On one of my recent nature walks I came across the deceased body of an adult Periplaneta americana. They are remarkably large. Compared to all the other insects in the city only the praying mantises beat them. (and the mantises never leave lush gardens, so they rule the streets... did you know the roach & praying mantis are close cousins?)
I thought "that is your real crime you are too large & successful, too swift and athletic you can climb, leap, fly, survive... and we hate you for that."
No ants had come to collect this dead body, so I shuddered thinking of the poison that probably laced it. But the roaches in NYC can make it to adulthood and reproduce before our best death potions kill them.
We really need a different plan. I'm still not a fan, or very sympathetic, but boy oh boy do we kill a lot of more interesting and helpful creatures in a failed bid to slay the roach.
He was dead but I know he'll have a thousand children.
The thin plastic bags get opened up by all sorts of animals.
Rats, seagulls, pigeons, cats, dogs, capybaras, okapi, bald eagles, bobcats, hippos, coyotes, dingos, baboons, honeybadgers, possums, mice, and mountain goats can easily rip them open for the roaches to get in.
They also both come in riots of color, if you look beyond the most common species. Forest roaches can be really beautiful. Light blue and pink... or with polka dots.