Cockroaches in apartments are easy to get, but getting them out is much harder. Everyone knows that they are carriers of infection and produce an unpleasant odor that is harmful to allergy sufferers. But do cockroaches bite - domestic insects that cause so much trouble?
Types of domestic parasites
Among cockroaches, there are species that, due to their enormous size, can live in houses only as pets. First of all, these are Madagascar, among which an individual of 900 mm was identified. They make sounds similar to hissing, and have no distribution in Europe. Among domesticated insects, three varieties are distinguished:
- Blatta orientalis, or black cockroach. It is easy to determine, since the chitinous shell has a black color, casting a metallic luster. Black cockroaches are equipped with wings, but, fortunately, they do not know how to fly. The hairs and antennae are located throughout the body, which are responsible for vision and smell. Omnivorous insects can reach 50 mm and calmly live in the wild in warm climates: Crimea, Balkan Peninsula.
- Most of all people are interested in whether red cockroaches bite, because this species is the most widespread in Russia. Blattella germanica, or the red cockroach, everywhere follows the person in search of water, heat and food. Red cockroaches have an oblong shape and are able to fly to a light source or during breeding.
- Periplaneta americana , or American cockroach, has a darker brown color of the chitinous shell and a long body, which allows them to live in ventilation passages.
You can find in the apartments and white cockroaches, but they are not an independent species. Over their life, insects molt up to 10 times and lose their chitinous shell. Only after a few hours they regain their natural color.
Do cockroaches bite and why?
There are still people who consider cockroach bites a myth. American scientists Roth and Willis (60s) for the first time proved that insects can bite and nibble the skin of sleeping, especially children. They described twenty cases of eating small particles of the skin on the eyelids, fingers, neck, and even elbows. It became possible to learn about bites after an infection was introduced into the wound.
The oral apparatus of insects is so developed that they are able to eat anything: the remnants of any food, tissue, paper, soap, and even the wires of electrical appliances. The answer to the question of whether cockroaches bite lies in the plane of understanding why they do it:
- Lack of food. Lack of food prompts the cockroach colony to rush to find new sources of food. A sleeping person on the way, especially a child, can become such a source.
- Lack of water. It is its lack that can lead the insect to death. In this case, he is interested in human skin as a source of moisture: lacrimal glands, saliva in the corners of the mouth.
- Competition within the colony that can push active individuals to search for food. This occurs with a large infection with cockroaches.
Bite victims
The mode of the day of insects is such that they go hunting in search of food at night, when a person is sleeping. Due to the fact that their bite is almost painless, many have the impression of a far-fetched discussion of the topic "Do cockroaches bite home." Photo bites confirms the vulnerability of a person to parasites. More often victims of insects are children. There are certain reasons for this:
- Thinner skin that is easy to bite through.
- Pleasant odor without the deterrent scent of perfumes or tobacco.
- Children's skin (especially in infants) is an additional source of moisture.
Bite marks
Often the affected area itches, and there is a burning sensation. But visually it looks the same as after a bite of a mosquito or other insect. The wound is covered with a crust, the skin around it swells and turns red. Often bitten places are located nearby, which indicates a real attack of cockroaches. The jaws of the insect are not able to cause acute pain, but they can deliver discomfort and damage the skin, making them a source of infection. Victims no longer wonder whether cockroaches bite. Photos of the sad consequences of night hunting can be seen in the article.
Consequences, first aid
What should be wary of after a bite even in the absence of severe pain There are only two real threats, but you need to know about them:
- The body of the insect has tropomyosin, which can cause severe allergic reactions. Fibrous protein can cause severe edema in allergy sufferers.
- The body of a cockroach, its intestines and paws are carriers of pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria, therefore, when a person's tissue is damaged, their infection easily occurs.
When people in practice come across the answer to the question of whether cockroaches bite, it is necessary to treat the wound with an antiseptic: hydrogen peroxide, a solution of chlorhexidine bigluconate or alcohol. If an allergic reaction occurs (inflammation, severe burning or scabies), it is necessary to lubricate the affected area with an antihistamine ointment. With a large bite zone or severe allergic reaction, you must consult a doctor to prescribe drug therapy.
Bite Prevention
Everyone should have a good understanding of how cockroaches enter a home to avoid further problems. These tenacious insects, whose destructive dose of radiation exceeds the permissible for humans by 15 times, can settle in bags, bags and things. They easily end up in boxes, traveling with parcels in post offices. Run away from neighbors in the ventilation shafts and crevices in the walls or floor. They come in whole colonies when they begin to fight with them in a familiar place.
The question of whether cockroaches bite, arises only when disinsection is not carried out in the house and sanitation standards are not observed. Poisoning insects must be simultaneously on the entire living space of an apartment building in order to avoid relapse. It should be remembered that cockroaches do not tolerate the smell of ammonia, and from boric acid they begin to dehydrate the body, leading to death. The apartment should not have sources of constant moisture during the night, as well as access to food debris and spoiled foods. Fortunately, the bites of these insects are a rare event, and when taking preventive measures it can be avoided altogether.