Differential adaptation to water deprivation in first‐instar nymphs of the German cockroach ( Blattella germanica ) and the brown‐banded cockroach ( Supella longipalpa )

This study compares the relative abilities of first‐instar nymphs of the german cockroach ( Blattella germanica L.) and the brown‐banded cockroach ( Supella longipalpa F.) to survive prolonged periods of food and/or water deprivation. S. longipalpa nymphs survived significantly longer than B. germanica nymphs when drinking water was absent, but the advantage of S. longipalpa over B. germanica disappeared if food was also absent. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that S. longipalpa is adapted to drier habitats than is B. germanica , and suggest that S. longipalpa nymphs may be more capable of producing and utilizing extra metabolic water from food than B. germanica nymphs. Evidence from the literature suggests that this species difference applies mainly to juveniles, since adults of B. germanica and S. longipalpa do not differ in ability to withstand water deprivation, regardless of food availability.