Although cockroaches have a pretty bad reputation, there are around 3,500 species of cockroaches in the world, only 30 of which are considered pests! Madagascar hissing cockroaches are among the majority which are completely harmless and don’t take up residence in human homes. Their primary defensive mechanism is the hissing sound that earned them their name; they make this noise by forcefully expelling air from specialized respiratory openings called spiracles. This can scare off potential predators. Although wingless, they are talented climbers, capable of scaling even glass. This allows hissing cockroaches to adeptly navigate the rotting logs and leaf litter in which they forage for decaying matter such as fallen fruit. Their ability to break down debris along the forest floor is vital to the overall health of the ecosystem. Interestingly, hissing cockroaches are ovoviviparous; this means that they carry their eggs internally and then bear live young!