Palmetto bugs that are also known as American cockroaches or water bugs are pests that can bring diseases from their bite. Although it is called palmetto which means people name it because they find them on the palm tree, actually they can infest house and even bite you under certain conditions.
Well, there are some reasons why do cockroaches bite people. It mainly comes from the cleanliness aspect in the house and people. They are not intended to bite people as humans are not their prey. Sometimes, they bite people because there are some foods left on the skin while people sleep. That is why you need to clean both the bed and yourself before going to bed.
Do Palmetto Bugs (American Cockroach) Bite?
Cockroach bite is a rare thing yet it happens to people. If you are asking do palmetto bugs bite? The answer is yes, but this kind of insect will not bite people intentionally. As the other name, American cockroaches, the palmetto bugs can bite you under certain conditions. Also, it may not a bite but rather an allergy or sensitive skin to saliva, feces, or debris that is left by a cockroach.
Here, research shows that Palmetto bugs (American cockroach) have strong mandible which is similar to carnivorous ground beetles and even stag beetles in terms of stress values. Fortunately, they do not bite people as the main target because human is not what they look for.
In this case, even Palmetto bugs (American cockroaches) bite you, it doesn’t mean that they are intended to. Here, cockroaches are well known to come to the house to look for leftover foods. So, unlike bed bugs, they will not suck your blood. It can be concluded, then, that it is true that Palmetto bugs (American cockroaches) bite but they are not intended to bite people. It is because human is not what they look for as the primary food source.
However, on the other case, it is well known that this kind of cockroaches is the major pest that infests houses in the United States. Also, Palmetto bugs (American cockroaches) have other names such as water bugs and even Bombay canary. So, you may find different terms that refer to the same insect that might have bitten you.
What Do Palmetto Bugs (American Cockroach) Bite?
Well, actually there is no specific part of the human body that belongs to American cockroaches’ favorite. You never find a cockroach that literally runs into you and suddenly bites you, right? That will not happen. But, do cockroaches crawl on you at night? Yes, they do.
You may find cockroach bites after you wake up. There may some cockroach bite scars around your body. Commonly, what cockroaches will bite are fingernails, eyelashes, and dead skin on the feet or hands. In this case, the calloused hand has so many dead skin cells.
Why Do Palmetto Bugs (American Cockroach) Bite?
Here, you may wonder why do the palmetto bugs (American cockroaches) bite those parts. Is it because they want to eat you? No, they do not want to. In this case, you need to check whether you had washed your hand, foot, and face or not before you slept last night. The leftover foods around your body are what attract them to bite you.
That is why you can find that they likely bite your fingernails to reach the crumbs. Also, they actually eat everything that is edible for them. In this case, your dead skin cell may be nutritious for them. So they bite you.
However, a cockroach bite on eyelashes is quite different from an actual bite. It looks more like an allergy from the sensitive skin to the debris of cockroaches. In some countries, people name it a “cockroaches’ pee” that actually comes from feces and saliva.
So, here is the reasons why it is a rare case to find cockroaches bite especially palmetto bugs (American cockroaches) bite. Even though there are some reports that say that palmetto bugs (American cockroaches) do bite people, but what actually people find may an allergy.
How to Prevent Palmetto Bugs (American Cockroach) Bites?
Of course, cleanliness is the most important thing you need to keep. It starts with you and your house. Make sure everything’s clean. Do not let any waste of water or food crumbs make them come into you.
It is also important for you to wash your hands, face, and feet before you sleep to make sure you are clean. Also, do not forget to brush your teeth. Sometimes, people sleep with the mouth open while they are snoring. You don’t want to see cockroaches come inside, right?
So, to be concluded, do palmetto bugs (American cockroaches) bite? Yes, they bite but they don’t intend to bite people. However, they can bite you just in case to pick the left-over foods on your skin. So, stay clean.