this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2024
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[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago (2 children)

PLEASE do cockroaches next. I refuse to believe those monstrosities are capable of good, even tangentially.

[–] FundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zone 32 points 1 month ago (3 children)

If cockroaches went extinct, there would actually be some pretty significant effects on ecosystems. They’re not just pests; they play a crucial role as decomposers. Cockroaches help break down dead organic matter—stuff like leaves, wood, and even dead animals. Without them, you’d start to see a buildup of this kind of waste, and the whole process of nutrient recycling would slow down. This matters because a lot of plants rely on nutrients that get released when organic material decomposes. If that process stalls, it could disrupt plant growth and soil health.

Plus, cockroaches are food for a ton of animals—birds, reptiles, small mammals, and other insects all rely on them. If they disappeared, it would mess with food chains, potentially leading to population drops in species that depend on them. And let’s not forget, cockroaches are also tied into the microbial world. They carry microorganisms that help break down certain materials, so their extinction could mess with those processes too.

So yeah, it’s easy to think the world would be better without them because they’re gross, but in reality, ecosystems would take a pretty big hit if cockroaches went extinct overnight.

[–] CptEnder@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yeah tbh cockroaches get a pass, mosquitoes are an existential threat to our species.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 6 points 1 month ago

A bit of an exaggeration but fuck em.

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

Thanks for this. As much as I hate them, my daughter and I were recently trying to find whether they serve any purpose besides occasionally ruining my life.

[–] Zacryon@feddit.org 2 points 1 month ago

They’re not just pests

*pets

[–] GrammarPolice@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I saw three in the past hour. Two while I was in the shower, and one in the kitchen. I will do anything to have these fuckers extinct

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 0 points 1 month ago

You watch naked cock roaches showering?