1. This study compared the speed, grooming, and seeking behaviors of North and South American cockroaches using the cockroach as a model organism. 2. The researchers recorded and analyzed grooming behaviors in North American cockroaches during 30 minute sessions and found differences in grooming of various body parts. 3. They administered octopamine and vanilla to North American cockroaches and found it increased their grooming behaviors, showing neuromodulation of this behavior.

1. Bridget D. Ortiz1, Gabriella F. Trujillo1, Juan F. Gomez-Molina2, Mauricio Corredor3 and Ulises M. Ricoy1.
1Biol., Northern New Mexico Col., Espanola, NM; 2Intl. Group of Neurosci. IGN · Intl. Group of Neurosci., Medellin,
Colombia; 3Inst. de Biologia, Univ. of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
A comparison of speed, grooming and seeking behavior in North and South
American cockroaches
Background – Conditioning Behavior using the cockroach as a model
organism
Abstract Individual Speed Comparison
Grooming Behavior SEM
Neurobiology of Grooming
Conclusions
Acknowledgments and References
Figure 4: Scanning electron microscope images of nongroomed and groomed
abdomen of Coptotermes formosanus. Pathogenic conidia completely cover the
bases of sensilla (A), groomed abdomen have no conidium on their surface (B).
Insects 2013, 4, 609-630; doi:10.3390/insects4040609
Figure 2: Locomotor and Grooming Behavior in North American and
South American Cockroaches. (A) The individual speed of North
American and South American Cockroaches (n = 10). (B) Grooming
Frequency in the North American Cockroach during 30 minute sessions
(n = 10). (C) Octopamine and Vanilla produce a Positive Conditioned
Place Preference while Ringer’s is neutral and Peppermint produces an
Negative (Aversive) Preference.
Self-grooming is an innate behavior that is displayed by numerous animal
species, such as land vertebrates and arthropods. It is also well known that
grooming behavior in birds and mammals serves not only for hygienic purposes,
but is also recognized as displacement behavior in stressful conditions. Our data
along with few facts reported elsewhere suggests that insects change their
grooming behavior in stressful condition.
Grooming of various body parts is organized in particular sequences, usually
with cephalo-caudal progression (Sachs 1988). Frustrated animals perform
displacement activities that are identified as locomotor behaviors, cleaning
behaviors (e.g. grooming) and manipulation of objects, patterns of which are
often disturbed (Root-Bernstein 2010). Exposure to novelty causes abnormal
patterns and interrupted bouts of grooming in rodents.
1. Utilizing the cockroach as a model organism, we measured
differences in locomotor activity in North and South American
cockroaches.
2. We recorded sessions during grooming behavior in the North
American cockroach and used video off line analysis to quantify
differential grooming of various body parts.
3. We used octopamine and vanilla to modify (increased) grooming
behavior in North American Cockroaches.
This research project was supported from a Neuroscience Education Award from the Grass Foundation which helped support our
cockroach colonies and the purchase of a video camera, NSF STeP provided student research assistantships and laboratory supplies.
NIH UTEP BUILDing Seed Award provided opportunities for other students to join the laboratory.
Root-Bernstein M. (2010), Displacement activities during the honeybee transition from waggle dance to foraging. Animal Behavior.
79(4):935–938. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.01.010.
Sachs, B. D. (1988), The Development of Grooming and Its Expression in Adult Animals. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences,
525: 1–17. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1988.tb38591.x
Zhukovskaya, M. I. (2014). Grooming Behavior in American Cockroach is Affected by Novelty and Odor. The Scientific World Journal,
2014, 329514. http://doi.org/10.1155/2014/329514
Cockroaches represent an excellent model organism for a variety of biological
and biomedical studies, including development, behavior, and neural responses.
Because we can study behavioral mechanisms in cockroaches, we can study
neuromodulation in a variety of different experimental paradigms.
a) Cockroach Apparatus b) South American Male
Figure 1: Conditioned Place Preference and Runway Apparatus in the lab.
a) conditioning apparatus b) South American cockroach. Cockroaches will
be monitored under basal conditions (speed, grooming) and under
experimental manipulation (drug, stress, learning).
Figure 3: Basic scheme of neural circuit of insect grooming. SOG is sub esophageal
ganglion. VNC is ventral nerve cord. Insects 2013, 4, 609-630; doi:10.3390/
insects4040609
Methods
Adult cockroaches Periplaneta americana and Blaptia Dubia were taken from the lab-
maintained colonies. Male last-instar nymphs were taken from the stock colony to the
cage and were reared under 12:12 LD regime at 28 ± 1 °C. Cockroaches were transferred
into the experimental setup where they were kept for at least two weeks prior to tests. The
experiments started in the first half of a dark phase. Water and food were provided ad
libitum.
Cockroaches were tested one by one in the clean Plexiglas test chamber, and their
behavior was recorded by video camera in two 30 min intervals.
In some experiments cockroaches were supplied with octopamine solution 10 min before
the start of recording, water was used as a control.
Video files were processed frame by frame. Obtained data were transferred to Excel for
statistical evaluations.
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
Ringer's OCT (10 mg/ml) Vanilla Peppermint
DifferenceinGrooming
Frequency
Drug Induced Modulation of Grooming in
North American Cockroaches n=10
A.
B.
C.