Los Ba?os, Philippines – A thin band of light from Cristian Lucanas’ headlamp pierces the blackness of a Philippine rainforest as he digs through the underbrush before gently scooping up a cockroach with his bare hands.
As the Southeast Asian country’s lone expert on the oft-misunderstood insect — and discoverer of 15 species — friends have dubbed the soft-spoken scientist “Ipis Lord,” after the local name for the ubiquitous bug.
While fully aware most view cockroaches as disgusting, disease-bearing pests, the 31-year-old University of the Philippines entomologist says they deserve more study — and credit — for their key role in the planet’s ecosystem.
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