14 Facts About Household Pests We Can't Unlearn
![14 Facts About Household Pests We Can't Unlearn](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/7/6/864076_320x180.jpg)
Pests: can’t live with them. Can’t find affordable housing in a big city without them.
If you’re not a millionaire, we bet you’ll have to live with at least one of these in your life. And, not to brag, but with our headquarters based in Brooklyn, we at Cracked have become something of pest and rodents experts. We have (separately) lived with an array of pests. It’s all terrible, but we feel especially empathetic to those of you dealing with bedbug or rat infestations. May the bites be light and all the pesticides be with you in your time of need.
Until you’ve committed mass species genocide to protect your home from any infestations, you might as well get to know the furry or leggy enemy you’re living with. So here are 14 facts about common pests to disgust and unnerve you…or maybe even make you feel bad for their untimely demise.
The largest cockroach in the world is called the Megaloblatta longipennis (yes, really)
![The largest cockroach in the world is called the Megaloblatta longipennis (Natural size) Megaloblatta longipennis It can grow up to almost four inches, with an eight-inch wingspan. Not the kind of longipennis we want in our life. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/1/2/863912.jpg)
Source: Guinness World Record
Termite queens can live for up to 20 years
![Termite queens can live for up to 20 years The longest-living queen is that of the Macrotermes bellicosus species. In comparison, workers only live up to a few months. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/2/864062.jpg)
Source: Smithsonian
Some people can smell ants
![Some people can smell ants Jury's out on whether it's genetic or just that some people are just paying more attention to the many chemical signals ants release. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/5/6/864056.jpg)
Source: PopSci
Rats may have empathy
![Rats may have empathy In a choice between rescuing another trapped rat or eating tasty food, researchers have shown a rat will help another. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/1/3/864013.jpg)
Source: PBS
Even ants need work-life balance
![Even ants need work-life balance The bigger the colony of ants, the less active ants become. Lazy ants use fewer resources and make the colony collectively more productive. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/5/6/863956.jpg)
Source: ScienceDaily
Fabric softener sheets repel gnats
![Fabric softener sheets repel gnats In one study, researchers found that fungus gnats didn't care for dryer sheets, specifically Bounce Outdoor Fresh Scent. Maybe it was a biased study, or maybe gnats just really hate the idea of soft clothing. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/5/1/863951.jpg)
Source: ScienceDaily
Dog fleas jump higher than cat fleas
![Dog fleas jump higher than cat fleas Dog fleas and cat fleas are two separate species. Cat fleas are the most common flea, and can live on both cats and dogs. (Confusing, we know.) CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/7/5/864075.jpg)
Source: National Library of Medicine
Bedbugs evolved more than 100 million years ago
![Bedbugs evolved more than 100 million years ago The worst bedmates were around during the time of dinosaurs. Forget about respecting your elders. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/4/5/863945.jpg)
Source: Current Biology
The next best thing: bedbugs love our dirty laundry
![Bedbugs love our dirty laundry If they can't get to us, bedbugs prefer soiled, human-smelling clothes over clean clothes. So stop airing your dirty laundry while traveling, and seal your В.О. clothes up tight. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/4/9/863949.jpg)
Source: Scientific Reports
Alberta, Canada, is the largest inhabited area that is rat-free
![Alberta, Canada, is the largest inhabited area that is rat-free The city's rat control measures are actually working. And don't think about bringing any in...owning a pet rat can cost you $5000. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/3/2/863932.jpg)
Source: Mental Floss
Sexually rejected fruit flies drink more alcohol
![Sexually rejected fruit flies drink more alcohol When female fruit flies reject their sexual advances, male flies drink far more than their sexually satisfied peers. Let's just hope they don't discover the incel subreddit anytime soon. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/2/7/863927.jpg)
Source: UCSF
Cockroaches can make decisions collectively
![Cockroaches can make decisions collectively They are even stronger together because of differences in their personalities. It'd be a beautiful lesson if they weren't so gross. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/2/5/863925.jpg)
Source: Behavioral Process
Uptown vs. downtown rats in NYC are genetically different
![Uptown vs. downtown rats in NYC are genetically different Rats that live north of 59th Street are genetically different than those that live south of 14th Street. Like true New Yorkers, they tend to stay close to where they were born. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/2/4/863924.jpg)
Source: NPR
Termites are highly evolved cockroaches
![Termites are highly evolved cockroaches Cockroaches and termites share a common ancestor and, after a molecular analysis, geneticists proved they are basically just social cockroaches...in case you wanted a reason to be even more grossed out by them. CRACKED NOW YOU KNOW](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/9/1/9/863919.jpg)
Source: Gizmodo