Here is a bit more about Cucarachas or why is the kitchen floor moving?
Last night after doing battle with the "Mother of all Cucarachas," I spotted an article that was quite interesting. It is one of those...Wow, I didn't know that.... Well, here is a little story I came up about it... enjoy.
WHY IS THE KITCHEN FLOOR MOVING AGAIN?
Why is the kitchen floor moving again? Remember when you were living in the old Canal Zone and you would make a raid on the fridge. But before you turn on the lights in the kitchen...the floor seem to move! Yes, those were those pesky "Cucarachas" doing their thing! They have survived over 327 million years! Some say that it drove the dinosaurs batty and that is why they stroll into the tar pits. I don't know but consider this...why did Nero really set fire to Rome? Look here he had a big infestation problem with "Cucarachas." Since he was at the end of his rope he decided to take drastic and extreme measures. But the cucarachas survived that inferno of Rome and they also survived our 24/7 fight against them in the Canal Zone.
Have you ever wondered how the cucarachas know you have entered a room? How do they do it? Well, there are some scientist at the NEC Research Institute in Princeton, New Jersey have found the answer. It is simple really. Oh, by the way New Jersey is where old engine 299 hangs out and the New Jersey battleship will soon be on display for all to see and enjoy.
Well, let's get back to the cucarachas. We really expended lots of chemicals on them. From the simple flit guns to camphor (moth balls) balls. The other night I spotted a large cucaracha in our kitchen when Gloria turned on the lights. Of course she went bananas. She started yelling for me to come to the attack and save her from this pesky bug. Well, it must have hitched a ride in her luggage from Panama because it was the big "Momma!" And oh, how I hate them. Do you know that if you take the head off a Cucaracha it can still have sex and live for 10 to 12 days...yes, Mon. It doesn't die from old age it dies of hunger. See without its head it can't eat, but it can do everything else like drop all those awful brown tracks over books, important papers, china and wherever it pass it leaves its calling card. It is just awful!
Now these scientists in New Jersey have discovered that the Cucaracha has an organ that most other bugs lack. This organ consists of two horn-shaped appendages that protrude from the rear part of the body. These gizmos are covered with 200 or more microscopic hairs. These hairs are like sensors that can pick up changes in wind patterns caused by a person charging with an old shoe, slipper, and newspaper...you get the idea. They know you are coming for you have created wind velocity changes by entering the kitchen. Sure that large cylinder egg they drag about until they find a really good place to put it hampers some of them. Then it is applied with a substance that holds like crazy glue. It will never come off! Maybe a little dynamite...Now consider this, the canal diggers setting off dynamite charges in the early days of construction...wow, it must have rained cucarachas from the skies.
So, the cucarachas sense the wind direction changes from its built in sensor hairs and thus know which direction to jump or scurry in its escape from you the predator in this case. Of course there is always an "Albino Cucaracha" that things it will take you on. It holds its ground as the rest of the troop scurries for cover. Meanwhile it stands there twitching its antennae. Oh, those are really awful when you mash them. All kinds of green-brown-white gooey stuff goes everywhere. The only way to clean up the mess is by using some bleach to really wipe down the area.
The weapons of choice against the pesky cucarachas in Panama were flit guns, but it has come to my attention just recently that the best way to kill a cucaracha (cockroach) is to foil its wind indicator by using the old reliable vacuum cleaner. But if I remember...when I was a little kid that weapon had not arrived on the scene as yet. There were no..... vacuum cleaners in the Canal Zone for us. We had the pump and ready flit guns with DDT!
Wow, we have really come a long way and so has the pesky cucaracha! Next time you catch a pesky cucaracha in the open draw your Dirt Devil! You may just zap it before it escapes to places unknown. Remember if the kitchen floor moves it is not your eyes you could be entertaining a bunch of pesky cucarachas. So, arm yourselves. Have vacuum Cleaner will travel! It is a jungle out there, so be careful! The war goes on! It is "Mano a Mano" .........You got the mid-watch!
