Nobody likes cockroaches.  As the months are getting hotter, our homes are at more risk of being infested by nasty pests. At one point or another, we have all wondered how to get rid of wood cockroaches. Cockroaches are attracted to dark and cold spaces, but something that you may not know is that they are also attracted to certain foods. We think it is important to know what foods attract cockroaches so you can try to avoid seeing them in your home. Here are 9 surprising foods that cockroaches eat.  

 

Sweets 

In some ways, you will be surprised to learn that cockroaches share a lot of the same taste in food that we do. Cockroaches absolutely love the high sugar content that can be found in most sweet goods, so avoid leaving sugary snacks out where they can be eaten. 

Potatoes  

Cockroaches adore starchy foods and will be extremely attracted to any potato products. Potatoes are also extremely accessible due to the fact that they thrive in the same environment that cockroaches do. The older the potato the better as cockroaches love rotting food. 

 

Meat 

Much like humans, cockroaches are omnivores. This means that they love meat and when given the chance they will help themselves to a fleshy snack. You will quickly learn that cockroaches eat essentially anything, but they especially love meat.  

Cheese 

Cheese may be extremely surprising to you, but cockroaches just can’t get enough. Something that you may not know is that cheese leaves trace oil once cut on surfaces which can attract cockroaches, so we recommend wiping down your surfaces after food prep. 

 

 

Greasy foods 

As previously stated, cockroaches are drawn in by oils. For this reason, there is no wonder why cockroaches absolutely love greasy foods. Anything that has been fried will become a target of cockroaches, so be sure to keep any fry goods hidden when you can. 

Fermented foods 

Cockroaches love foods that are starting to age and ferment, so any sort of fermented food is bound to attract cockroaches. This is often why cockroaches can be found within bins and compost bins, so if you find yourself dealing with a cockroach infestation we would recommend checking those areas. 

Human waste 

This may seem a bit gross, but cockroaches love to eat human waste. This can be anything that we lose as humans, such as dead skin and fallen hair. This is why places such as hairdressers often fall victim to cockroach infestations. We recommend that you regularly clean your floors to get rid of any nasty dead skin and hair.  

Bread 

As stated previously, cockroaches adore starchy foods. This is why bread is such a popular food for cockroaches. Bread also has a very short shelf life, which means it develops mold a lot faster than many other foods. The quick development of mold also means that it is thrown away quite often, which also attracts cockroaches.  

Their own young 

If you thought the eating of human waste was gross, you will be even more surprised to find out that when they need to, cockroaches eat their young. Depending on where they are, they may not have access to other foods and as a way to deal with the potential starvation, they often eat their young.  

Now that you know what foods cockroaches are attracted to, you may be in a better position to try and prevent an infestation. The best tip that we can recommend is making sure that you have thoroughly cleaned all of your surfaces after any food preparation, this includes crumbs and oils.