Cockroach poop is as disgusting as it sounds.
These disgusting creatures are an icky problem. They can wreak havoc in your home and even cause property damage.
You may not be able to get rid of cockroaches once and for all, but you can take steps to prevent an infestation from ever occurring.
In this post, you’ll learn about cockroaches and what they do to damage your home. You’ll also learn about common home remedies and what you can do to protect your home from cockroaches.
Let’s start now.
What Does Cockroach Poop Look Like?
Contents
The look of cockroach excrement varies depending on the species of insect in question.
Some types of roaches drop brown pellets that look like small grains of rice or peppercorns. Others leave behind dry black smears that stick to surfaces such as countertops or tabletops.
Other types of cockroaches leave soft black specks of poop on floors or furniture that they frequent.
Finally, some varieties of these pests leave behind tiny specks of dried excrement in cracks and crevices of kitchens, bathrooms, and other rooms of your home.
Size and Shape
Instead, the size and form of roach feces depends on the type of roach involved.
Tiny cockroaches, as you might imagine, tend to leave small piles of their poop in and around their hiding places and food caches.
These piles are about the size of a large grain of rice or a pea and often form irregular shapes on the home’s surface.
Also, these tiny piles of waste are usually darker in color than larger piles of the same species.
In other words, if the pile of waste left by a small bug looks dark to you but isn’t as dark as the pile left by a larger bug of the same species, chances are you’re dealing with a tiny cockroach.
Larger breeds will leave much larger piles and will usually do so in relatively straight lines or in stacks several inches in height.
Color
Cockroach droppings have a dark, glossy appearance to them that’s hard to describe but easy to identify once you’ve seen it a few times.
This is in stark contrast to other types of insect waste which tends to have a dusty look to it rather than a shiny look. This shiny sheen is what gives the stuff its nickname of “cockroach caviar.”
It’s also why this stuff can be such a problem in households where small children live.
The shiny nature of this type of excrement makes it easy to track around on floors and can make for a nasty surprise when a child unknowingly steps on it, making cleanup a bit of a challenge.
Depending on the roach’s diet, the age and sex of the roach and the amount of moisture in the air, the feces can contain anywhere from one to twenty or more different kinds of bacteria including E.coli.
Small Cockroaches
Little roaches have much smaller droppings than their larger counterparts.
The droppings will appear as dark specks or smears of ink-like material on the baseboards or floor surface.
Indeed, it may seem like magic sometimes when adults are astounded at finding small traces of these tiny black specs sprinkled around their kitchen or bathroom.
When you look closely, you can often see a tiny black speck stuck to the floor or a baseboard.
Large Cockroaches
Large species, such as the Oriental cockroach or American cockroach, have much larger droppings.
They have the appearance that they look like dark grains of rice that have been smeared across the surface of the room where they reside.
They are often found near stoves, refrigerators, sinks, and other areas where water is present and food crumbs accumulate.
They can be found on the floor near the kitchen sink or even inside the sink itself if it’s left running too long.
They can also gather in the garbage disposal area if the disposal isn’t cleaned regularly. Large roaches can also breed in wall voids if given the opportunity.
Where To Check Cockroach Poop
Food Sources
Cockroaches love to feed on starches and sugars that are commonly found in human food such as breads, pastas, cookies, cakes, rice, oatmeal, fruit, milk products and more.
They also love to eat leftover food and moist areas where they can hide during the day.
So, where do these creatures get their meals?
As you might guess, they sneak into our homes through the food supply.
Once they get inside, they then find their favorite hiding spots like cabinets, drawers, closets and even in the cracks between your walls where they lay their eggs and wait for night to fall so they can come out and feed again.
They also love moist places like basements, crawl spaces and under porches where they can breed and multiply very quickly.
Dark Areas
Cockroaches love dark areas.
They usually live in places like kitchens, basements, and attics.
However, cockroaches don’t just live in these areas; they poop in these areas too.
Cockroach poop is black and sticky and is commonly found underneath sinks.
Hidden Nooks & Crannies
Roaches lurk in dark places – inside cabinets and appliances, behind baseboards, in wall voids or under floors.
As a result, you may see cockroach droppings or dead roaches when you turn on the lights at night.
Roaches will use cracks in the walls or floor to travel from one area to another in your home.
How To Get Rid Of Cockroach Droppings Naturally
Clean the Mess Up
Cockroach droppings are nasty and disgusting.
They can spread disease and contaminate food. Cockroach droppings can also cause allergies and asthma.
The best way to get rid of cockroach droppings is to clean them up every day. Cleaning up cockroach droppings is quick and easy.
All you need to do is sweep or vacuum up all the droppings and then thoroughly wash the floors, countertops, and dishes in your kitchen.
You should also clean the countertops in your bathroom every day as well.
However, don’t spray any chemicals or bug bombs on your cockroach problem. These will only make your problem worse.
Instead, shock the cockroaches by spraying vinegar on or near their hiding spots. This will prevent them from laying more eggs.
Sanitize The Area
Cockroaches can spread many disease-causing bacteria.
Therefore, it’s crucial to get rid of them. The best way to do that is to sanitize the area where they are found.
First, remove all the cockroaches with a vacuum or spray them with insecticide. Then, spray the area with insecticide.
Finally, remove the cockroach droppings with a broom or vacuum.
Use a Liquid-based Cleaner
Cockroaches contaminate food and make homes smell terrible.
So, it’s essential to get rid of these pests.
To get rid of cockroaches, make sure there are no crumbs or food particles around your house and clean regularly.
It’s also a good idea to spray insecticide regularly in areas where cockroaches might hide.
Finally, make sure you throw out any garbage that’s lying around your house.
If you follow these tips, the cockroaches will leave your home.
Use a Carpet Shampoo
Cockroach droppings look like black specks.
They can sometimes be mistaken for dust or dirt, but they’re not. Cockroach droppings are very dangerous because they contain germs and bacteria that can contaminate your food and spread disease.
They can also damage your food and home. If you’re at risk of getting cockroaches, the best way to get rid of them is to hire a pest control company.
However, you can also get rid of cockroaches yourself by using a carpet shampoo. Carpet shampoo contains chemicals that kill cockroaches on contact.
It also leaves a protective film on your carpet that prevents cockroaches from coming back. Carpet shampoo is affordable and easy to get your hands on.
Does Cockroach Poop Smell?
Roach feces, like any feces, has a strong odor that attracts other roaches to its source.
Since most species of roaches prefer dark, damp places as breeding grounds and for shelter, it’s common to find piles of fecal matter next to plumbing fixtures or other moisture-prone areas within the home.
As with most animal waste, the smell of a freshly deposited pile of fecal matter can be fairly pungent to a human nose.
It may not be overpowering in magnitude but it is strong enough to be noticeable if close enough to be detected at all.
This odor is often compared to the smell that is emitted by a wet dog’s rear end or a recently manured horse stall.
It is unpleasant to the nose but to the average homeowner this strong odor can often be ignored or simply tolerated due to the unsightliness of the feces itself and the gross appearance of the piles themselves.
Can Cockroach Poop Make You Sick?
Cockroaches can transmit many dangerous diseases to humans through their feces and saliva.
For example, their feces may contain salmonella, a bacteria that can make you sick with diarrhea and fever.
Cockroaches can also transfer the germs that cause cholera and dysentery through their saliva.
Fortunately, it’s rare for cockroaches to get sick from their feces or saliva. However, if you spend a lot of time with cockroaches, it’s possible you might get sick from their feces or saliva.
Why Should You Look For Cockroach Droppings Consistently?
Cockroaches are found in almost every home around the world.
Even though they are small in size, they can still cause significant damage to a house. Roaches are known to spread diseases such as salmonella and dysentery.
Hence, it is important to get rid of them as soon as possible. If you spot a cockroach in your home, it is best to look for its droppings.
These droppings can help you identify whether you have a cockroach infestation or not.
Moreover, the droppings can help you identify the species of cockroach in your home.
Identifying the species can help you understand why the cockroach is there in the first place.
Also, looking for cockroach droppings can help you identify how severe the infestation is.
Also Read: Do Cockroaches Make Noise?
Conclusion
Knowing what roach droppings look like can be of great help to you when getting rid of cockroaches from your house or apartment.
It will enable you to immediately identify the problem and know how serious it is before taking action.
If you have any concerns or believe you have a major pest problem, you should contact your local pest control company for further advice.
