What chemical helps to hold groups of cockroaches together?

Aggregation pheromones are chemicals that play a crucial role in social insects, including cockroaches, by facilitating group cohesion and communication. These pheromones are produced and released by individual cockroaches to attract others of the same species, helping to congregate them in a specific location. This behavior is beneficial for various reasons, such as enhancing mating opportunities, increasing foraging efficiency, and providing collective protection from predators.

By attracting other cockroaches, aggregation pheromones help form groups that can better survive in their environment. The presence of these chemicals also influences behaviors that can lead to increased chances of reproduction and resource sharing within a group. Understanding the role of aggregation pheromones is essential in pest control, as disrupting these chemical signals can aid in managing cockroach populations more effectively.

The other options, while related to pheromonal communication, pertain to more specific functions or targets. Pheromone traps are used to capture insects based on specific attractants but do not inherently hold groups together. Sex pheromones are aimed at attracting mates and do not facilitate group formation among individuals. Food pheromones relate to the location of food sources but do not promote the social behavior of grouping like aggregation pheromones do.