What is Cockroach?
[[File:Blaberus giganteus MHNT dos.jpg|thumb|upright 1.1|''Blaberus giganteus'']] [[File:Cockroachcloseup.jpg|thumb|upright 1.1|A cockroach.]] [[File:Baltic amber inclusions - Cockroach (Pterygota, Neoptera, Dictyoptera, Blattodea).JPG|right|thumb|upright 1.1|A 40-50 million year-old cockroach in Baltic amber.]] The '''cockroach''' is an [[insect]] of the [[order (biology)|suborder]] Blattaria of the order [[Blattodea]]. There are 4,000 [[species]]. About 30 species invade human homes. This is less than 1% of all the cockroach species. Four species are [[Pest (biology)|pests]]. == Evolutionary history and relationships == The [[Family (biology)|families]] of [[Mantodea]], [[Isoptera]], and Blattaria are usually combined by [[entomologist]]s into a larger group called [[Dictyoptera]]. Current evidence strongly suggests that [[termite]]s have evolved directly from true cockroaches, and many authors now consider termites to be in the family of cockroaches.<ref>{{cite news |title=Termites are 'social cockroaches' |publisher=BBC News | date=13 April 2007 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6553219.stm |accessdate=5 February 2011}}</ref><ref>Eggleton P. et al. 2007. ''Biological Letters'', June 7, cited in ''Science News'' '''171''' p318</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2007/april/news_11364.html |title=Termites are cockroaches after all - Natural History Museum |work=nhm.ac.uk |year=2011 |accessdate=5 February 2011 |archive-date=8 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108000754/http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2007/april/news_11364.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Historically, the name Blattaria has been used largely interchangeably with the name '''Blattodea'''. Blattodea refers to a larger group that includes fossil groups related to roaches, but not true cockroaches themselves.<ref>Grimaldi D 1997. A fossil mantis (Insecta: Mantoidea) in Cretaceous amber of New Jersey, with coments on early history of Dictyoptera. ''American Museum Novitates'' 3204: 1-11</re