When Betty Lane Faber '66 was a little girl, she didn't like cockroaches. When she was an undergraduate at William and Mary, she still didn't like cockroaches, but she did take Dr. Robert Black's cell biology class, where she learned about the circadian rhythm of insects. In other words, she discovered insects have similar daily patterns to humans -- they rest during particular parts of the day and are active during other specific time periods.
"I became fascinated by the fact that any life form can tell time," she recalls.
After she completed her undergraduate studies, Faber enrolled in Rutgers University's graduate zoology program, where she decided to pursue the same subject she had discovered in Black's class. At Rutgers she also had the opportunity to take part in a graduate studies program that would allow her to further research circadian rhythm and help pay her tuition. But there was a catch -- the insect she would have to work with was, you guessed it, the cockroach.
"When I found out cockroaches could pay my way, I decided I was more afraid of debt than I was of cockroaches," says Faber. She stuck it out, earning a master's in zoology and a Ph.D. in entomology from Rutgers.
Today, Faber, an entomologist who is a consultant for the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, N.J., is one of the foremost experts on cockroaches in the country. She has appeared on PBS and other television programs and has held several teaching positions over the years at the high-school and university levels.
One cockroach species that Faber has studied closely is the American roach, a large, mahogany-colored insect that is actually pretty common in Williamsburg. Faber explains that this particular roach is believed to have originated in the Nile River area and thrives in damp, warmer climates. The American cockroach and other pest roaches have been just as successful as the growing human population.
Furthermore, when we try to kill cockroaches, we actually may be helping them thrive -- as the weaker roaches die off while the stronger roaches survive. An example of this, says Faber, is the use of chemicals that ward off pests. "Cockroaches develop a resistance to pesticides," she says. "Every 20 years or so the companies making these products have to change their pesticides."
Another thing to note is that as the human population has increased, the cockroach population has enjoyed similar prosperity. Like the American cockroach, most household roaches like warm indoor environments. Consequently, more homes equal more cockroaches.
But, Faber explains, an increasing cockroach population is not cause for alarm.
"There are a lot of urban myths about cockroaches," says Faber. "If there was a nuclear war, roaches would be blown away too." She also explains that they won't occupy a reasonably well-kept residence in great numbers. "If you were a college student and one of your dormmates was messy enough to attract a lot of cockroaches, you would probably kick him out long before they became a problem," Faber jokes.
According to Faber, cockroaches like to occupy a familiar space. "If you see a cockroach on top of your refrigerator one day and another one the next day, chances are he is the same roach," she says.
Faber has also observed that male cockroaches stay out later than females. "They're really active between 8 p.m. and midnight," she says. "But by 1-2 a.m. there is not much activity."
And whether they're male or female, cockroaches don't provide for each other, says Faber. However, if a large roach is eating, younger roaches will often share the meal. She also says cockroaches like to eat crickets.
Today, many people feel much like Faber used to feel about cockroaches: they don't like them. But Faber says that trying to rid the world of the roach could be a huge mistake.
"This world is a complex place. We're changing it and we don't always know we're changing it," she says. "In the natural environment, there is definitely a place for cockroaches. If you remove something, how will it affect us? It's a terribly intricate thing and we're beginning to see that things are interconnected."
Much of Faber's work today at Liberty Science Center involves educating people about insects, including the cockroach. "The Science Center tries to foster an appreciation of science among primarily young people -- but really everybody," says Faber. "You can learn science here, but it also gives you a leg up, enough knowledge to give you an interest to go out and further explore."
At the Science Center, there is an insect zoo that contains insects and their relatives such as spiders, scorpions, millipedes and cockroaches -- among many others. While some of these creatures may sound intimidating, Faber says the Center strives to make it a comfortable environment for the insects as well as the people who visit.
"At home it's like they're invading your space," she says. "Here, you set it up so it's not threatening, you make it OK."
The Liberty Science Center is currently housed a couple of miles away from its regular facility while that building undergoes an expansion. The Center currently features an exhibit called Eat and be Eaten, which includes several kinds of cockroaches. To learn more, visit www.lsc.org.
Just Off DoG Street profiles William and Mary graduates who are pursuing work most might consider to be unique -- that is, just off the beaten path.
