TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A new study published in the journal Science revealed that several species of cockroach have evolved to hate sugary sweets. They consider the taste of glucose to be something to avoid, as it has been an ingredient in some cockroach traps used to eradicate them.
According to the scientists, glucose sets off bitter taste receptors for some cockroach species, which made them avoid food that causes this reaction and to avoid the traps containing glucose. The gene that causes the cockroaches to avoid glucose is passed down to their offspring.
Julie Silverman, an entomologist from North Carolina State University, discovered the glucose aversion during a bait test.
Coby Schal, another entomologist at North Carolina State University, who is also one of the study's authors, stated that when prehistoric cockroaches lived in the wild, they also tend to avoid poisoned glucose found in particular plants. When human being started to combine glucose and poison to kill cockroaches, they started the ancient reaction again.
The scientists also recorded a video which shows cockroaches avoiding a spill of jam containing glucose, and the cockroaches chose to eat a spill of peanut butter instead. Scientists found that seven out of nine cockroaches do not like sweets.
Guardianlv.com | ANINDYA LEGIA PUTRI
