Fighting bed bugs is a troublesome and far from simple matter. Therefore, it seems quite logical for a person to want to find natural enemies of the parasite - at least in order to resort to their help in destroying it. In nature, you can find many animals that include domestic bugs in their diet. A variety of insects readily eat the bed parasite; domestic and wild animals are less active. The food preferences of some of them in relation to bedbugs are discussed in detail in the article.
What insects eat bedbugs?
It is well known that insects are the largest class of invertebrate arthropods. As a result, it is not surprising that there is enmity between their various representatives, which often results in hunting and eating each other. Among the insects that actively eat house bugs, several should be highlighted:
- other representatives of this suborder. There is a serious struggle within bedbugs, and in this case we are talking about both one type of parasites that eat their fellows as enemies, and about different ones. Their number in nature is very large, although it is difficult to imagine a situation in which a person independently breeds some bugs in the house so that they eat others;
- flycatchers. They are natural enemies of bedbugs in nature. They are a species of centipedes belonging to the order Labiopods. The name eloquently demonstrates both the appearance of the insect and its diet. In addition to flies, flytraps actively destroy almost any domestic parasites, including bed bugs, ants, and cockroaches. They eat millipedes and beneficial insects, such as spiders. Therefore, if a flytrap is found in an apartment or house, you should not destroy it; it is much simpler and more correct to give the centipede the opportunity to do what it loves and help a person get rid of unwanted neighbors;
- carpet beetles. They are small in size, and therefore are unlikely to be able to cope with an adult bedbug. At the same time, being omnivores, they readily attack the larvae and eggs of the parasite, which are unable to fight back. Therefore, carpet beetles in general can be very useful in the fight against domestic bedbugs, being their natural enemies in nature.
All of the above types of insects can hardly be called frequently found in human homes. Therefore, it is advisable to consider in more detail the usual menu of the main inhabitants of houses and apartments from the world of insects - cockroaches, ants and spiders.
Who is guilty?
Parasites can get into your home from anywhere: through ventilation ducts, sewers, from the basement, from dirty neighbors or from the entrance.
Maintaining an apartment building in proper condition is the responsibility of the management company. And if cockroaches have multiplied in common areas, then first contact the Criminal Code.
- Write a statement to the management organization. It is better if it is collective with the signatures of neighbors. You can find out the contacts of your management organization on the Housing and Communal Services Reform website.
- Send it by registered mail with notification or deliver it in person. The management company must respond within 30 days and provide a response: notify when exterminators will come to the house or provide a written refusal explaining the reasons.
- If there is no response or you are refused, then you have the right to complain to the State Housing Inspectorate and Rospotrebnadzor.
If your neighbors are not bothered by mustachioed guests, and bedbugs or cockroaches are only found in your apartment, then the management company may refuse to carry out pest control, because the apartment is not a common property.
Do cockroaches eat bed bugs and their eggs?
Having discovered yet another unpleasant neighbor in his home, the owner of a house or apartment often wonders: is it true that cockroaches eat bedbugs? The answer is quite simple. Yes, cockroaches eat bedbugs and their eggs, acting as their direct natural enemies. In general, it is much easier to say what is not included in their diet, since this representative of insects is almost omnivorous.
It is important to note that cockroaches eat bedbugs in their various forms - eggs, larvae, adults, and even waste products of parasites. Moreover, in this case we are talking about almost any domestic cockroaches - Prussian (red), black or American.
But it should be remembered that they are primarily interested in the chitinous coverings remaining from the larvae and eggs. Cockroaches very rarely attack larvae and adult bedbugs themselves, preferring more nutritious food. Therefore, they have little effect on the population size of the domestic parasite, being unreliable allies in the fight against it. Moreover, they themselves are an unpleasant neighbor in an apartment or house and a clear enemy of man in nature.
Consequences of a bite
Diseases caused by the red, black, American and Egyptian cockroaches are called blattopterosis.
Mechanical damage to the skin from a cockroach bite is not the biggest problem. Insect saliva is a dangerous allergen because it contains the protein tropomyosin. Because of one cockroach bite, people with allergies suffer from the following consequences:
- hives;
- skin itching;
- nasal congestion;
- redness of the eyes;
- paroxysmal cough;
- suffocation.
Insects are able to penetrate a person’s ears, stomach, and nose, causing mechanical irritation. As a result of penetration, painful sensations arise and blood may be released. Only a doctor can help in this situation.
But the greatest danger to humans is the ability of cockroaches to carry various infections. It is known that cockroaches eat human feces and carry about 32 types of bacteria, worm eggs, 17 varieties of fungi, and 3 types of protozoa. A person is at risk of getting sick:
- tuberculosis;
- dysentery;
- salmonellosis;
- polio;
- cholera;
- typhus.
Do ants eat bedbugs in apartments?
The question of whether ants eat bedbugs must be answered in the affirmative. But, as in the case of cockroaches, you need to consider the following. Ants eat bedbugs primarily in the form of eggs, rarely attacking the larvae and adults of the domestic parasite. Although the poison contained in the saliva of ants is quite capable of killing a bug, as well as most of their enemies from the insect world.
When considering the question posed in the title of the section, it is necessary to remember about the different lifestyles of ants and bedbugs. Although insects are enemies in nature, they simply rarely cross paths in life. They differ - and very much - in almost everything, from their favorite habitats to their active time of day.
From all that has been said, an obvious conclusion follows. In general, ants are reluctant to act against bedbugs, so you should not seriously count on them in the fight against a domestic parasite. However, this type of insect is a natural enemy of the house bug, which still makes sense to take into account.
Mammals
In nature, mammals also love cockroaches. For example, small monkeys will happily eat insects and treat their young ones.
By eating marbled cockroach meat, they replenish their body with nutrients; breeders include them in their daily diet.
But there is a peculiarity: despite the fact that these insects are not aggressive and timid, they can also eat mammals. If there is no alternative food for a long time, they attack a hibernating animal, since it does not pose a threat to them.
Do spiders eat house bugs?
When considering whether spiders eat bedbugs, it is also necessary to take into account the lifestyle and favorite habitats of this type of predatory insect. Blood-feeding domestic parasites prefer to settle closer to human sleeping places. Spiders, in turn, do not at all strive to contact the owner of the home; on the contrary, they choose secluded corners formed by walls, ceilings and furnishings located in the premises to weave webs.
It’s good if the lower part of the bed, sofa or chair becomes such a corner - in this case, the likelihood of a bed bug getting into a spider’s web increases sharply. As for food preferences, spiders eat house bugs and very willingly. In general, the diet of this natural enemy of arthropods contains almost all insects, including parasites that are unpleasant to humans, starting with the already mentioned cockroaches and flies, and ending with ants and bedbugs.
All of the above makes the spider probably the most useful representative of the insect class that lives in a person’s apartment or house. Although it is unlikely to be used specifically against house bugs for the reasons described above.
Diet of centipedes
Of all the insects that settle in houses, centipedes (called centipedes) are considered beneficial. Centipedes include flycatchers, from the order Labiopods. These predatory insects often sneak into human homes. They feed on synanthropic pests and arachnids. Their usual diet: cockroaches, bedbugs, moths, fleas.
Centipedes like bugs if they come across them. But flycatchers live mainly in damp places: under the bathtub or sink, near the toilet. And bedbugs don’t crawl there. Bedbugs are localized in warmth and comfort, near human sleeping beds.
What animals eat bedbugs?
From a scientific point of view, insects are also classified as animals. But in colloquial speech, the latter are often understood as larger representatives of the fauna, primarily mammals. Many of them include bedbugs in their diet - both domestic and other species, being their natural enemies. Therefore, it makes sense to consider the question of who eats bedbugs in nature in more detail.
Many animals are rightly considered enemies of the domestic parasite. Despite the small size of the bug, the following representatives of the fauna, often found in Russia, readily eat it:
- hedgehogs Small in size and very pretty, the mammals are insectivores. They eat insects without problems and very actively, including house bugs, if they come across them on their way. In general, people are reluctant to keep hedgehogs at home, although they can significantly help in the fight against almost all unpleasant neighbors from the world of insects. The main feature of the food preferences of hedgehogs is the adults and larvae of the house bug, since they are not particularly interested in the eggs of the parasite;
- frogs. Amphibians are considered one of the most serious enemies of insects in nature. Frogs are one of their brightest representatives, actively eating various arthropods, including bedbugs. The animal's body is perfectly adapted for hunting insects. First of all, we are talking about a long tongue, rapidly shooting at the victim and capturing it. The only problem is that the probability of a frog encountering a domestic parasite tends to zero. Keeping an amphibian at home is also far from the best option, if only simply because this type of animal is poorly adapted to such living conditions;
- toads. Almost everything said in relation to frogs also applies to another widespread species of amphibians - toads. Their diet also largely consists of insects, including any variety of bedbugs. Using toads as an enemy to combat the parasite at home is also practically impossible due to their inadaptability;
- birds. Among the representatives of this group of warm-blooded animals, many feed on insects, even those that have an unpleasant smell and taste. Therefore, many birds eat bed bugs without problems, although they rarely encounter them in natural conditions. Other types of bedbugs also feed on birds, especially when it comes to large insects. Among the birds that give the greatest preference to insects, experts highlight dunnocks, which actively eat arthropods in all their forms;
- rodents. They are deservedly considered the largest order of mammals, many of whose representatives live in Russia. Among the most widespread are mice, hamsters, rats, squirrels, jerboas, etc. Any of the listed rodents will eat a domestic bug without any problems if for some reason they encounter it in natural conditions. Some rodent species are domesticated, such as guinea pigs. But using them to combat domestic bugs is simply ineffective - after all, insects are not the main food preference of rodents, so it is impossible to talk about targeted hunting for parasites;
- Pets. In addition to unwanted neighbors in the form of bedbugs, cockroaches or ants, much more pleasant animals are often present in a person’s home. These include the already mentioned guinea pigs and the much more common dogs or cats. The last two can hunt domestic bugs, but not with the goal of eating them, but in an effort to play. It is difficult to imagine a situation where a cat or dog would prefer a domestic parasite to the much more tasty and nutritious food offered by humans.
Having examined in detail who there are bedbugs in nature, it is necessary to dwell separately on two frequent neighbors of humans: mice and cats. Each of them, without a doubt, deserves to be given a separate section of the article.
Damage from insects and food debris left behind
In science, the harm of parasites to human health is referred to as “blattopterosis”. This concept includes an allergic reaction, the transfer of worm eggs, and mechanical damage to the skin from insect bites.
The basic danger of cockroaches to humans is the ability of pests to transmit diseases. These specimens can move not only within the living space, but also climb into the sewer, garbage chute, or attic.
There are no food products in these places - the food for the “barbels” is made up of improvised means. As the meal is completed, the pests collect numerous bacteria on their chitinous cover, which they then bring into the house - everything that the “local” cockroaches feed on becomes infected.
In addition, pests are capable of eating human and animal excrement, breeding a whole range of pathogenic microorganisms in their digestive tract.
Together with the latter, the cockroaches convey to their owners:
- dysentery;
- salmonellosis;
- pneumonia;
- genital infections, etc.
Do mice eat bed bugs?
Partially the answer to the question posed in the subtitle was already heard above when describing rodents in general. Yes, mice eat bedbugs, but insects are not the main part of their diet. Rather, they are eaten along with grains or grass, rather than as the main purpose.
If tasty and nutritious food is available, mice will always prefer it to unpleasant insects. Moreover, if we are talking about such representatives of arthropods as house bugs.
It is important to understand that mice themselves are also unpleasant neighbors for humans. There are several negative consequences of their stay in an apartment or house - transmission of pathogens of various diseases, destruction of food supplies, damage to electrical wiring, etc. Therefore, bringing mice into your home so that they can fight bedbugs is, to put it mildly, a futile task.
Effect of ultrasound
To get rid of night parasites, advertising suggests using an ultrasonic bedbug repeller. The operating principle of the device is based on the fact that insects cannot tolerate sound waves of a certain range and leave the area. Science knows that animals and insects sense vibrations in the soil, for example, before an earthquake, and leave the area.
For bedbugs to also respond to an ultrasonic repeller, they must have a hearing organ, but they do not have one. In space, bed parasites navigate by smell and react to heat. Thus, they find food for themselves - humans. They don't need a hearing organ. They cannot perceive ultrasound vibrations. The effect of the repeller on the insect's nervous system has not been proven.
The advertised device has low power. He will not be able to create vibration in hard-to-reach places. The sound wave must pass through the walls of the apartment, the thickness of the carpets, and furniture. To do this, it must be powerful enough, which is impossible when connected to a 220 volt network.
Cat eats bedbugs
The answer to the question of how house bugs and cats behave when they meet is quite obvious. With a high degree of probability, the second one will begin a playful hunt for an insect, not so much trying to eat it, but simply having fun.
During the game, the parasite may well be destroyed, although this outcome is not 100% certain. As a result, using cats as a means to combat domestic bedbugs does not make much sense due to its low effectiveness.
Means and methods of effective influence in the home
A dangerous enemy appears in a person’s home – a bed parasite. It multiplies rapidly, bites, and causes harm to humans, so it is necessary to begin the fight as soon as signs of infection of the object appear. The best results are obtained by methods that require the simultaneous use of different types of means. If insecticides are considered, it is important to use substances of different classes: pyrethroids and FOS or neonicotinoids.
Folk remedies will help scare away remaining pests or drive away the first emerging individuals.
Chemicals
Insecticides kill blood-sucking insects most quickly. It is recommended to use contact and combined action agents, since pests of this type will not be affected by drugs with a different operating principle (intestinal). Used for self-fighting
- aerosols: Raptor, Dichlorvos, Clean House, Combat;
- concentrates: Sinuzan, Tetrix, Get;
- powders: Clean House, Pyrethrum;
- pencils - “Mashenka”.
In addition, they are considering the possibility of attracting exterminators. Specialists treat the apartment/house using cold and hot fog methods. In this case, the toxic substance spreads throughout the room in the form of a fine suspension. Such particles contribute to the creation of a fog-like environment. They continue to hover for 2-8 hours, depending on the method of exposure.
For example, hot fog is more effective due to the fact that the suspension is retained and does not settle for up to 8 hours in a row.
Chemicals for bedbugs
Folk recipes
This group includes funds that are at hand. You can use strong-smelling herbs: wormwood, tansy, lavender. They will repel parasites. Plants should be placed inside furniture. You can prepare decoctions and wipe surfaces with liquids. A less effective remedy is essential oils. For hungry parasites, such substances do not create obstacles. Other options, more toxic:
- ammonia;
- turpentine;
- kerosene;
- vinegar;
- denatured alcohol;
- naphthalene.
Such components are used in pure form or mixed with other substances. However, in each case an unpleasant odor appears, which even a person can hardly tolerate.
Effective folk remedies
Bed bugs eat people
Oddly enough, the human diet in some regions of the world includes bedbugs. Of course, we are not talking about a bed parasite, but about other, somewhat larger species of the insect suborder. Moreover, fried belostoma, which is a giant water bug, is considered a delicacy in restaurants in Japan and other Southeast Asian countries.
Obviously, the exact opposite situation occurs much more often, when bedbugs eat people, and not vice versa. Man in this case is not the top of the food chain, but only one of its intermediate links.
The question is often asked about whether bedbugs can bite a person to death. When answering this question, it is necessary to take into account several fundamentally important points. On the one hand, the bites themselves, even in large numbers, do not pose any excessive danger, other than very serious discomfort and unpleasant, and sometimes simply painful, sensations in the form of itching.
At the same time, they are often accompanied by two associated side effects. The first of them is a possible allergic reaction of a person, which can acquire extremely acute forms, and with numerous bites and lack of medical care, it is quite possible to lead to death.
The second unpleasant moment is that strong scratching of itchy areas is often accompanied by some kind of infection and the occurrence of various diseases, including blood poisoning. The end result in the form of death in such a situation is also quite likely, especially in the absence of prompt medical assistance.
Treatment of wounds from bites
After detecting a cockroach bite, you should immediately treat the wound with an antiseptic: hydrogen peroxide, Chlorhexidine. Wound healing ointments help against mechanical damage to the skin as a result of a bite:
- with panthenol (Panthenol, Bepanten);
- with antibacterial action (Pimafukort).
If an allergic reaction occurs, then use antihistamines: Cetrin, Loratadine, Lorano. For a week or 10 days, the drug is taken 1 tablet daily. Cockroaches found as foreign bodies in the human body are removed with sterile tweezers and treated with an antiseptic.
Brief conclusions
Despite the presence of a large number of natural enemies of the house bug, a person should not expect real help in destroying the parasite. Even the most active animals that eat house bugs, such as cockroaches, spiders and amphibians, either rarely intersect with it or are no less unpleasant neighbors in their own right. The last argument applies, for example, to cockroaches, which can also cause a lot of trouble to humans.
Therefore, the simplest, most effective and realistic way to combat domestic bedbugs remains the same - contacting specialists. Proper selection of a suitable means of destroying the parasite in combination with properly carried out insecticidal treatment will rid your house or apartment of a harmful and dangerous insect that feeds on human blood.
From the above, the obvious and main conclusion of the article follows. You should not count on the help of the natural enemies of the bed bug. It is better to take the solution to the problem of its destruction into your own hands and put your plans into practice.
Ways to fight
It is easier to kill an albino than a cockroach, protected by a brown chitinous shell. The delicate body is easy to crush with a slipper or fly swatter. But destroying one insect will not solve the problem.
It is important to get rid of the colony and permanently protect your home from arthropods
Insecticidal preparations are suitable for disinsection. Modern means do not pose a threat to the environment and quickly eliminate the overgrown population. In demand from white and red pests:
- Dichlorvos Neo;
- chalk Mashenka;
- boric acid;
- Karbofos;
- liquid Forsyth;
- Powder Clean House.
Use medications according to instructions, adhering to the rules for working with toxic substances.
Expert advice
Entomologist specialist Marinina Evgeniya Vitalievna, work experience – 16 years:
Marinina Evgenia Vitalievna
Entomologist, researcher. Work experience 16 years.
• considering that natural enemies feed on bedbugs on the site, they try not to kill them, but such individuals can also cause harm, so I recommend treating the area with toxic substances in places; • at home it is much easier to destroy all insects with a universal insecticide: cockroaches, bedbugs, ants; watching how representatives of one species kill individuals of another takes too long, this can be fraught with more serious consequences for humans; • animals and birds are natural enemies that best cope with the task of controlling the number of insects: they destroy quite a lot of individuals, but not all, so that representatives of these species do not disappear from the face of the Earth.
Reviews
Veronica, 29 years old, Moscow
At my dacha there is a constant battle between species, sometimes (when I have a lot of free time) I watch from a hammock. The presence of various insects does not allow harmful bugs to multiply.
Anna, 32 years old, Bryansk
One day I decided to fight insects with the same weapon - through natural enemies. This didn't lead to anything good. We had to remove a lot more pests.
Anastasia, 44 years old, Tula
I try not to kill spiders either at home or on my property. I know that they are useful - they catch insects. But I always fight other enemies (cockroaches). They rarely kill bedbugs, but they cause a lot of inconvenience to us humans. At the same time, other insects are destroyed.
The best results in killing bedbugs can be achieved using several means simultaneously
Peaceful coexistence
Cockroaches calmly coexist with bedbugs, since they have nothing to share: pests have different spheres of influence. Some terrorize people, sucking blood from them, others eat the remains of human food.
Cockroaches are not natural enemies of bedbugs and do not eat them, but if they lack their usual food, they may well feast on bedbug eggs
Only one factor can play against bedbugs - a shortage of cockroach food. Only then will the longhorned beetles begin to look for bedbug nests to eat their eggs.
Bed bugs are more likely to be opposed by their relatives from the family of predators; pharaoh ants, centipedes and spiders are also considered natural enemies of parasites.
