Cockroaches are insects with high resistance to the surrounding environment. One of the impressive facts about cockroaches is that these insects can adapt to even harsh environments. Another fact is that cockroaches are one of the insects that scientists predict can survive a nuclear disaster. This is because cockroaches have a high tolerance for radioactive materials. However, can cockroaches survive other conditions?
The answer to the question can you suffocate roaches in a plastic bag is yes. The fact is that as long as a roach is in a plastic bag, it will lose its supply of food, water, and air. Therefore, make sure the plastic bag is tightly sealed.
Well, let us discuss more this topic scientifically. Here is some more explanation for this case in the following passage below.
How Long Can Cockroaches Live in A Plastic Bag?
In very tightly sealed conditions, usually cockroaches can only survive for 45 minutes (depending on the species and the resistance of each individual). This is because cockroaches do not get a continuous supply of air. Therefore, people who like cockroaches as pets will make holes in the plastic boxes of cockroach cages. This is intended so that air circulation into the cage remains smooth.
However, in some cases, cockroaches can survive longer than expected. This is because each individual of various species has different resistance. But, still, if we leave the cockroach sealed in a plastic bag, it will weaken even more. For some species, they can even survive from 3-5 days in sealed plastic bag.
Can Roaches Die from Suffocation?
In fact, cockroaches can die from lack of air. In fact, according to this study, actually, food and water restrictions on cockroaches have little effect on metabolism and resistance. However, in conditions where cockroaches do not exchange gases in an enclosed space, it affects their survival.
Based on the research above, we can conclude that sealing a cockroach in a closed plastic bag will make it die by itself. This is because the body’s metabolism stops working in the absence of air circulation.
In everyday life, usually, we will find dead cockroach shells in tightly sealed places such as jars, tool storage boxes, etc. There, cockroaches will hide in these containers and without us knowing it, we have closed the container tightly and stored it for a long time. In this case, the cockroach is trapped and cannot get out.
Of course, the lack of food and water supply in a closed place will accelerate the process of cockroach metabolism decline which leads to death.
How to Speed Up Suffocation in A Plastic Bag?
When we talk about speeding up the eradication of cockroaches in plastic bags, I recommend using Diatomaceous Earth powder. This powder is a mineral item that has been proven to be able to kill insects in a relatively short time.
This powder works by dehydrating the insect and absorbing bodily fluids from the insect. We can simply imagine that this powder can dry insects in a sealed plastic bag. In addition, the structure of this powder which is sharp crystals can accelerate the extermination of cockroaches.
One of the notes on using Diatomaceous Earth powder is that we have to keep this powder dry at all times. In its use as a spray, this powder often does not work well. You cannot let the powder wet. Therefore, putting a few spoonfuls of this powder in a plastic bag will make this powder work effectively.
Is It Effective to Save Electronic Devices from Roach Infestation by Using Plastic Bags?
One of the most common difficulties when trying to save an electronic device from a roach infestation is that cockroaches tend to hide and are difficult to get rid of. In fact, by nesting cockroaches in the device, dirt and food residue from cockroaches can damage the circuit module.
Often, we find devices that don’t work properly because some small items such as the chipset, ic, etc. are dirty due to cockroaches. On the other hand, cleaning electronic devices requires special skills so as not to damage the small items inside.
Usually, the use of a plastic bag to treat roach infestations is recommended in this case.
The method is quite simple, namely wrapping our electronic devices in a plastic bag and then sealing it. This will make the cockroach die by itself. Make sure that we use a bag large enough to fit the electronic device.
However, there is one thing to note about the chance that a cockroach will die inside the device. Instead of coming out, the cockroach may stay still inside the side of the device. This, of course, will cause new problems because the remains of the cockroach’s body will be in the device.
Therefore, maybe we can give special consideration before implementing this.
What Is The Plastic Bags Method Best For
The use of plastic bags to kill cockroaches is of course a very easy thing to do. Usually, we use this method to deal with cockroaches which are personal items that are not too large. On the other hand, the use of plastic bags is also suitable for people who feel disgusted if they have to deal with cockroaches directly.
Some of the things we can do with this method are objects that have a low risk of damage and are easy to clean, such as suitcases, bags, toolboxes, etc.
The use of plastic bags to kill cockroaches is certainly not suitable for large items such as washing machines, stoves, cupboards, cabinets, etc. Of course, we need other methods to overcome this. Keeping it clean and keeping the area dry can reduce roach infestations.
Further Discussion of Plastic Bags Suffocation Method
Based on the explanation that has been written previously, the use of plastic bags to kill cockroaches certainly has advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, we need to make some special considerations before implementing this method and be prepared for the risks.
Instead of using plastic bags, we can try several other methods that are more popular and effective, such as gel, bait, spray, trap, and so on. Each method used has advantages and disadvantages for dealing with roach infestations on a certain scale. In this regard, sometimes we need two or more methods to get rid of cockroaches effectively.