Bed Bugs vs Cockroaches, Differences, and Comparison

Bed Bugs vs Cockroaches - Whenever you see reddish, small, brown insects in your home, you might think of bed bugs or cockroaches. These two insects are pests in your house, and it is also a sign of a dirty damp house that needs to be cleaned. However, these two are common house insects, and people might mistake cockroaches with bedbugs or vice versa. What are the differences between these two insects?

Now, we are going to see Bed Bugs vs Cockroaches what are the difference between them, and a comparison between these two. These two bugs are commonly seen in damp places, preferably dirty corners of your house, but bed bugs also prefer damp and dirty bedding. These two look alike in their appearances, but they are completely two different animals.

What Are Bed Bugs?

Before we begin with the differences between bed bugs vs cockroaches we need to know each of these bugs. We start things off with Bed bugs. 

Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown insects that can be found in a damp, dirty cloth, like in dirty beddings, that is what earned them the nickname bed bugs. They are insects from the genus Cimex and they feed on humans or other mammals’ blood. They thrive in warm, moist, and damp areas, and they are active mostly at night. 

Bed bugs bites can result in rashes, itching, allergic symptoms, and in some cases even psychological effects. Bed bugs bite is mostly harmless, however, if it isn’t treated it can become blisters, red rashes all over the body, and even fever. 

To this day, their bites didn’t carry any infectious diseases like malaria or blood dengue. However, red rashes from bed bugs can result in complications when bitten on dead skins, or exposed skins.

There are two types of bed bugs, the first one is Cimex Lectularius (Common bed bugs), and Cimex Hemipterus (Tropical type bed bugs). The adult bed bug can grow up to 4 to 5 mm long, and 2 to 3 mm wide. In their life, female bed bugs could lay up to 300 to 500 eggs in their entire lifetime, or at least 10 eggs per day. 

Bed bugs infestation generally transferred through humans that they fed upon or their personal belongings. Bed bugs sometimes lay their eggs in cloth or human personal belonging, and they can spread to another person through contact. Their spread can also be caused by a lack of hygiene from humans.

What are Cockroaches? 

Who doesn’t know about cockroaches? This common insect has been around for millions of years ago, and it is a common bug in many household places. This is the description of Cockroaches in our bed bugs vs cockroaches. 

The cockroach is a small insect that belongs to the kingdom of Animalia, order Blattodea, it is related to termites. Cockroaches although may seems small and insignificant, have existed on earth since the Carboniferous period, around 300 to 350 million years ago when it is believed cockroaches' ancestors have been thriving on earth. 

They are hardy insects, capable of adapting to any terrain, and a wide range of climates. They can withstand a cold arctic climate, desert climate, and damp tropical heat climate, and have been around 

near human habitations for centuries. Some researchers also believe that cockroaches can even withstand nuclear radiation from atomic bombs.

 

Cockroaches have an incomplete metamorphosis in their entire lifetime. Cockroaches lie an egg, preferably in damp, dirty areas such as corners, under the fridge, and cabinets. The egg hatches, and the cockroaches hatchling emerge. Cockroach’s hatchling has reddish, brown, body without wings that look similar to bedbugs. Once mature, cockroaches develop wings, and have a black, brownish color on their abdomen.

Comparison Between Bedbugs and Cockroaches

Now, we will compare these two, on bed bugs vs cockroaches, especially cockroaches hatchlings. Young cockroaches have appearances similar to bed bugs, with their reddish-brown abdomen, and hairy features.

Cockroaches and Bedbugs Comparison

Size: Cockroaches has at least 1 cm to 2 cm long body when hatchling and adult have at least 5 cm to 6 cm long, while Bed bugs only grow for at least 30 mm to 50 mm long at most.

Do they bite humans? Cockroaches rarely bite humans, if they bite, it is mostly caused by a lack of food. While Bed bugs do bite humans since they are blood-sucking insects.

Body Shape: Cockroaches are cylindrical, while bed bugs are oval.

Body Coloration: Cockroach hatchling is white when they hatch and turn reddish-brown when they grow up, and black brownish when they mature. Bed bugs have reddish-brown color on their body.

Antennae: Cockroaches have long antennae, while bed bugs have shorter antennae.

Eyes: Tinted eyes, on the top of its bug face, and with black marks for cockroaches, and bed bugs, it is protruding from its head side.

Do they have wings? Cockroaches once mature will develop wings, the wing coloration mostly black with slightly reddish-brown coloration. Bed bugs don’t have wings.

Preferred Spots: Cockroaches can be found infested in many warm, moist, damp, and sometimes dirty area, most likely kitchens where they could find many things to eat, and places to lay eggs. Bed bugs prefer clothing, mattresses, or couches that humans often use, so they can latch into human skins to bite them for blood.

Notable Differences Between Cockroaches and Bedbugs

There are few notable differences between these two, and if you know these, you can easily differentiate between these two bugs.

Cockroaches are bigger than bed bugs – While some cockroaches are bigger than bed bugs, their hatchling might be small and often mistaken for bed bugs.

Cockroaches have longer antennae – Cockroach’s antennae are long, even sometimes longer than their body, while bedbugs have shorter antennae.

Different preferred spots – Cockroaches mostly be found in damp, and dirty places, like under the fridge and cabinets, while bed bugs prefer clothing and beddings.

Cockroaches generally don’t bite – Cockroaches doesn’t bite human, they only bite human if they lack food. Bedbugs bite humans and suck human blood.

That’s the key and notable difference between bed bugs vs cockroaches. If you knew these notable features, you can easily distinguish both of these bugs.

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