Solve the 250-Year-Old Origin Mystery of the Most Common Indoor Urban Pest Insect on the Planet

Scientists have traced the German cockroach’s origins to Asia around 2,100 years ago, debunking the myth of its German origin. This pest, known for its resistance to insecticides and health risks, remains a major global concern.

A team of international scientists, including Virginia Tech entomologist Warren Booth, has solved a 250-year-old mystery regarding the origin of the most prevalent indoor urban pest insect: the German cockroach.

The team’s research findings, representing the genomic analyses of over 280 specimens from 17 countries and six continents, show that this species evolved some 2,100 years ago from an outside species in Asia and were released this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.