9 They Hate Humans Touching Them To be clear, cockroaches hate being around humans as much as humans hate being around these disgusting insects. Cockroaches naturally flee from larger creatures—human or not—because they know that any contact with the larger creature will often lead to death.
Cockroaches might wander around our ears looking for some food. Roaches are attracted by the smell coming out from our ears. Its smell is like fermented bread, or beer, or cheese. Our own earwax release a similar kind of scent that woos the roaches.
First of all, cockroaches like to go around during the night, which coincidentally is when people sleep. So by virtue of just lying there motionless, we become likely victims. Cockroaches also like small, warm, humid places. And ears qualify as all of the above.
While many people are understandably scared of cockroaches, these vermin are not poisonous, do not sting and are unlikely to bite you, according to Terminix. They can, however, scratch you with their legs.
Cockroaches are a bit different. These invasive home pests do not like being seen and are instinctively afraid of humans. This makes identifying them difficult.
Myth #3: They can see me coming…
True: Why yes, they can. Cockroaches can see humans, and that is why they tend to run in fear when we are in their line of sight. The eye of the cockroach is like a compound lens, made of over 2,000 mini lenses that are photoreceptors and allow them to see in complete darkness.
“The standard treatment process for any phobia is exposure therapy,” she said. “You start small by simply talking about cockroaches. Then, you progress to looking at photos, then to seeing dead cockroaches in containers, maybe seeing pinned cockroaches in a museum, and eventually, looking at the real thing.”
Cockroaches might fly towards you in an attempt to intimidate you, or to protect themselves. Although cockroaches are little creatures, they will occasionally try to scare you away in order to protect themselves or their nest.
Cockroaches have extremely strong and flexible exoskeletons, which make them almost impossible to squish, withstand the hardest stomp or the toughest newspaper. They can also flatten themselves to fit into tight spaces and crevices, making for an easy getaway.
It might be difficult to believe, but the cockroach might be the “cleanest” species of insect.
Again, it's uncommon for roaches to be found on mattresses, but it's not uncommon for them to hide in your bed frame and bedside furniture. When you remove your mattress and dismantle your bed to move, check for signs of cockroaches and remove or sanitize items as necessary.
Cockroaches emerge from their indoor hiding spots at night to seek out food, and while doing so, they sometimes crawl over sleeping humans.
Does Killing a Cockroach Attract More? Yes, killing a cockroach can attract more to the area! There is an acid released by cockroaches when they die that can be smelled from a distance and attracts more of them to the area.
Smells that roaches hate: a quickfire summary
Oregano, rosemary, mint, eucalyptus, lemongrass and catnip are great herby options. Citrus oils work brilliantly too. And surprisingly, lower concentrations – 2.5 parts per hundred – seem to work best as deterrents.
Cockroaches are attracted to food and water sources. Dirty dishes, crumbs, food spills, leftovers, garbage, and pet food will all draw cockroaches in. Roaches are excellent at scuttling into and over tiny spaces, especially holes in pipes, cracks and crevices in your home, and tears in screens.
The different body parts, waste, and saliva of cockroaches are allergens for certain individuals. Even dead cockroaches can still cause some allergic reactions. Therefore, it is not advisable to step on a cockroach, as its crushed body parts can trigger some allergies.
If you are thinking about getting rid of cockroaches by flushing them down the toilet, think again. Cockroaches are dangerous to have around. These filthy creatures are directly linked to stomach illness, asthma and various diseases.
It is important to start out by saying that we don't recommend actually stomping on cockroaches. We are being figurative. Not only can stomping on cockroaches create a mess, but it can spread cockroaches around.
You don't have to call an exterminator immediately, but take proactive steps to diagnose the scale of the issue: search for possible hiding areas and look for any signs of infestation (roach droppings, eggs, skin casks). Once you see 2 roaches, you have an infestation—contact an exterminator as soon as possible.
As it turns out, the root of that fear often traces back to some traumatic experience in life, such as witnessing your mother scream at the sight of a roach. Often, that fear forms early, around the age of four or five.
Cockroaches carry a host of diseases
If you touch a cockroach, you risk becoming infected with some serious diseases, including bacteria that cause dysentery. According to the World Health Organization, cockroaches commonly transmit these diseases to humans: Salmonellosis. Typhoid Fever.
1. Arachibutyrophobia (Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth) Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth.
Yes! these roaches can experience a full range of emotions. While we may not always see them displaying these emotions in the same ways we do, that doesn't mean they're not there. Cockroaches can exhibit fear responses when faced with predators or dangerous situations.
Megaloblatta is a genus of cockroaches in the family Ectobiidae. It includes the largest living species of cockroach, Megaloblatta longipennis, which can grow to 11.4 centimetres (4.5 in) in length and have a wingspan of up to 22 centimetres (8.7 in).