Cockroach bites aren’t necessarily the end of the world, but they aren’t exactly a pleasant experience either. Their bite isn’t toxic but can be painful and cause uncomfortable skin reactions.
Read on and discover everything there is to know about cockroach bites, including how dangerous they are, when and where these bites are most likely to happen and much more!
Table of Contents
Do Cockroaches Bite Humans?
Yes, cockroaches do bite humans. However, it is not very common. Cockroaches are known for biting humans only when the home (or place of business, if you are sleeping at a hotel) is infested.
When there is a cockroach infestation, they come out at night looking for food and water when everything is quiet. If your skin smells like food, they will likely bite you in an attempt to pick the food up.
If you are experiencing bites, it’s a clear sign that you have a pest issue that needs dealing with immediately.
Are Cockroach Bites Dangerous?
No, cockroach bites are not very dangerous themselves, but the allergens the insects may carry can be harmful.
The germs carried by cockroaches can cause anything from a minor or severe skin reaction to a full-blown asthma attack.
In some cases, skin reactions include redness and swelling (similar to other insect bites) that may stick around to bug you for days. Even more, some of these bites may cause infection, resulting in a small festering wound that produces pus in extreme cases.
Diseases and Harmful Bacteria Potentially Carried by Roaches:
- Bacillus cereus
- Campylobacteriosis
- Cholera
- Dysentery
- E. coli. (O157:H7)
- Leprosy
- Listeriosis
- The Plague
- Salmonellosis
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Shigella boydii
- Shigella dysenteriae
- Shigella flexneri
- Typhoid Fever
Note: Roaches themselves may be considered harmful allergens. Their bodies, waste, and saliva cause allergic reactions on human skin, including dead roaches.
Cockroach bites should be cleaned and treated as soon as you notice them.
How Common Are Cockroach Bites?
Cockroach bites are not very common. Cockroach bites can and do occur, though they happen very rarely.
A cockroach bite is not likely to happen in your home or during your travels unless you find yourself sleeping in an environment with a roach infestation.
Do Cockroaches Bite or Sting?
Cockroaches bite humans rather than stinging them. Roaches don’t have stingers.
That said, cockroaches’ mouths are small and aren’t designed for biting people. When they do bite living humans, it is typically an accidental bite.
When Do Cockroaches Bite?
The most common time when cockroaches bite is at nighttime when the environment is dark and quiet.
Roaches are fearful creatures driven by deep-rooted survival instincts. They only come out when the coast is clear, and they are less likely to be seen or disturbed.
That means if you have a roach problem, they are most likely to come out (and bite) when you sleep.
Where Do Cockroaches Bite?
Cockroaches may bite anywhere on your body that smells like food. Places that have traces of food (like crumbs or grease) are the main places where cockroaches are likely to bite you.
The most common places people have reported being bitten by cockroaches include:
- Face (particularly the mouth)
- Hands (especially the fingers)
- Neck
- Arms
- Legs
- Chest
- Torso
- Feet
- Private areas
- Other (anywhere that smells like crumbs or grease)
Do Cockroach Bites Hurt?
Cockroach bites do hurt. Most of the time, a cockroach bite isn’t felt, but not because it doesn’t hurt.
Roach bites can be painful compared to other insect bites, especially when you count the allergic reaction that follows. However, people tend to sleep through it, like bites from bed bugs.
If you are awake when a cockroach bite happens, you won’t miss it. A cockroach bite feels like a sharp and painful pinch rather than a sting or typical insect bite.
Do Roaches Have Strong Jaws?
Yes, roaches have very strong jaws. Cockroaches are known for a “bite” up to 50 times stronger than what their body weight and jaws should be able to muster.
It is no surprise that you feel them biting you if you aren’t fully asleep when it happens. In some cases, the bite may be in a sensitive enough area that the sharp pain wakes you up from a dead sleep.
What Happens When You Scratch a Cockroach Bite?
When you scratch a cockroach bite, it only worsens your situation, like with bites from bed bugs. If the cockroach bite wasn’t already red, inflamed, and itching like crazy, it will be after you scratch it.
If you don’t know what roach bites look like, or you don’t know it’s there to begin with, you’re likely to scratch it on accident.
Are Cockroach Bites Treatable?
Yes, cockroach bites are easily treatable, even if it’s not always possible to prevent a cockroach bite from happening.
How to Treat a Roach Bite
- Wash the area with soapy water
- After you wash the bite, apply disinfectant to the affected area
- If you have a bug bite product, apply it directly to the bite
- Consider using home remedies like lemon juice, aloe vera gel, tea bags, and ice packs
What Can You Learn From Roach Bites?
You can learn a lot from roach bites about the infestation. This is in contrast to mosquito bites and bee stings which tell you very little.
For example, if you are bit by a cockroach, you know you have an infestation. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be targeted/mistaken as a food source while you sleep.
If only a small cockroach population is present in your home, there are typically much easier sources of food residue to find than what is available on your skin.
How to Prevent Roach Infestations (And Being Bitten)
Thankfully, preventing a cockroach bite isn’t tricky pest control. Follow these easy steps and be roach and bite-free:
Keep Your Home Clean
Keeping food in cupboards and sealed containers with lids is the first step to fighting/fixing roach infestations. Less clutter means less edible debris and moisture for the bugs.
Remove Food Sources
Pick up and pack up any leftover food from your table, counters, and other surfaces in your home. Keep your cabinets tidy, and floors swept and vacuumed regularly.
Minimize Water Sources
Keep your water faucets snuggly turned off, and repair any leaky pipes or fixtures in and outside your home. The less water available, the fewer roaches can survive.
Set Up Roach Traps
The most common step for preventing and fixing cockroach infestations is setting up roach traps. These easy-to-use pest control products fit behind cabinets and refrigerators, under shelves, and anywhere else out of the way and typically dark (where roaches hide or travel).
Use Pesticide and Other Roach Killer Products
If you know you have a roach problem or are gung-ho about preventing one, consider commercial-grade roach killer. Just read the instructions and follow them (typically spraying around foundations and cracks).
Hire a Professional Pest Control Expert
If your problem is out of control, consider hiring a professional pest control expert. A professional will assess the situation and then rid your home or business of pests.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens If a Cockroach Bites You?
If a cockroach bites you, it will typically result in small raised red bumps on the skin. Compared to other species, a cockroach’s bite isn’t much different from other small insect bites.
However, in rare cases, humans may have severe allergic reactions to these bites, like swelling, difficulty breathing, or even anaphylactic shock.
Do Cockroaches Bite Humans in Their Sleep?
Yes, unfortunately, cockroaches do bite humans during their sleep from time to time. That’s because cockroaches usually wait until the house is dark and quiet before venturing out in numbers. When cockroaches come out, humans are most likely sleeping at night, making them easy targets for the pests’ gnashing little insect mouths.
How Do Cockroach Bites on Humans Look?
On most humans, cockroach bites look like small raised red spots. A single bite doesn’t stand out, like a bee sting, for example, and may go unnoticed.
Depending on your blood type, the species of the bug, how sensitive your skin is, and other factors, the severity and appearance of the cockroach bite may vary widely.
Are Cockroach Bites Poisonous?
No, cockroach bites are not poisonous, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous.
Cockroaches are dirty insects that may carry many harmful bacteria and diseases you don’t want. For that reason, always clean and treat a cockroach’s bite immediately upon noticing it.
A Final Word About Cockroach Bites
Cockroach bites are as annoying as they are disgusting and even dangerous. They are also common, whether or not we like to think otherwise!
The best way to avoid these bites is to keep a clean and tidy house, leaving no food residue or open water sources for the pests. When the elements needed for survival are kept from them, cockroaches venture elsewhere in search of sustenance.
Setting cockroach traps and practicing other forms of home pest control is also helpful in reducing the risk of cockroach bites for you and your loved ones.