why do cockroaches turn on their back when they are dying?

Answer 1

The same reason as spiders, a result of dehydration, starvation or weakness.

creatures with exoskeletons frequently have a primitive muscle/blood flow circulation system tied into each other and it is hydraulic by nature. The natural state of their legs is curled up and a force of exertion combined with the pushing of blood through their legs causes them to straighten. They have fine motor control of this which allows them to move, in fact it's probably unconscious such as the way we move our limbs, the process is lsot on us we jsut know we can do it.

Now, when the insect in question hasn't got enough food or water they grow weak, or with something like old age. So they find it harder to exert to force their legs "open" So imagine their standing on all their legs and can't summon the effort to keep the set on one side open? that side will collapse and they will tip. This causes them to roll over onto their backs. You can try this with a healthy insect and they will tilt and get back up but it's a strain and they use their legs a lot. When they are two weak to do this they are stuck, and frequently die shortly afterwards as they become too weak to right themselves.

Answer 2

For the same reason that most of us our on our backs when we're dying!

Answer 3

Female cockroaches extrude their eggs when they die. I suppose that this is what they're doing when they're on their backs.

Answer 4

They see humans in coffins on their backs... So they want to die as one of us.

Answer 5

I always looked at it, as crying out to God, or praising God, with their hands raised.

Answer 6

they're praying to God in their last few moments.