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Everyone knows them, many fear them - cockroaches. They love trash and dark corners, but do they also bite humans? You can use these characteristics to recognize the bites of the cockroach.

In a nutshell

  • Cockroach bites are extremely rare
  • the bite itself is painful, but harmless
  • the diseases that can be transmitted through the bite of the cockroach are critical

Do cockroaches bite?

Depending on the species, the different types of cockroaches that occur in our country feed on wood and plant matter or, of course, primarily on leftover food, rubbish and rubbish. Regardless of the exact food basis, an effective, strong chewing apparatus is essential for this. Cockroaches can even bite through thick leather. It is therefore not surprising that their jaws can easily work their way through human skin.
However, cockroach bites are extremely rare. Possible causes of attacks on humans are, for example:

Common cockroach, Blatta orientalis
  • extremely dry environment
  • no drinking water in the form of wet food etc.
  • extremely high incidence of cockroaches

Notice: Scary stories are known that cockroaches looking for water mainly go to the corners of the eyes and lips of people as a particularly wet place. Such an infestation has not yet been proven in our latitudes. Instead, the bites only occur in absolutely exceptional cases on the freely accessible skin areas of the arms, hands, etc.

This is what cockroach bites look like

A bite of the cockroach initially hardly differs from other bites or stings of other insects:

  • red center
  • Reddening of the bite site decreasing from the center to the periphery
  • swelling

The visible features are also accompanied by pain that is usually delayed, which depending on the location of the bite and the type of cockroach can be significantly more intense than, for example, insect bites, ant bites or other more frequent skin disorders.

What are the consequences of a bite?

The actual bite of cockroaches is of course an injury to the skin. However, this heals quickly, so that redness, swelling and pain subside after just a few days. The great danger therefore emanates far more from the injury as a possible access point for pathogens to the human organism. First and foremost, some dangerous pathogens play a role, which are often even transported by the cockroach itself:

  • hepatitis
  • anthrax
  • salmonella
  • tuberculosis
  • leprosy (rare)

Notice: In addition to the cockroaches as disease carriers, the bite site also offers a starting point for completely "normal" pathogens of every injury. Possible consequences are therefore also local infections or tetanus, to name only the most common.

frequently asked Questions

What do I do after a cockroach bite?

If the bite typically occurs at night, possible germs have already migrated into the wound by morning. Disinfect the bite site anyway to prevent further infection. You can get the symptoms under control with ointments against insect bites and a cold pack. Monitor any changes in your health and see a doctor if you have symptoms.

I keep getting bitten in bed. Are these cockroaches?

If you are bitten repeatedly and repeatedly at night, there are usually no cockroaches at work. Your mattress is probably infested with bed bugs. The animals are significantly smaller and specifically look for humans as hosts in order to feed on their blood.

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Category:

Garden pests