Who eats cockroaches? It would probably be very good if cockroaches, man’s eternal and completely unwanted companions, had many enemies. It will become much easier to fight them. You brought an antagonist cockroach, and that’s it!
But, unfortunately, not everything is so simple, although cockroaches have enemies, and many of them will happily feast on cockroach meat, which is essentially a natural protein product.
Natural enemies
Some species of cockroaches are capable of moving quite quickly or even flying. This is why animals that eat these parasites must be fast and have good reactions. Answering the question of who eats cockroaches, it should be noted that in nature there are a huge number of natural enemies of longhorned beetles.
Who eats cockroaches from animals
Among mammals and birds there are many who want to feast on these insects, for example:
- Monkeys in the tropics eat cockroaches. To satisfy his hunger, a monkey needs to catch at least a dozen individuals.
- Hamsters and voles do not refuse to feast on barbels.
- A black or red specimen is a tasty protein food for a hedgehog.
- Birds often eat these insects in trees or catch them during short flights.
Insects
Who eats cockroaches from insects?
- The emerald wasp bites and injects poison into the arthropod, which paralyzes it. Then it takes the prey to its hole. After this, the wasp lays its eggs in the immobilized body. Then the hatched larvae are provided with food, as they feed on the insides of the parasite.
- Spiders feed on cockroaches, weave their webs and wait for prey in them.
- Dead longhorned beetles are excellent food for ants, which collect the remains into anthills for the larvae to eat.
- Praying mantises, which have the ability to turn their heads 180 degrees in search of prey, will also not refuse a cockroach. When the mantis finds its prey, it hides in ambush and waits for it. Since the praying mantis is very fast, the longhorned beetle has no chance of survival.
- Centipedes and house flycatchers, which are carnivores, eat not only fleas, fleas, bedbugs, but also other domestic parasites. They slowly eat their prey, as they first paralyze it using poisonous glands.
Interesting! Do cockroaches eat cockroaches? They can really calmly eat their fellow tribesmen - the weak individuals of the colony. Such cannibalism is usually associated with a lack of food. In favorable conditions they live quite peacefully.
Who eats cockroaches
You will be surprised to learn how many animals in nature eat cockroaches. This is a natural protein product for birds, rodents, and amphibians.
Even domestic animals, cats, dogs, do not hesitate to taste the insect.
To understand the importance and place in the chain, you need to know who feeds on them. Zoologists use any species as food: red, black, large Madagascar, American. The largest (length up to 9 cm) are the most delicious types, since they contain more meat, so they are juicier.
Pets
Many companion animals eat these household pests. For example:
- The lizard will not only explore the house in search of the Prussians, but also destroy them.
- The cat is a natural predator. For her, any insect is prey. Therefore, if the animal is full, it may not eat the barbel. But he will definitely kill him.
- Owners of decorative rodents are interested in whether mice, hamsters, or rats eat cockroaches. Typically, the diet of such animals consists of cereals, vegetables and fruits, but if the parasite gets into the cage, the rodent will quickly eat it. But this fact does not mean that it is possible to specifically use Prussians and black individuals to feed these mammals.
- Cockroaches are used as food for pets such as frogs, iguanas, lizards and small snakes. If you want to feed them insects, remember that such food is purchased in pet stores or bred in separate terrariums.
- It cannot be said that the dog eats Prussians. Rather, for her the insect is an object for play. She will bite him, press him with her paw, and in the end will certainly fatally injure him.
When wondering who eats cockroaches, we must remember that only some species are suitable as food: Argentinean, marbled and Turkestan.
It is not worth catching domestic Prussians and giving them to your pets to eat. Since insects can eat poison, this will have a bad effect on the health of a pet that has eaten a longhorned beetle.
Reptiles
The main enemies of cockroaches are reptiles. Some people, having discovered these insects at home, buy a lizard, an iguana, or a small snake. The lizard is especially fond of red-colored individuals, and is capable of eating them all in a few days until not a trace remains.
If there is no more food, it will begin to look for new sources and may move to the neighbors along the ventilation hole.
Human
In many Asian countries, people enjoy eating insects. Who eats cockroaches in these countries?
- For some very poor families, cockroaches and other insects are a substitute for meat.
- Grasshoppers, ants, cockroaches and caterpillars in some countries are included in the daily diet of residents.
- If you want to try exotic food, cafes and restaurants prepare various dishes from these insects. They can be stewed, fried and even served alive. In tourist areas, a cockroach dish can be very expensive.
- It has long been known that the Chinese eat fried cockroaches and consider them a real delicacy. For food, barbels are bred on special farms.
At the same time, we must not forget about what kind of cockroaches they eat. These are American, Madagascar, marble.
Now you know who eats cockroaches in nature and in our homes. However, when trying to get rid of these pests, you should not immediately get pets that will exterminate them. All the same, they will not be able to cope with the entire population.
Exterminating cockroaches in an apartment is a process that should only be entrusted to professionals. Sanitary service specialists , having gone to the site, determine the degree of infestation and routes of entry into the house. After this, they will carry out the disinfestation procedure using innovative equipment and insecticides, and install disinfection barriers. The important thing is that all the drugs used by SES specialists are completely safe for humans and pets. You will not have to make repairs after treatment, since poisons do not leave marks on interior items and walls. The disinsection itself is carried out quickly, so residents do not have to leave their home for a long time.
Birds
Surprisingly, birds love to eat cockroaches. Crows, sparrows, and domestic chickens will enjoy eating protein meat.
Songbirds living at home (robins, nightingales) do not refuse the marbled appearance and eat it.
Some owners have learned not to buy expensive food, but to grow it at home inside containers.
Features of bats
Bats belong to the order Chiroptera. But they are not “relatives” of ordinary mice. They are considered primates. These animals are nocturnal, despite their rather poor eyesight, and are perfectly oriented in the dark. Bats emit ultrasound, which helps to accurately distinguish small stones from insects over long distances. It is thanks to echolocation that they move in the dark. Below are some more interesting facts about bats.
- Life cycle. Bats live longer than dogs. On average, the lifespan of a “mystical” animal is 25-30 years.
- Dimensions. Bats, depending on the species, may have different parameters. Some individuals do not exceed the dimensions of a bumblebee in size. But there are also real giants, whose wingspan is 2 m.
- Ancient inhabitants. According to archaeological excavations, bats inhabited our planet approximately 55 million years ago. These animals have been practically untouched by evolution. Their remains are no different from modern individuals.
- Body temperature. Can vary from −7ºС to +48ºС.
- State of numbness. In winter, bats, deprived of the opportunity to get their own food, prefer to do nothing. Goes into a sleep state. This numbness can last up to eight months. The animal independently slows down metabolic processes and lowers body temperature. In the event of severe frosts, they can turn into real “icicles”, but with the arrival of warmth they thaw and continue their life activity again.
Bats breed once a year. Babies are conceived during wintering. The offspring are never numerous. Usually in the summer only one mouse is born. Sometimes two cubs may be born.Area
These animals choose secluded, dark and completely safe shelters during the daytime. In the wild, they settle in rock crevices, caves, abandoned burrows and hollows, on the slopes of dunes, even in the recesses of walls.
Rodents
Hamsters and rats in nature are among those rodents that are natural enemies of cockroaches and eat small insects. But at home, they are not in a hurry to eat it, because the insect can be dangerous.
It is a carrier of various diseases, and if neighbors have spread poison, they can bring the poison inside the cage with the rodent.
There have been cases when a cockroach calmly climbed inside a cage with a hamster, but the hamster did not touch it.
It makes no sense to buy insects specifically for domestic rodents; they have a different diet: cereals, grains, fruits or vegetables.
Folk signs associated with “bloodsuckers”
Bats have always been associated with otherworldly forces, so many signs and superstitions are associated with the animals.
What do bats eat, where do they live, why are they dangerous, and how to get rid of them
Bats are associated with vampires, witches, and sorcerers. Many are sure that these nocturnal animals are capable of sucking blood from a person... What do they actually eat and how dangerous are they for people?
Not only residents of rural areas, but also owners of city apartments can face an invasion of bats. And if in the countryside winged animals take up residence in attics and sheds, then in megacities they nest comfortably on balconies. Why is such a neighborhood dangerous, and how to get rid of uninvited guests who annoy you with squeaks and rustling noises at night?
