Why do some people smell cockroaches?

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The sense of smell, like other senses, varies from person to person. This becomes clear when we stop to think about how many types of perfumes there are, and how each individual perceives them.

The way people smell depends on the way certain amino acids are arranged in their genes. We have about 400 genes responsible for smell, resulting in approximately 900,000 amino acid variations.

Therefore, it is common that not everyone smells the same way. It is possible that some people do not feel anything. On the other hand, there are people who say they can smell insects hiding in their home, such as cockroaches and ants. Is this correct? Let's find out!

The smell of each ant depends on its type

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If you're part of the team of people who smell ants, you've probably noticed that they don't smell very good. However, this can vary from one type to another. According to ant expert Clint Bennick of Kennesaw University, there are more than 13,000 species of ants, and one way to accurately distinguish them is through smell. However, not all of them have a smell that is perceptible to the human nose.

Benecke divides ant odors into four types. The first are ants of this type Lasius interjected that it Lasius Clavigerwhich smells similar to citronella, and according to the researcher, it emits this smell to make itself less appetizing to the noses of predators.

The second type, and also the most common, is ants. Tapenoma is sessile It usually appears in our homes. To a researcher, their smell falls somewhere between blue cheese and rancid butter. The third type is ants Formica that it camponotuswhich smells similar to formic acid and can repel bears when they gather to inhale their scent.

The last smell proves that ants do not live on bad odors alone. to Odontomachus It smells like chocolate.

Cockroaches also have a smell

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Cockroaches use scent to communicate with each other, which is also common among ants. To warn their mates of the presence of food, predators, or even potential breeding mates, they exhale their not-so-pleasant scent.

Furthermore, if you smell cockroaches but don't see them, it's best to treat the area for pests. This is because there is likely a cockroach nest nearby, as they use urine and feces to mark their territory. Ultimately, people who don't smell ants and cockroaches don't know how lucky they are!