Bed bugs are small insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. They can be challenging to get rid of once they’ve infested your home. Many people are curious about what eat bed bugs and resorted to desperate measures to eliminate these pests from their homes. Fortunately, some creatures can help get rid of them, and one of them is cockroaches. But do cockroaches eat bed bugs? The answer is yes. Cockroaches will eat bed bugs if they have the opportunity.As we all know, bed bugs are not on only limited to bed, there are also bed bugs in walls. And, cockroaches, being nocturnal creatures and excellent at finding hidden food sources, may come into contact with bed bugs in various locations within a home or building. In this blog post, we will tackle more about cockroaches and bedbugs, the different kinds of cockroaches that eat bedbugs, and more.
Cockroaches are a nocturnal type of insect that scavenge in the dark when they’re looking for food. They enjoy eating anything, including sweets, meats, and starches. They are also known to consume other items such as hair, books, and decaying matter. Yes – even bed bugs!. Since they both live in dark and damp places, the two insects have a lot of opportunities to get together. In some cases, bedbugs have been known to have their eggs eaten by cockroaches.
Cockroaches have a wide range of food sources, and they can typically live and survive long period without food. However, if you see cockroaches feeding on bed bugs in your home, it is likely a sign of a larger infestation problem and you should call a local pest control company like Forterra.
What Are The Different Kinds Of Cockroach That Eat Bed Bugs?
There are more than 3,500 known kinds of cockroaches. They vary in shapes and sizes from different regions of the world. Some have wings while others don’t; some lay eggs while others carry their eggs inside of them until they are ready to hatch and “give birth” to live young ones. Their diets also vary from one another.
However, not all cockroaches eat bedbugs. There are only a select few that feast on them.
German cockroach
German roaches can be as large or even larger than their American counterparts. They have been known to eat anything with nutritional value, including other pests like bed bugs! These pesky insects easily find their way into new houses by getting a ride in cartons or second-hand appliances.
American Cockroaches
They can feed on almost anything, but their favorite food sources include crumbs scattered around and under appliances, mostly on kitchen cabinets. Outdoor, their diet includes small insects, decaying leaves, fungi, algae, etc.
Oriental Cockroaches
These are the smallest kind of cockroaches in America. They are usually found outside the house but can get into homes through drain pipes or other dark holes that lead to their nests. They typically feed on decaying matter, dead plants, and even bed bugs!
Brown Banded Cockroach
These cockroaches are scavengers that eat almost anything organic, including bodily fluids, decaying matter, and even bedbugs. They love to live in dark, moist places that are warm because they cannot maintain their body heat. So you can typically find them nesting under wallpaper, inside furniture cushions, or appliances.
Cockroaches can help eliminate bedbugs from your home, but they are probably not the bed bug exterminator that you want to do the job for you.
Are cockroaches a sign of bed bugs?
No. If you have a cockroach infestation then it is not a sign of bed bugs. Cockroaches are nasty pests that just happen to eat other pests, including bed bugs. But they do not enter your home searching for bed bugs or other pests to eat because there are other food options available to them.
Cockroaches Vs. Bed Bugs – Which is easier to Control?
If you’re trying to get rid of these pests, the good news is that cockroaches are easier to control than bedbugs. Here’s why:
Cockroaches are omnivores, and they will eat anything. This makes them very susceptible to poisoning baits or traps that have food in them like glucose. Since they love sweets things, glucose will easily lure them to your traps.
On the other hand, bedbugs only feed on blood, so they are very resistant to baits. To successfully get rid of them, you first need to find all the hiding places where they can be nesting and use steam or heat treatment to kill them on contact. To ensure you don’t have any stragglers, you will need to keep treating the area for at least two weeks. Call a professional immediately when you see bedbugs or red marks appearing on your skin after sleeping. This is because you can spread bed bugs to other parts of your home and that will increase the exterminator cost.
How to get rid of cockroaches and bed bugs?
To get rid of bedbugs and cockroaches in your home, you need to find the source of the infestation. This is because both cockroaches and bed bugs have egg cycles and if you kill a couple that you see then you are missing the new pests that will be hatching soon. It is essential that you start by inspecting all areas where they can be nesting. Then, treat these areas with pesticides, steam, or heat treatments and repeat until all signs of bed bugs have been eliminated.
To prevent further infestation, you’ll have to take two different approaches for these bugs. For the cockroach infestation, you’ll want to clean your home regularly. you’ll have to take two different approaches for these bugs. For the cockroach infestation, you’ll want to Vacuum floors in your kitchen and bathroom weekly to eliminate food crumbs or any other visible particles that can draw the cockroaches. Also, wash all dishes immediately after use and thoroughly check packages before bringing them into your house to eliminate possible food sources for these pesky bugs.
Bed bugs on the other hand are more difficult to prevent and this is because they are excellent hitchhikers. Once the bed bugs have been eliminated then you will want to make sure that you are careful to visit any areas of your city that frequently see bed bug outbreaks. This is typically on public transportation or public areas that get a lot of foot traffic.
If controlling bedbugs and cockroaches sound daunting, consider hiring professional pest control companies to entirely rid your home of these pests once and for all.