This past summer, one of Paoli’s science teachers made an unconventional class pet choice.

Science teacher Melissa Higgins got Madagascar cockroaches in April of 2021. They are mostly used in labs for her AP Biology class in which students make observations to study their behavior.

“I think it is an interesting way to keep students involved and excited about science. Kids like to check the tank and see if the babies are back” said Higgins.

Most of the time it is just the adult cockroaches in the cages, but every sixty days or so they reproduce. Each one can have anywhere from twenty to sixty offspring at a time. The babies can survive in the same living conditions as the adults, and don’t need any extra care.

Higgins plans on keeping them as long as she teaches her AP Biology class. The next time they will be used in a lab is towards the end of the year after all of the AP testing is complete. 

“I think they are pretty cool to have. It’s like having a class pet, but we have class bugs instead!” said junior River Fleming.