Cockroaches are among the planet’s most resilient creatures. They can withstand extreme levels of radiation, near-freezing temperatures, and even decapitation.  Cockroaches have existed for more than 300 million years, and it doesn’t look like global climate change is going to bother them at all. A new study conducted at the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium reveals an additional advantage the not-so-popular insects have when it comes to survival: personalities.

Researchers monitored American cockroach behavior in a controlled environment where the bugs were provided shelter and periodically exposed to light.  Cockroaches are known for their aversion to luminescence as well as their tendency to congregate –- which is why they scurry to huddle under shelter when you turn on the light. But the Université Libre de Bruxelles study showed that some individuals immediately took cover, while others remained in the light and explored a little before finally seeking shelter. Cockroaches that immediately sought shelter were considered cautious, while the individuals that remained exposed were considered audacious.  If one of the cautious cockroaches found shelter rather quickly, it would encourage others to do the same, which reduced the total time needed for all individuals to be hidden.

Isaac Planas, the lead researcher, explained that each cockroach was responsible for its choice of whether to rest in shelter or remain exposed, setting them apart from other insects that act in accordance to social hierarchy. Interestingly, an individual’s decision seemed to influence the entire group, but all cockroaches took shelter by the end of each experiment. 

Planas finds the behavior “amazing” because it suggests that cockroaches are individuals capable of reaching a consensus. This is a behavior typically found in advanced species, such as humans (if not those in Congress).

Individual personalities increase a species’ chance of survival because they allow for a greater range of responses to a particular disaster. Personalities are also essential in influencing others to follow a potentially safer course of action.  This explains why cockroaches have been so evolutionarily successful. 

It may also mean that they are future-proofed against the current climate crisis. If humans survive as well, they are sure to have familiar company in the new world of their making.