If you are wondering about the differences between bed bugs and roaches, you have come to the right place. In this article, you will learn the difference between the two and how to prevent infestation. The difference between the two is important for your health and peace of mind. You might even be the next victim of a bed bug bite! Read on for more information! Bed bugs are more dangerous than roaches, and you should seek treatment immediately to prevent further complications.
Bed Bugs vs Roaches
Both roaches and bed bugs have similar characteristics. Both have long antennae and small, protruding eyes, but their appearances are not always comparable. There are some things to remember to distinguish one from the other. The first thing to keep in mind is that the bed bug will leave an itchy red mark on the skin. The other pest will not. If you have more than one type of infestation, use permethrin-based sprays.
While both types of insects can cause a variety of health risks, bed bugs are often not as harmful to humans. Unlike roaches, bed bugs are nocturnal, feeding during the night. On the other hand, cockroaches feed during the day and spend their day hiding in dark, damp places. They may run back to their hiding place if disturbed. A common misconception about bed bugs is that they are harmless.
The first thing to know about bed bugs is that they don’t typically build a nest or protect a queen but cluster in certain places near food sources. Unlike cockroaches, bed bugs do not live in colonies, but they do form clusters. Both are small, reddish brown insects and can be as small as one-tenth of an inch. Bed bugs are commonly found in North America, South America, Africa, and Europe but also in Asia and Australia.
Bed Bug
The most obvious difference between bed bugs and roaches is size. Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed, while roaches are much larger. Both types of cockroaches feed on human and animal blood. Roaches have large, oval bodies and have six or more legs. They are less aggressive than bed bugs, but roaches are more difficult to kill. If you’re worried about an infestation, you should consider catching the roaches in time.
A quick and effective way to get rid of bed bugs is to use baking soda. Sprinkle some on affected areas, vacuum it up after every three days, and place baking soda on the legs of furniture to prevent the bugs from crawling. Silica Jell is another effective natural remedy. It absorbs the lipids from the bedbug’s cuticle and eventually kills them due to dehydration. You can purchase silica jell in small packets with your new clothes. Another method is to use vinegar. The vinegar contains acetic acid, which destroys the nervous system of insects. When mixed with water, vinegar kills bugs with a vapor that can be inhaled or sprayed.
Bed Bug Bite
Bed bug and roach bites are similar but differ in many ways. One difference is that bed bugs don’t normally fly and are more likely to hide, whereas roaches do. Although both insects are small, they are also similar in how they live and attack. The most important difference between bed bugs and roaches is their ability to spread diseases. These insects will not bite if they are awake, but instead will run away and hide under things.
While bed bugs and roaches are both blood-sucking insects, fleas live on warm blooded animals. Fleas live for several months as pupae and only a couple of weeks as adults, while bed bugs can live for as long as a year. While fleas can jump, bed bugs can only crawl. Bed bugs are brown or reddish, and their bites usually appear on the body above the abdomen.
Bed Bug Infestation
When comparing a bed bug infestation versus a roach infestation, it is important to consider both the size of the bugs as well as how they are spread throughout the home. While both pests are similar, the bed bug’s antennae are shorter and its eyes are larger. In addition, bed bugs are smaller, which makes them easier to hide. Their bites are itchy and painful, but they’re also less likely to harm people compared to roaches.
Both bed bugs and cockroaches bite, although the latter is more aggressive. Bed bugs usually leave an itchy, red mark on the human host. Roaches feed off trash, leftover food, and feces, while roaches rarely feed on humans. Raches are harder to detect and treat despite being more aggressive than bed bugs. Regardless of size, you should contact a pest control professional as soon as you notice an infestation.
Baby Cockroaches
If you have a cockroach infestation, you may be wondering if you have baby cockroaches or just bedbugs. Unlike bedbugs, baby cockroaches are reddish brown and will hide in cracks and crevices. They are found in areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and even clothing. Unlike bedbugs, though, which feed on blood, cockroaches will stay away from humans’ beds.
In terms of appearance, bed bugs are smaller and reddish brown with flat oval bodies. Adults are flightless and lack wings. The nymphs, however, are a pearl white color that turns clear when it feeds. Although similar in appearance, adult cockroaches are much larger and have wings. However, baby cockroaches look like a random bug.
In addition to wings, baby cockroaches will also hatch from eggs. The eggs of these critters will take anywhere from 24 to 38 days to hatch. However, it is important to identify them as soon as possible to prevent the infestation from growing too big. In many cases, the first signs of infestation will be eggs. Cockroach eggs are brown and contain up to sixteen embryos. They will usually be inside the home, which is why the presence of their feces is a good indicator of bedbug infestation.
Bed Bugs Feed
You may have wondered how bed bugs feed on roaches. While roaches don’t need to drink blood to survive, bed bugs do. To thrive, they need blood. The problem is, roaches can’t stay still long enough to feed. Therefore, bed bugs usually wait until a person is asleep before feeding. Then they scatter themselves to look for their next meal. The result is an infestation of bed bugs.
In order to find bed bugs, you can check the food of these insects. These insects feed primarily on human blood. Their mouths are tube-shaped, and they cannot chew other foods. Their diet consists of blood and other liquids. When they’re disturbed in human dwellings, they feed on the skin of humans and other warm-blooded animals. You can detect bed bugs with a simple test: they won’t crowd around a plate of bread crumbs.
If you spot any bedbugs, the most common ones are the Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus. These insects are tropical and may show up in homes after traveling internationally. Other species are associated with birds and bats but may occasionally make their way into homes. Identifying the eggs early will help prevent a serious infestation from occurring. There are many ways to spot bedbugs.
Ignoring Bed Bugs Infestation
Bed bugs can be a public relations nightmare for a hotel or landlord. Most people don’t think about bed bugs until they are infested, but their mere mention may scare customers away. Even if you are the property owner or tenant, you should educate yourself about this problem so that you can avoid becoming a victim of this critter. In the event that you discover an infestation, you should avoid mentioning it to other people, because bed bugs are not linked to filth or social status.
Call a professional to inspect the area if you can’t find bed bugs immediately. While bed bugs are not contagious, roaches are quite difficult to remove. Roaches, in particular, live near food sources. As a result, they can spread diseases like typhoid fever and cholera. In addition to this, roach infestations can trigger allergies and asthma attacks. If the infestation is severe, a licensed exterminator will be needed to eliminate the bugs.
Bed Bugs Prefer Humans
Bed bugs are small brown insects that feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals, such as humans. Although they prefer humans as hosts, they will bite any warm-blooded animal. Bed bugs have been known since ancient times, and are even mentioned in medieval European texts and classical Greek writings going back to Aristotle. Depending on their habitat, these bugs can live for up to ten years.
Although they feed on other warm-blooded creatures like roaches and flies, bed bugs prefer humans over other insects. While bedbug bites are nearly painless at the time of an attack, they can cause red and itchy welts. These bites usually appear in clusters or patterns, and are difficult to identify. Fortunately, most people do not have to seek professional treatment for these bites. However, if you are experiencing intense itching, you can use topical steroid creams to reduce the irritation.
Check for bedbugs, empty dressers and nightstands and inspect the woodwork underneath. Many bedbugs hide in cracks, corners, and recesses. Look for edges of wall-to-wall carpeting, wood molding, loose wallpaper, and edge-joints between ceilings and walls. You may find them hiding in books or electrical appliances. Keeping them out of reach is vital to preventing a bedbug infestation.
Baby Bed Bugs
Many homeowners have a common question: “How can I differentiate between a baby bed bug and a cockroach?” These two insects are very similar in size and color. They are both reddish brown and oval in shape. However, there are a few key differences between them. The most notable difference is the shape of their bodies. Cockroaches have long, thin antennae, and the body of a bed bug is round or oval-shaped.
Both bedbugs and cockroaches are parasitic and will cause irritation and itching to humans. They also carry the disease, echinococcosis. Unlike cockroaches, bed bugs are less contagious. While adult cockroaches have wing-like structures on their backs, they do not feed on human blood. Adult bed bugs are reddish brown, while their nymphs are a lighter color.
Bed Bugs Live
Bed bugs are insects that live in the homes of humans. They have no wings but are oval-shaped and reddish brown in color. Adult bed bugs have a long, segmented proboscis that is used for feeding. Once they have fed, the insects will rest in a bed and extend their proboscis for a blood meal. During their life cycle, the bugs will molt into different stages, but their reproductive stage is called the “adult” stage.
In addition to the beds, your home’s upholstered furniture is a prime spot for bed bugs. Inspect the seams, folds, and skirts of upholstered furniture. Sofas and recliners are major bed bug hotspots, especially when people sleep on them. Therefore, wash your furniture and keep it out of the house whenever possible to prevent infestation. It is also wise to inspect your bags before bringing them inside. Cockroaches are notorious survivors and they can easily sneak into your home through used furniture, moving boxes, and grocery bags.
Laying Eggs
In order to produce an abundance of eggs, the female bedbugs have evolved to conserve the sperm of her male. The eggs she produces are only a few micrometers in diameter. This allows the female to lay them months after mating with the male. Without a host, bedbugs cannot lay eggs. The host provides the female with the necessary nutrients to produce eggs. If the host is dead, the female will lay eggs continuously.
After a blood meal, female bed bugs lay a single egg or up to five. The egg will hatch after a week at room temperature and are impossible to see without a microscope. Once the egg hatches, the newly emerged bedbug nymphs are pale straw-colored and shed their skin five times before reaching maturity. In order to continue laying eggs, female bed bugs need to feed periodically. They also need to feed frequently to reproduce.
Tiny Crawling Bug
The dreaded bed bug is the smallest insect in the world and the only one that can infest your sleeping quarters. Bed bugs are small reddish brown insects with six legs and are approximately the length of an apple seed. Adult bedbugs can reach up to 7 mm when they are fully engorged with blood. Nymphs are smaller than an apple seed and begin growing at just one millimeter. Adult bedbugs hide in cracks and crevices in upholstered furniture, mattresses, electrical outlets, and fabrics.
Bedbugs are nocturnal and feed on warm-blooded animals during the night. They have four stylets that fold under their bodies when they are not feeding. They fully extend them when feeding on blood. Two of their maxillary stylets form two canals: a small salivary canal that carries saliva into the wound. A larger food canal is used for digesting and drinking body fluids.
Roaches Bite
If you have a pet, you may be worried about roaches biting it. While the cockroaches are less likely to bite people, it is not unheard of for them to itch and bite you. You should avoid scratching the cockroach bites because they may cause infection. Clean your face and hands daily to avoid contact with the cockroach’s saliva. If you do experience a cockroach bite, call a professional cockroach exterminator immediately.
While bedbugs are not harmful to humans, they are still a concern. Cockroaches can transmit bacteria, including MRSA, to humans and food. In addition, they produce allergens that can cause asthma and anaphylactic shock. This is especially dangerous for people living in poor-income housing. As you can see, they can bite if they’re feeling hungry. So if you notice blood on your bed, it’s probably a cockroach.
References
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/bedbugs/is-it-a-bedbug.pdf
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/bugs-that-look-like-bed-bugs/