little holes in each of their body segments, they are not dependent on the mouth or head to breathe. The roach only dies because without a mouth, it can't drink water and dies of thirst.

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88 Comments

Wendy Petty

Someone explain how about a week translates to ten(10) days? In my part of the world a week only has 7 days, so about a week would be about 7 days🙄

Sarah Ivans

My boss must have a little roach in his bloodline.

Joy Holbrook

It’s my belief that if the apocalypse comes, all that will be left is a lift (elevator) full of cockroaches listening to ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ on repeat. 😊😊

Joseph A. Robitaille

I stomp on them and I don't give them a second chance to live.

Irene Townsend

Cockroaches live too long with or without it's head. Horrible things. Don't know which are worse snakes or cockroaches.

Howard Groopman

If you count the one who just moved out of the White House, the correct answer is 4 years.

kevinstreets

Ten days is closer to a week and a half...

lucky57

Foul, disgusting creatures

Armadillo

Carrie Arnold-Marsha week to ten days could be an option.

Armadillo

ebitnet, You got that right.

snowballs

Some politicians have done this for years 🤩

Chris Brown

I had heard that they could live indefinitely if it wasn't for the fact that they needed sustenance and therefore needed a mouth to consume it.

Sybilla

Irene Townsend, cockroaches, no doubt. I cannot decide whether flies are worse than cockroaches. Just in case, if I could I would exterminate both.

rrb rb

RIpleys believe it or not reported a chicken beheaded for cooking survived for over a month. Believe it or not.

kathybenson

If its a week why is the answer 10 days

tyafter

Gotta love it Howard!

Vincent Gatti

Joy Holbrook, and Keith Richards

Susan Lake-Harris

I would be considering the definition of live. It is certainly brain-dead. A definition should be provided...

Irma Rivera

When a cockroach loses its head, its neck generally seal by clotting, so it will not bleed out. This is because roaches have an open circulatory system without vessels that transport the blood!!! And that’s why they’re able to live 1-2 weeks after the head is missing...