What Foods Attract Roaches

Cockroaches are the oldest surviving insects in the world, scientists believe. This is due to their ability to adapt, and to survive off of almost any food source. Cockroaches are scavengers and will look for food anywhere that they smell it. With the ability to eat natural sources of food as well as human-created foods, cockroaches can survive in almost any habitat.

Meat

Cockroaches will eat anything organic, and meat is a great source of protein and fats. Cockroaches are attracted to the smell of foods such as meat, and can even find extremely small pieces of beef, chicken or other meat that people may not notice. Leftover meat from meals that’s left out attracts cockroaches. When meat is spilled during cooking and small pieces remain on the floor, cockroaches will seek it out in your kitchen.

Non-Foods

Cockroaches are primarily interested in organic matter and things that humans consider food. However, they are also attracted to starch. Due to this, cockroaches sometimes consume book bindings, for the starch. Paper or cardboard, such as used pizza boxes, can be eaten by cockroaches, which may be attracted to the smell of food. Even clean cardboard may be eaten by cockroaches when no other food is available. Cockroaches may also eat through paper bags to get to food.

Organic Matter

Cockroaches are scavengers, and can survive off of most organic matter. Dead insects and bugs, even other cockroaches, are a viable food source. Decaying plant matter such as dying grass or a compost heap may attract cockroaches, as they can survive off of this. Animal corpses in nature can attract scavengers such as cockroaches, as do bones or animal parts left over when cooking. Leather may also be eaten by cockroaches.

Sugars

Cockroaches are primarily attracted to sugar. Sugar used for tea or baking should be sealed tightly, or cockroaches may get into the package. Soda and juice attract cockroaches, because of the high concentration of sugar in them; even a spilled sugary drink that has dried can be smelled. Fruit is full of natural sugars, and cockroaches will eat discarded fruit due to this. Cockroaches will eat candy, baked goods and anything else containing sugar.

By: Home Guides