Allie Ward

But they both look a little like cockroaches, but obviously we're just not used to interfacing with cockroaches in a way that is benign.

But when they're out in the world, like when they're living in their actual usual habitat and they're not imported into cities and such, are they using that little flat body to scoot under bark?

They're hanging out in leaves like other like burrowing habitats.

Like why that flat round body?

Thank you.

Okay.

And they move so fast.

Do they all move fast in the forest, in subtropical regions?

Can they haul ass like that naturally?

Or is that just something that they're evading a shoe?

And how little are the littlest ones and how big are the biggest ones?

Do they ride them like little ponies?

You can find pictures online, and I did, and this little cutie does in fact live with ants, and they do ride them like ponies, sometimes right on top of their heads, and they look like a little brown beret.

And if you're ready to get obsessed, you can take a gander at the 2021 study by Dr. Zachary Phillips titled, Emigrating Together, But Not Establishing Together, A Cockroach Rides Ants and Leaves.

which explains that the Adophila fungicola miniature cockroach that lives in the nests of Texas leafcutter ants hitchhikes on their winged queens, and it happens during their nuptial flights.

And I also happened upon Dr. Phillips' study

In its dissertation form, I was reading through it, and in the intro, Dr. Phillips states that if it weren't for those meddling cockroaches, I would have studied bees and soils.

Thank you, cockroaches.

You are not meddling.

That was a lie.