Researchers Uncover the Longstanding Mystery of the Origin of the Most Common Indoor Urban Pest Insect

Contrary to popular belief, the German cockroach, the origins of which were uncovered by a team of scientists including Warren Booth from Virginia Tech, is not from Germany but is instead believed to have originated approximately 2,100 years ago in Asia. Over 280 specimens from six continents were studied to reach this conclusion. The German cockroach, notorious for its immunity to insecticides and its connection with human settlements, can pose substantial health threats by spreading illnesses and causing allergies and asthma. The photograph was taken by Matthew Bertone and Coby Schal.

The widely accepted idea that the German cockroach originates from Germany has been debunked by scientists. They traced back the origins of this dangerous pest, resistant to insecticides and posing health risks, to Asia around 2,100 years ago. This discovery underscores the global concern surrounding this pest.

An international group of scientists, among which was Warren Booth, a noted entomologist from Virginia Tech, has finally solved the mystery of the German cockroach's origin - a question that had been unanswered for about 250 years. This creature is known to be a common pest found in most indoor urban areas.

According to the team's research findings, derived from genomic analyses of over 280 specimens from 17 countries and six continents, it was revealed that this species evolved from an external species in Asia around 2,100 years ago. The findings were published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.

Despite its name, the German cockroach doesn't originate from Germany, nor is it endemic to any natural setting in the country. As a matter of fact, it appears to have no natural habitat anywhere in the world as it is never found outside human-made structures.

Following its evolution, the German cockroach dispersed from Southeast Asia thanks to human transportation. Along with its rapid spread, it developed a resistance to many insecticides, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to control with over-the-counter pest control products.

Booth points out that the German cockroach is a massive public health concern due to its potential to spread diseases, contaminate food, and trigger allergies and asthma.

The research details regarding the source and global spread of the German cockroach titled, "Solving the 250-year-old mystery of the origin and global spread of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica," can be attributed to Qian Tang, Edward L. Vargo, Intan Ahmad, Hong Jiang, Zuzana Kotyková Varadínová, Pilot Dovih, Dongmin Kim, Thomas Bourguignon, Warren Booth, Coby Schal, Dmitry V. Mukha, Frank E. Rheindt, and Theodore A. Evans. The paper was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on May 20, 2024.