02:21

Cockroach expert in the Philippines aims to help others appreciate misunderstood bug

The soft-spoken 31-year-old scientist has been dubbed the ‘cockroach lord’ and is credited with discovering 15 roach species.

Published: 9:00am, 14 Mar 2026

Read more on the story: https://sc.mp/31c5b7

The Philippines’ lone cockroach expert, Cristian Lucanas, says roaches deserve more study – and credit – for their key role in the planet’s ecosystem. Known as the “cockroach lord” for his expertise on the much-maligned bug, Lucanas is credited for discovering 15 cockroach species. The biodiverse Philippines has about 130 known species, three quarters of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

Cockroach expert in the Philippines aims to help others appreciate misunderstood bug

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The soft-spoken 31-year-old scientist has been dubbed the ‘cockroach lord’ and is credited with discovering 15 roach species.

The soft-spoken 31-year-old scientist has been dubbed the ‘cockroach lord’ and is credited with discovering 15 roach species.