Cockroach bite: do cockroaches bite people, what danger do they pose to humans?

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Greetings, dear readers. In today's article we will talk about the ability of cockroaches to bite people. The controversy surrounding this issue has not subsided as long as arthropods have lived next to humans. Some people believe that red-haired creatures do not bite; others are sure that at night they come out of their hiding places to profit from human skin. Who is right?

I will tell you whether cockroaches bite people, how, when and why they do it. You will learn what a cockroach bite looks like, what kind of trouble it can cause to a person, and also how to avoid these troubles if you do get bitten. At the same time, I’ll tell you how to protect yourself from arthropod cannibals if they do settle in your apartment.

Types of cockroaches living in private houses and apartments

Cockroaches (or Blattodea) are insects belonging to the superorder Cockroaches. If we talk specifically about cockroaches, then their order includes more than 4,600 species. A little more than 50 species are found in Russia. But only three types of cockroaches :

1. Redheads (aka Prussians).
2. Black sewer cockroaches.
3. Furniture cockroaches.

The rest live in nature, rarely entering private houses and apartments.

Red cockroaches

Photo of a red cockroach (Prusak)

Red cockroaches are the most common type of dangerous insects living in the vicinity of humans. They prefer to be nocturnal, eat absolutely everything that comes their way, their body length rarely reaches 1.5 cm. They reproduce not just quickly, but rapidly . If you have cockroaches in your home, then most likely they are red cockroaches.

Can red cockroaches bite humans? Yes but rarely. They never bite purposefully, but rather accidentally. Red cockroaches are afraid of humans, and when they meet him they try to run away, hiding in a shelter. Cockroaches come out at night to get to any food left in the kitchen. If there is no food, they calmly climb into trash cans and try to get into kitchen cabinets.

A cockroach bite is possible only under conditions of severe food shortage. Or if there are food remains in the bed (bread crumbs, pieces of chips, etc.)

Advice! You shouldn't eat in bed. If a cockroach doesn't find food in the kitchen, it may look for it in other places, such as your bed.

Black sewer cockroach

Photo of a black (sewer) cockroach

Black sewer cockroaches are less likely to visit human homes, preferring to live in sewers, garbage chutes, mines and landfills.

They feed on rotting food scraps and rarely crawl into apartments. Moreover, red cockroaches destroy individuals of other species in order to ensure a well-fed future for their colony.

But there are often cases when black cockroaches are infested in an apartment. They are considered more dangerous to humans, as they carry various types of helminths and dangerous infections . They are also nocturnal and can bite humans if they crawl into bed at night.

Black sewer cockroaches can remain without food for up to two months, and their larvae can survive even longer . They are more difficult to fight, since the body of the cockroach is protected by a hard chitinous shell. In addition, they are more tenacious and tolerate various chemical treatments quite well, including sanitary and epidemic treatments.

Photo of a furniture cockroach

Furniture cockroaches

Furniture cockroaches spread en masse in Russia about 50 years ago. The basis of the furniture cockroach's diet is starch-containing foods. They prefer to live under wallpaper, feeding on wallpaper and furniture glue, and paper. Most often they are found on bookshelves.

Furniture cockroaches rarely bite humans. They look similar to red cockroaches, but they are smaller in size and have characteristic stripes on their wings.

general information

Most often, cockroaches, or, as they are often called, cockroaches, live in old houses, especially in those buildings where there are garbage chutes. Wooden buildings also provide good conditions for these insects.

Arthropods feel comfortable in warm places where there are plenty of crevices, food and water. That's why they are regulars in kitchens, food units, and trash areas.

Cockroaches are very tenacious and prolific, and the warmer it is, the larger and more intensively their population reproduces. Any organic matter can serve as food, for example, cardboard or wooden products, so you won’t be able to starve them to death. The main condition is the presence of liquid, without which the individual dies.

The note. Domestic and other types of cockroaches cannot go more than a day without water, which is an indispensable condition for their life.

It would seem that solving the problem with insects is not difficult - you just need to cut off access to liquid, and they will die of thirst, however, not everything is so simple, because even a small amount of condensate, which they easily find in their shelters, is enough for them. Insects are so eco-plastic that they can live in any conditions where the temperature is above 10ºC, withstand ionizing radiation and eat any food.

To do this, they have strong mandibles - powerful upper jaws that can chew wood, as well as specific intestinal microflora that help decompose and digest cellulose.

The first table shows several of the most common types:

Interesting. In Russia, cockroaches are called Prussians, thinking that they were brought from Prussia, and in Western countries, for example, Germany and Slovakia, they believe on the contrary that insects are of Russian origin, so in everyday life they are called Russen.

How, when and why do cockroaches bite humans?

As already mentioned, humans are of no gastronomic interest to cockroaches. On the contrary, a person is an enemy for a cockroach. As soon as the kitchen light turns on at night, cockroaches try to hide, hide, and run away. Cockroaches are not predators and do not feed on human blood like fleas or bed bugs.

You can read more about bed bug bites in this article.

What does a cockroach bite look like? Here are a couple of photos for demonstration.

What does a cockroach bite look like (photo)

This is what cockroach bites look like on the body. It is worth clarifying that a cockroach can only bite a sleeping person who has been motionless for a long time. The cockroach bites into the epithelial layer thanks to its jaws, which are covered with a thick chitinous coating.

The depth and size of the wound depends on the size of the individual and the place where the cockroach bit the person. Most often, cockroaches bite in places with thin skin, for example:

• hands (not palms);
• fingers and toes;
• under the kneecaps and under the arms;
• earlobes;
• neck;
• lips;
• even eyebrows.

What does a cockroach bite on your hand look like (photo)

Traces of cockroach bites can easily be confused with the consequences of bedbug bites, for example. Therefore, victims rarely go to the hospital, preferring to use traditional medicine, or completely ignore the presence of characteristic wounds.

Important! If cockroaches begin to bite residents of an apartment or private house, then the reason is, first of all, the size of the population. If the number of insects has increased to a significant size, and there is not enough food to feed the colony, cockroaches begin to bite people.

How does a bite occur?

Theoretically, the baleen is capable of biting thanks to its strong gnawing mouthparts.

Fixation of the epithelium of human skin occurs between the powerful chitinous lips and horns of the insect mandibles. A pair of serrated upper jaws pinch off the upper layers of the epidermis. At the same time, inevitable infection of the wound occurs with the contaminated mouthparts and saliva of the pest.

Important! If characteristic signs of a bite are detected, there is no need to wait for an inflammatory reaction. Treat the damaged area with chlorhexidine or hydrogen peroxide as quickly as possible.

The main danger of cockroaches for humans

The danger of cockroaches lies in the uncontrolled movement of individuals through potentially dangerous places. Cockroaches are able to move between rooms and even apartments, and often their path lies through attics or basements, and sewer pipes. During their migrations, they pick up various infections and helminth eggs, which can be dangerous to humans.

Cockroaches leave infections and germs on the kitchen table, food, kitchen cabinets and more. Wherever cockroaches crawl freely, there may be potentially dangerous microorganisms. Therefore, cockroaches in the house must be treated with special attention and the problem must be resolved promptly.

How cockroaches can infect humans:

• salmonellosis;
• dysentery;
• mycobacteriosis;
• typhus;
• cholera;
• gastroenteritis;
• various urological infections;
• pneumonia and meningitis;
• and even tuberculosis.

What helminth eggs do cockroaches carry on their paws?

• pinworms;
• whipworm;
• tapeworm

Among other things, cockroach saliva contains the protein tropomyosin, which is a strong allergen. Of course, a cockroach bite will not lead to anaphylactic shock, but it can create some problems that will require you to see a doctor.

It is also important to note that cockroach excrement contains substances that provoke bronchial asthma. People suffering from this disease should be careful.

Reasons for attacking people

Lack of food. In order for a living organism to exist normally, it needs food. If a cockroach cannot find suitable food, it will begin to look for other food sources. In this case, the insect is able to attack a person and bite.

Water scarcity. A cockroach can only survive a few days without water, so if it doesn't find liquid, it will begin to look for other sources. As you know, a person consists of 80% water, so it is quite suitable for an insect as a source of quenching thirst. Cockroaches can find water in the corners of their eyes in the form of tears or in the corners of their mouth in the form of saliva. Such searches are accompanied by painstaking research using jaws, which begin to damage human skin.

Increase in population size. When the number of insects in one room increases, there is a shortage of food and water. Cockroaches, who have not had time to eat, go in search of food and find people, whose soft tissues and skin are an excellent source of food.

Cockroaches usually choose children as their victims. This is explained by the fact that they usually smell much nicer, and also children's skin is more delicate and thin, it is quite easy to bite through it. In addition, insects often choose infants, since their epidermis has not yet fully formed and it is much easier to obtain liquid.

NOTE!

To quickly get rid of fleas, there are only three effective options:

When biting a person in a dream, cockroaches choose areas with the most delicate and thin skin, such as:

• eyelids;
• corners of the mouth or eyes;
• area around the lips;
• tip of the nose;
• lips;
• earlobes;
• hands;
• neck;
• inner thighs;
• areas around the nails.

As medical practice shows, cockroaches can partially bite off the most vulnerable areas. In addition, they are capable of chewing off eyelashes.

Ordinary cockroaches eat food waste, slops, and leftover human food. In the absence of these products, they turn to inedible items: toilet paper, glue from postage stamps, wallpaper, leather bindings, books. If this food disappears, cannibalism begins. Adults eat larvae, eggs, and weak relatives. If the situation does not stabilize, the Stasiks or Prussians stop moving.

When there are too many cockroaches indoors, fights for food begin. Pests explore new areas in search of food and crawl into the bedroom. Red cockroaches crawl on people, look for places where the skin is thin, and bite. To saturate, pests require a small amount of blood and a piece of skin. The meal is not long, but with a large number of pests, the bites become numerous, and a person can suffer greatly.

Cockroaches are peaceful insects. Their lifestyle and the characteristics of their body do not in any way contribute to their regularly biting people. In nature, they play the role of utilizers, that is, they consume food that other animals have not eaten. Cockroaches eat any organic food.

In general, the jaws of cockroaches are completely unsuited for biting humans.

A cockroach on the human body is almost completely safe.

The instinctive behavior of these insects also does not involve attacking people. In residential premises, they are interested in the leftover food of the residents, and not in themselves. Even if you catch a cockroach and place it on your finger, it will not bite, like, for example, an ant or an earwig, which will try to press the skin with its forceps, although a person may not feel this.

There is a known case when several thousand marbled cockroaches escaped from a terrarium in a scientific laboratory. They were bred to feed geckos. Insects crawled throughout all the premises, but not a single company employee complained of bites. However, it is popularly believed that it is marbled and American cockroaches that bite people.

At the same time, there are reasonable assumptions that domestic cockroaches that constantly live near people can bite. It is believed that due to severe hunger, when there is absolutely no food in the room, they can gnaw off flaky, dead skin, for example, on the heels and fingertips of humans.

The main evidence of this fact is the book “Manual of Medical Entomology”. It says that if a living space is heavily infested with cockroaches, they can attack sleeping people and bite the dry skin under their nails.

What to do if bitten by cockroaches

What steps should you take if you are bitten by cockroaches:

1. If a cockroach bite is discovered in the morning and a characteristic crust has formed on the wound, nothing needs to be done. Just watch your condition.
2. If the wound is open, it must be treated with hydrogen peroxide or a 70% alcohol solution. Then apply a bactericidal patch.
3. If you have a minor allergic reaction or itching, you can use ointment for bites.
4. If the allergic reaction is severe (hives, severe swelling, difficulty breathing), go to the hospital immediately.

In the first days after a cockroach bite, it is important to monitor your health. If you experience fever, nausea, diarrhea, or severe headaches, contact your nearest hospital.

We never tire of repeating that insect bites can cause irreparable harm to health, cockroaches are no exception. If you experience any unusual sensations after a bite, go to the hospital immediately. This is not an empty call, but a recommendation that can save lives. The hospital will take the necessary tests, conduct an examination, and make an accurate diagnosis. Modern medicine is well developed. You should not refuse qualified help and let the disease take its course.

What are the consequences?

Why are cockroach bites dangerous? Can these insects harm human health? Of course.

Typically, cockroach bites cause the following consequences:

• the affected area is itchy and itchy;
• unpleasant painful sensations appear;
• particles of dust and dirt can cause irritation;
• the entry of pathogenic microorganisms into the wound can lead to infection of the body;
• allergic reactions occur.

Each person reacts differently to cockroach bites. Other than aesthetic discomfort, some do not experience any symptoms, but for others, an insect bite is very painful - the affected area aches, itches, the wound takes a long time to heal, becomes inflamed, and festers.

How do you know if you have been bitten by a Prussian? Symptoms that a cockroach has damaged your skin and eaten you are as follows:

• small semicircular redness, similar to scars, appeared on the body;
• swelling has occurred;
• slight itching is felt;
• inflammation develops.

Particularly sensitive people may experience swelling both at and near the site of the bite.

You should not take this problem lightly.

Remember that cockroaches can carry more than 40 different infectious diseases, including:

• intestinal infections;
• hepatitis;
• tuberculosis;
• genitourinary infections;
• allergy;
• asthma.

However, it is worth noting that most of these dangerous diseases enter the human body through contaminated food and water that has been visited by insects. Cockroaches can even carry helminth eggs on themselves and infect people with worms.

But bites can only cause skin irritation, allergic reactions and various inflammations of the skin. A huge number of pathogenic microbes and dangerous microorganisms settle on the chitinous cover of this insect. It is clear that when an insect bites a person, not only dust and dirt can get into the wound - and this is also dangerous, but also pathogens of various diseases. Although this happens rarely, the possibility should not be ruled out. It's better to be safe than to take a cockroach bite too lightly.

What measures to take after an insect bite

Some people don't even notice that someone has bitten them at night. Someone, noticing the redness, waves his hand and it will go away. But it’s completely in vain! Wounds should be treated immediately. Under unfavorable conditions, scars may remain, infection, inflammation, and swelling may develop.

After a cockroach bite, experts advise immediately taking the following actions:

1. First, you need to wash the bite area with warm water and any detergent and dry the body with a paper towel or napkin. It is best to use antibacterial soap for these purposes.
2. It is recommended to treat the bite site with any alcohol-containing preparation - tincture of calendula or hawthorn, cosmetic lotion. It is enough to simply put a cotton swab with alcohol on the wound for a short time.
3. It is good to use any antiseptic (chlorhexidine, levomekol, dekasan, miramistin, tetracycline) to disinfect the wound. You can use wet wipes that are soaked in antiseptic agents.
4. It would be a good idea to clean the surface of the wound with a solution of hydrogen peroxide.
5. In case of allergic reactions, it is necessary to take antihistamines (Diazolin, Claritin, Suprastin). In this case, it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions on medications, since these medications have a high sedative effect. With caution. They should be given to children.
6. If the bite site is very itchy or itchy, you can use antipruritic gels and ointments (cynovit cream, fenistil).

Folk remedies for quickly treating cockroach bites are also very effective. You can apply a soda solution to the wound - dissolve a teaspoon of soda in 50 grams of warm water, moisten a napkin and apply to the affected area. Treatment of wounds from bites with boric acid has proven itself well. If the bite site aches, itches, or becomes inflamed, you can apply a cold compress to it.

It is strictly forbidden to lubricate wounds with iodine or a solution of brilliant green. Yes, these products disinfect and dry the skin well. But under the formed crust, inflammatory or purulent processes may begin to develop. And visualization of the damaged area will be significantly difficult due to the applied iodine or brilliant green.

Usually, the measures listed above are enough to forget about cockroach bites in a few days. But if the wound does not heal for a long time, inflammation begins to develop, and pus appears, then you need to consult a doctor. Usually such diseases are treated by a dermatologist. He will prescribe a set of medications that will help get rid of the problem.

Don't forget about one more danger. Very rarely, but there are still cases when an insect larva penetrates the bite site. It penetrates into the thickness of the skin and begins to parasitize. A red, convex spot appears on the skin, lymph is released from it, the affected area hurts, and inflammation develops. Here only a doctor will come to the rescue - the larva must be surgically removed in a hospital setting and an antiseptic bandage applied to the affected area. Sometimes it is recommended to take a course of antibiotics to prevent infection of the body. Do not try to remove the larva yourself using tweezers or sharp objects. After all, it is important to make sure that the body has been completely removed, otherwise the inflammation will not stop.

Important! You should try not to scratch the bite site. This is especially true for children. After all, even the smallest wound can be scratched to a huge size. In addition, dirt found under the nails can infect the bite site. Therefore, after treating the bite, you can cover the affected area with a paper bandage. Just don't leave it for long. It is necessary for the skin to breathe and dry.

What to do with cockroaches in an apartment?

There are many anti-cockroach products on the market today. I won’t describe each one; this is a topic for a separate article. It is important to remember one thing - if the number of cockroaches in an apartment has increased to impressive sizes, the best thing that can be done is to call the sanitary and epidemiological service. This is not an advertisement, this is a recommendation.

Complete treatment of residential premises with professional insecticides will help cope with the problem. Independent control of cockroaches is relevant only if the colony size is small. In other cases, you should seek help from specialists.

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Why is a cockroach bite dangerous?

If you are bitten by domestic cockroaches, then certain measures should be taken immediately. After all, an infection can get through a bite. The saliva of arthropod pests contains fibrillar protein. This component provokes an allergic reaction. Hives, swelling and irritation appear on the body.

There are also more serious manifestations. Some individuals carry worm eggs, as well as dysentery. Longhorn beetles provoke not only allergies, but also asthma.

People who have arthropod pests in their homes get sick much more often than those who got rid of longhorned pests.

In order to take timely measures, you need to know the symptoms of manifestation. Why the causes and signs of insect bites are studied in detail by scientists and ordinary citizens.

Pest protection

Whether domestic cockroaches bite or simply cause discomfort to humans with their appearance, you need to get rid of them in any case. They quickly multiply and live in colonies, and sooner or later they will make the life of the homeowners unbearable.

It is easier to prevent trouble than to look for a way to solve it later. To prevent arrogant Prussians from settling in your home, you must adhere to a number of rules:

1. All cracks in the house must be tightly sealed - then the likelihood of insects getting in from the street or other apartments will be zero.
2. There should be no water leaks in the home as possible sources of moisture for barbels. You should also not leave drops of water near the sink in the kitchen and bathroom.
3. Ventilation passages must be protected with a mosquito net.
4. It is necessary to maintain cleanliness in the house: do not leave crumbs on the floor and kitchen table, do not accumulate garbage, do not store food in the open.

This is interesting: where did the cockroaches go?

If red pests have already entered the house and are in full control, then you can carry out independent pest control of the home. Hardware stores today offer a wide variety of insect baiting products: sprays, dusts, crayons, traps. Boric acid will also help get rid of pests - cockroaches have never been able to adapt to it.

If the actions taken do not lead to a positive result and the longhorned beetles continue to multiply, it is necessary to contact organizations engaged in on-call pest control.

Methods for getting rid of domestic cockroaches

They are considering different means, and it is better to use several options of different forms. This will improve processing efficiency. It doesn’t matter which cockroaches bite: black or red, consider the following remedies:

• aerosols: Dichlorvos, Combat, Raid, Raptor;
• powders: Clean House, Karbofos;
• concentrates: Get, Tetrix;

• gel: Globol, Lethal force;
• traps: based on insecticides or adhesive.

In case of severe infection, specialists are invited.

Exterminators can solve the problem in 1 day, and the result is guaranteed.

A few myths

Fear has big eyes, which is why cockroaches and their relationships with people have become overgrown with myths.

A bite can cause mutation

People believe that since cockroaches can easily withstand radiation, they can accumulate radiation and transmit it to people.

They love earwax and nails

This is not entirely true, because if cockroaches bite, they will bite anywhere. And food debris and skin often accumulate near the nail.

Anaphylactic shock

This state does not arise; it is nothing more than a delusion. Most often, an allergic reaction manifests itself only in the form of itching.

Do bedbugs bite through clothes?

To understand whether a house bug can bite through clothing, you just need to know how its mouthparts work. The parasite makes a puncture in human skin with its proboscis, which is only 0.7 mm long.

Proboscis

Its small size does not allow it to reach the human epidermis through clothing. Moreover, the fabric has a denser structure than human skin and the insufficient elasticity of the proboscis prevents the bug from piercing the material.

When a bug lands on clothing, it tries to get under it or run for cover.

Treatment of the wound

The first action after detecting a bite on the skin is to treat it with any antiseptic to prevent infection. Then you should smear the area with a product that relieves itching and irritation. If a person is susceptible to various types of allergies, then it makes sense to take an antihistamine.

If the bitten area is not scratched, it will heal within 2-3 days . It is worth contacting a dermatologist if the wound is very bothersome and does not heal for a long time.

If you are bitten by a cockroach, take an antihistamine

Prevention

If you know where the taste organs of a cockroach are located, then it is easier for a person to fight arthropod pests. You should not wait until the insects bite. In order to prevent the spread of insects, it is necessary to take certain measures:

• Maintain cleanliness in all areas. Carry out general cleaning regularly to get rid of organic debris and crumbs.
• Block entry routes. Insects enter apartments and houses through cracks, ventilation shafts and sockets.
• Products are placed in food containers to prevent access to insects.
• Dishes and hygiene items are located in cabinets.

To combat arthropod pests, chemicals are used that are sold in specialized stores:

• Gels. They are used if you need to get rid of a small number of insects. Gels are applied in places where pests move most often.
• Aerosols. They are used to process large areas. They contain insecticides that disrupt the functioning of the nervous and respiratory systems of insects. After spraying, the room is sealed so that the insecticides can take effect.
• Crayons and powders. They are used if it is necessary to block access to water. They are used to treat areas near pipelines and sinks.
• Japanese and Chinese smoke bombs. They have a short range. Using them is easy, since instructions are included with each device. Most often they are used to combat arthropod insects in a country house.

To combat arthropod pests, people also use folk remedies:

• Lures. To prepare them, boric acid or borax is used. To attract insects, you need to use yolk, vegetable oil or sugar. Balls are prepared from the mixture and placed throughout the house.
• Compositions that have a pungent odor.
• Dry and live plants.

The appearance of arthropod pests on the territory of a house or apartment is a sign that sanitary standards are not observed in the house. The situation can be corrected. To do this, you need to get rid of debris, dirt, and organic residues. All entry routes are blocked. Various means and methods are used to control insects.