Finding the poop of a pest in your house is the number one sign of pest infestation.
If you can identify the pest from its poop, then there is nothing better than that.
In the case of cockroaches, if you can identify the cockroach poop by just looking at the droppings then it can be very helpful to you.
But, when it comes to dealing with cockroach poop, many questions come to our minds.
So, let’s get the answer to these questions.
Do Cockroaches Poop?
There is a simple answer to this question- Yes, they do.
Pooping is a simple way to remove waste from their bodies, and this happens with all species, whether they are animals, birds, or pests.
The droppings of roaches, animals, and birds are very different from each other; you can tell the difference by just looking at them whether these droppings are of cockroaches or animals.
But just knowing that, whether roaches poop or not, will not help you a lot.
You should also be able to identify cockroach droppings; otherwise, there is no use in getting information about their faeces.
So, let’s get more information about it.
What Does Cockroach Poop Look Like?
The faeces of small roaches and large roaches can differ from each other.
The poop of small roaches is brown or black specs that appear like finely ground black pepper. Sometimes, you can also find their poop as black stains or dark ink stains on the surface, depending on the size of the roaches and their species.
This picture published by the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management shows cockroach faeces.
Another thing that you should know is that small roaches don’t mean baby roaches. It means species of small roaches like German roaches or Brown-banded roaches.
The larger roaches leave solid droppings that look more like cylinders.
This is also black or brown, and that depends on species to species.
Cockroach Droppings Identification
Now, you already know that German cockroach droppings look like black stains or dark ink stains; These types of faeces are released by smaller ones like Brown-banded or German roaches.
While the American cockroach droppings are more solid-shaped, like cylindrical, having brown or black in colour, they also may have ridges that run from one end to another.
If you see solid-shaped cylindrical brown or black faeces, then it is most likely the droppings of American roaches, Oriental roaches, or smoky brown roaches.
Roach Poop vs Mouse Poop
In most cases, people can easily identify roach droppings, but when it comes to distinguishing between mouse poop and roach poop, people make mistakes.
The mouse and roach faeces look very much similar, and people often make mistakes in identifying them.
This can cause a problem for them because if there is a mouse infestation in their house and they keep thinking that there is a roach infestation and don’t do anything about roaches, it can be a problem.
But how to tell the difference between roach poop vs mouse poop?
You can easily differentiate between German roach poop and rodents because smaller roach poop resembles ink stains.
But, the larger roach poop is very much similar to the mouse; the poop of both large roaches and mice is cylindrical in shape.
But, droppings of large roaches have ridges from one end to another, while the mouse droppings do not have any ridges.
Along with that, if you look closely, you’ll see that mouse droppings are slightly larger than roach droppings, and they may also contain short hairs in them.
Palmetto Bug Poop or Cockroach Poop
The term “Palmetto Bug” is generally used for many large roach species and some beetles.
In most cases, when people refer to palmetto, they are talking about an American cockroach, but this term is also used for Florida wood cockroaches or other large species.
So, if we talk about palmetto bug droppings, it is large roach poop.
As we know, large cockroach excrement is solid cylindrical in shape and black or brown in colour having ridges from one end to another.
Where to Find Roach Droppings?
There is no specific place where roach droppings can be found; these pests try to stay close to their nest and food sources.
Unfortunately, your food source means their food source, so there is no doubt that the kitchen is one of the most expected places to look for roach faeces.
You can find droppings everywhere where you see these pests, but, this is not a good answer if I say, their faeces can be everywhere.
Below, I’ve shared a few places where you can find their faeces, and most probably, you can also find crawling roaches.
- Corners of the rooms
- On the top of cabinets, doors, and shelves where they do not get disturbed.
- Cabinets, drawers, pantries, and closets are favourite places of roaches, and you can find their droppings there.
- Underneath and behind the large equipment like stoves, dryers, refrigerators, and sinks.
- Near and in the bathroom & toilet, you can also find them near the drain pipes.
Can Roach Poop Make You Sick?
Yes, cockroach poop can make you sick, and these pests can spread various diseases.
We all know where roaches live and from where they get their food.
They get their food from the garbage, sewage, dustbins, and other dirty places where you don’t to go.
Therefore, you can find disease-causing pathogens in their digestive system, and they release these disease-causing pathogens wherever they poop.
So, yes, these roaches can spread diseases and make you sick.
Why Should You Find Cockroach Poop?
Now, you know where to find cockroach poop in your house, but I’m sure you must be thinking- Why do I find faeces of such a dirty pest in my home?
You need to find their droppings to clean them; the roach droppings are responsible for causing many kinds of diseases.
As told earlier, these pests live near sewers, drain pipes, and garbage cans; therefore, their digestive system contains disease-causing pathogens that can make you sick.
Even their droppings can increase the severity of asthma.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America clearly states that cockroach waste causes allergic reactions; its waste can also trigger asthma symptoms and can lead to asthma attacks.
The roach poop can have allergens and can lead to allergic reactions to some more sensitive people.
Faeces But No Cockroaches: What Does It Mean?
You may have found roach poop in your house but didn’t see any cockroaches.
What does that mean? Are there any roaches in your house?
Yes, there is a cockroach infestation in your house.
You may not have seen these pests because they are more active at night and prefer to come out in the dark when there is less to no activity.
So, these insects may come out when you fall asleep, and they crawl in your house, and in the daytime, you don’t find any.
This is a symptom of a low level of infestation; if the infestation becomes severe, you can see a few of them crawling even during the day.
So, if you only found the faeces but no roaches, that means you have a few roaches in your house, and their population is not very large.
What to Do If You Find Roach Poop?
If you found roach poop, then you have to do three things.
- Cleaning the Cockroach Droppings
- Getting Rid of Roaches
- Preventing a New Roach Infestation
These steps are so important that you should not skip any of them; otherwise, you’ll not be able to eliminate their risk for a long time.
How to Clean Cockroach Droppings
Vacuuming
Use a good vacuum cleaner to remove all the faeces and droppings of these pests.
Start from the top of appliances, in the cabinets, bathroom, kitchen, near the drain pipes, containers, and other places where you can find these disgusting pests.
It would help if you also looked at the places like microwaves, dishwashers, and refrigerators; keep your house clean to prevent the entry of roaches.
These pests prefer dirty places, so if you clean your home, it works as unsuitable for them.
Washing the Surfaces
Use water and soap to remove the allergens from the places; clean all the walls and places where you suspect their presence.
In most of cases, simple soap and water solution is sufficient, but you can also use disinfectants.
Disinfectants will also help you remove the germs and bacteria they release.
How to Get Rid of Cockroaches
If you want to get rid of cockroaches in your house, you first have to clean your house.
The use of other methods and roach killers is the next step. The number one thing that you have to do is to clean your house properly.
This will help you remove the allergens and make your home unsuitable.
Identify the Problem
After cleaning, the next thing you have to do is analyze the problem.
What type of roaches is present in your house? Are they German roaches or Americans? Where are they present?
You must be thinking, what difference does that make whether these pests are present in your kitchen or bathroom?
That makes a lot of difference.
If the roaches are in your kitchen, you may not want to use cockroach-killing sprays because such products spray insecticide, which can go into the air.
Therefore, there is a risk of accumulating insecticide over food items and utensils.
Remove the Food Sources
After that, you have to remove the food sources.
If they are in the kitchen, you must ensure all the food storage containers are adequately sealed.
There are no food items that are placed openly, which can be used by roaches as food sources.
Also, do not put organic waste like the remains of fruits & vegetables in the open.
Eliminate the Hiding Places
In the daytime, you do not see them. Why?
Because they hide in the daytime and they come out in the night.
But, if you can find their hiding places, you can attack them or block these hiding places so that they won’t be able to hide from your eyes.
Use Roach Killers
Many roach killers work well in killing these pests.
I suggest you should use roach baits instead of sprays because after putting baits, these baits attract pests and kill many of them.
Using the bait, you can eliminate the roach infestation in just a few days, but when it comes to using a spray, there are a few disadvantages, which is why I don’t like them.
First, you can only kill those roaches you see; so, if you have a roach infestation, you may only be able to kill a few ones because other roaches only come out when there is no disturbance.
Second, if you use a spray, it can contaminate the whole area; you may also feel insecticide after using the spray.
You can use the spray in the places like the bathroom or the room, but I recommend not using it in the kitchen.
Along with that, you can also use roach foggers to kill these pests.
DIY Methods
If you do not want commercial roach killers, you can use some home remedies.
As we all know, home remedies are not as effective as commercial products, but you can try them because they are not as dangerous as poisonous sprays & poison baits.
Borax for roach killing is a good DIY method that works; along with that, you can also use baking soda.
You can also read another article where I shared a few methods to kill roaches instantly that’ll also help you.
Taking Help of Exterminators
If there is a severe infestation and you cannot get rid of them in your house, you should take the help of pest control services.
Many exterminators can help you eliminate these pests from your house.
Preventing A New Roach Infestation
If you have eliminated a roach infestation and think your work is done, then you are wrong.
After eliminating the infestation, you have to take some prevention measures so that a new infestation does not grow in your house.
Proper Food Storage
Keep your food in an airtight container; do not store it in open areas where it can be used for pests.
Along with that, open food also attracts many kinds of pests.
Cleaning
For that, the number one thing you must do is keep your house clean; I have talked about it a few times earlier because it is important.
Occasionally Use Roach Baits
After eliminating all the pests from your house, occasionally use the gel bait in different places, especially in the kitchen and your bathroom.
You can use after every 10 to 15 days and slowly increase the number of days between each treatment.
Exterminate Roaches with Professional Pest Control
As mentioned before, cockroach poop is a sure-shot sign of a growing roach infestation in your house.
While the above-mentioned alternatives can help you deal with roaches and their poop, sometimes you need stronger and more potent solutions to a heavy and growing roach infestation.
This is where a licensed exterminator comes into the picture!
Final Words
You may not think cockroach poop is big trouble in your house, but their droppings can cause a huge problem.
Their faeces can cause several types of diseases and can even lead to asthma attacks.
So, the next time you find the faeces, you can identify whether these are roaches.
But don’t confuse roaches and mouse droppings; they look similar but differ slightly, as told earlier.
However, make sure that you thoroughly clean their droppings and take adequate steps to exterminate these buggers before they become extremely difficult to eliminate.
How do you eliminate roaches from your home? Let us know below!
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Una respuesta
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this!! I have droppings under my sink and have seen one or 2 of the Palmetto roaches here in Florida. Everyone says that’s normal, but I absolutely don’t believe that! Thanks again.