How To Identify co*ckroach Poop - co*ckroach Zone (2024)

co*ckroach poop isn’t easy to identify. It can be confused with droppings from termites, mice, and rats. Likewise, certain poop is tiny and can be mistaken for coffee grounds or pepper. In any case, being able to identify roach poop will help you to remove a pest problem. It can tell you the species, size, and the number of roaches in your home.

Roach poop is identifiable based on its color, size, and texture. Roach droppings should be a dark brown color, waxy in texture, and smear like a thick film. Depending on the species, roach feces may be large, like a grain of rice, or small, like coffee grounds. The droppings may have rounded ends and ridges along the sides.

co*ckroach poop will be found in key areas around the home, depending on the species. It’s dangerous for humans to ingest or breathe. As such, you should carefully dispose of and sanitize all roach droppings. People who are immunocompromised or have asthma will be at the most risk from roach droppings.

What Does co*ckroach Poop Look Like?

Roach droppings leave many clues about the co*ckroaches themselves. This can help you determine their species and their size. By analyzing the poop, you can also rule out other pests and better focus your extermination efforts. When identifying co*ckroach poop, look for 3 main characteristics:

Color

co*ckroach droppings have a stark, dark brown color. It might even look black, depending on the diet of the roach, the age of the droppings, and any surrounding contaminants.

Unfortunately, the color does not vary between co*ckroach breeds. Analyzing this won’t help you identify an American co*ckroach from a German co*ckroach, for example.

Size And Shape

Instead, you can narrow down the species by the size and shape of their droppings. As you may expect, small co*ckroaches leave small poop. Larger breeds will scatter large droppings around your home.

Small co*ckroaches

Little roaches share characteristics in their poop. The droppings will be tiny black specks scattered across an area. In fact, it may seem like you spilled coffee or ground pepper on the floor. Upon closer inspection, you’ll discover that the droppings are round.

Large co*ckroaches

For large species, such as the American or Oriental roach, their waste will be like rice grains. They’re shaped like solid crystals or cylinders. The ends will be rounded, with ridges along the sides.

These droppings are often confused with rat or mice droppings. You may require a magnifying glass to notice the differences. While that sounds excessive, putting out mouse traps by mistake will only let your co*ckroach infestation grow uncontested.

Texture

If the droppings are not whole, they may look like smears or stains. co*ckroach feces have little water content, so they will not soak into fabric or other surfaces. Instead, the mark will be raised. You may need to inspect them more closely, as small droppings will seem like ink stains. Here’s what to do:

1. Put on a rubber or latex glove for hygiene purposes.
2. Gently smear the dropping. It will wash out of fabric, so don’t worry about damaging your clothes or towels.
3. Upon doing so, you’ll find it’s not entirely smooth, like ink. The poop will smear unevenly with a waxy texture.

In contrast, rat or mice droppings will smear but in a greasy, wet fashion.

co*ckroach Poop Vs. Other Pests

Termites, mice, rats, and co*ckroaches all have similar poop. Each animal is a pest that should be dealt with, but they all require different approaches. Before you take action, examine the waste for these differences.

Difference Between Mouse and co*ckroach Poop

Mouse droppings display these characteristics. They’re:

• Bigger than co*ckroach poop, even with large co*ckroaches
• Have short hairs in them, while roach poop doesn’t
• Have pointed ends, not rounded ones like co*ckroaches

co*ckroach Poop Vs. Termite Poop

Termite droppings also look like co*ckroach droppings in size and texture. However, these traits will set them apart:

• Termite poop is multicolored, while roach poop is brown or black.
• The poop is pellet-shaped, not rice or coffee-ground shaped.
• The poop is six-sided, lacking a roach’s clean cylinder shape with ridges.
• Termite poop is almost exclusively found in or near wood. Roach poop can be found anywhere.

The color of termite poop also depends on the color of the wood they’ve eaten. While co*ckroaches can eat wood, it’s an unlikely target in a food-rich house.

Difference Between Rat And Large co*ckroach Poop

Rat poop will be:

• Much larger than co*ckroach poop, even if your roaches are large.
• Much thicker, whereas large co*ckroaches will only produce waste the size of a rice grain.
• About the same length as mice droppings and far longer than co*ckroach poop.
• Pointed at the end, not rounded.

Where To Look for co*ckroach Droppings

co*ckroaches often defecate at random. They won’t designate certain areas as private bathroom spots. However, it’s natural for co*ckroaches to poop where they spend the most time. This will be near their feeding and nesting areas. Why is this important?

• Locating the nest will help you eradicate the infestation.
• If it’s one or two co*ckroaches, knowing their feeding area can help you cut off this food supply. The co*ckroaches will then leave or starve.

So, where should you look for co*ckroach droppings to track down these pests?

Kitchen

The kitchen is a prime location for roach droppings and the roaches themselves. They will stay near a food supply, so look through:

• Kitchen cabinets
• On shelves
• In drawers
• Behind or under your refrigerator

co*ckroaches like to hide, so look in all the nooks and crannies of your kitchen.

Laundry Room

The laundry room is a warm, moist area due to your washer and dryer. It may also be full of clothing that will hang dry, adding greater moisture to the air. Finally, it sees little foot traffic in contrast to the rest of your house.

These elements are all ideal for roaches. That’s why you’re more likely to find a nest here rather than in your kitchen. You should seek out droppings:

• Underneath your washer and dryer.
• Beyond bottles of detergent or fabric softener that’s rarely used.
• Inside cupboards or on shelves.
• Behind or under objects that aren’t regularly moved, like storage containers.

Bathroom

co*ckroaches may sneak into your home through leaky pipes. This can lead roaches to your bathroom, which is a moist, warm, and quiet place. Here, they’ll feed on soaps, hair, or even toilet paper. Be sure to check:

• Around the base of your toilet
• Near drain pipes. For example, the ones that lead under your bathroom sink
• Inside cupboards, especially around soaps, toothpaste, or toilet paper.
• Behind your trash can, or even inside

Storage Rooms

Speaking of dark and quiet, be sure to check your storage rooms. These may include:

• Attics
• Closets
• Wardrobes
• Anywhere in your home where boxes, clothing, and other objects are left unattended.

Storage areas provide a co*ckroach with shelter and darkness. These are two great elements when avoiding detection from humans or pets.

When investigating these spots, be sure to bring a flashlight and check all the corners. If you’re dealing with small co*ckroaches, you may overlook their droppings. It’s easy to mistake it for dust or debris from other items unless you look closely.

Cracks and Crevices

co*ckroaches can be as little as a ½ inch long. Because of this, they get into all sorts of places and leave their droppings. Check the unsuspecting areas, such as:

• In between electronics
• Behind furniture
• Near baseboards
• Around the garbage can
• Around light switches and electrical outlets.

If you have any cracks in your walls, make sure to look there, too.

What Do Different Types of co*ckroach Poop Look Like?

So, you’ve found the poop. You’ve determined that it’s co*ckroaches. You know if it’s a large or small species. Now it’s time to narrow down the exact co*ckroach you’re dealing with. By understanding the kinds that are terrorizing your home, you can pick the right extermination method.

German co*ckroach

The German co*ckroach is one of the smaller kinds, at only ½ inch in length. It’s oval in shape. Along with the brown-banded co*ckroach, it’s the second most common home-based pest in the U.S. They share many of the same habits, and their poop looks the same.

The German roach’s main identifying feature is the two parallel lines that run across the back of its head. These reach to the base of its wings.

Where Is It Found?

German co*ckroaches struggle in cold weather, so they seek warm, food-rich havens, like your home. As such, you’ll find them in a:

• Laundry room
• Bathroom
• Anywhere that’s humid

Droppings

For German co*ckroaches, you’ll see their poop before you ever see them. They are nocturnal, happy to scurry around when people are asleep. Their small size also makes them very quiet, difficult for humans or even pets to detect.

German roaches only appear in the day when their nest is overcrowded or has been disturbed. Their droppings are:

• Small
• Look like coffee grain or pepper
• Will smear black or brown
• May appear as dark spots in the corners of rooms

American co*ckroach

The American co*ckroach is significantly larger than the German co*ckroach. It ranges between 1 and 2 inches in size. It’s usually reddish-brown in color. There will be light yellow on the edges of its thorax.

Where Is It Found?

The American roach is usually found in:

• Crawl spaces
• Basem*nts
• Drains

Droppings

For the standard adult, the droppings will be:

• Long
• Shaped like cylinders
• Have ridges from tip to tip
• Be rounded on either end

Young American co*ckroaches will have smaller poop because of their smaller size. It will look like a piece of brown or black rice.

Oriental co*ckroach

The Oriental co*ckroach is an inch long and dark black in coloring. It’s a bit smaller than the American roach but considerably larger than the German roach. It’s quickly recognizable by its thick body and ridged back.

Where Is It Found?

This species prefers very wet areas, far more than its cousins. While Oriental roaches can survive a month without food, two weeks without water is detrimental. As such, you’ll find them in:

• Basem*nts, especially if it’s recently flooded or leaked. Even those that experience a lot of condensation build-up will be prime targets.
• Bathrooms, especially in the nooks and crannies around a shower or bathtub.
• Kitchens, especially around the sinks.

Droppings

Their droppings are almost identical to the American co*ckroach. Note that all co*ckroaches will desire a food source. While the areas described above may be ideal, roaches will still leave these spots to seek food. You may find them in your kitchen, wherever your trash can is stored, or even in snack stores throughout the home.

What Does co*ckroach Poop Smell Like?

The smell of co*ckroach poop may alert you to an infestation. It’s easily detectable to the human senses, but you may need a large quantity first. A few droppings won’t be noticed unless you’re hunting for them. co*ckroach poop gives off an odor often described as:

• Misty
• Moldy
• Foul
• Sooty
• Like moth balls
• In rare cases, some people liken it to the smell of almonds

So, does your laundry room or closet smell like mothballs for no reason? You might find co*ckroaches or their droppings nearby—the more insects, the more poop; the more poop, the stronger the smell.

Why You Need to Get Rid of co*ckroach Poop

If co*ckroach poop is so small and ignorable, you may wonder if you can leave it. If it’s in the corner of your room, in an old box, or otherwise out of the way, why bother cleaning it up. Right? On the contrary, it’s important to clean up roach droppings. If left, they will cause you more issues than expected.

Attraction

co*ckroach droppings serve as an invitation for other roaches to enter. Roaches have a keen sense of smell. They’ll detect the presence of other roaches and flock toward them. If there’s an abundance of poop, this indicates a thriving nest. That’s great news to new co*ckroaches seeking a home.

So, even if you remove the present co*ckroaches, more will eventually arrive if the poop isn’t cleaned up. Pest control specialists often use this to their advantage. They’ll place traps near the droppings, so they can catch and remove any co*ckroaches that escaped the first purge.

Health Hazard

A roach’s digestive system retains disease pathogens. The insect will then pass germs or bacteria, like salmonella, into its poop. If you inhale or ingest these contaminants in any way, you may be exposed to harmful diseases. According to the Journal of Food Protection, this can damage your health if there’s regular contact.

Asthma Risks

According to the EPA, the content of roach droppings may also trigger allergy symptoms or asthma. Symptoms often worsen when fans or HVAC ducts cause this debris to become airborne. If children are around it long enough, co*ckroach dropping can even cause them to develop asthma.

What Exactly Happens If You Eat co*ckroach Poop?

No one intentionally eats co*ckroach poop. However, co*ckroaches may have snuck their waste into your food with their invasive nature without you noticing. A few black specs can easily be mistaken for seasoning or overlooked altogether.

In fact, have you ever had food poisoning from the food you’ve made? According to the Journal of Medical Entomology, it may have been due to roach feces. When ingested, the droppings can make you quite sick. That’s because co*ckroaches often retain whatever contaminants they’re in contact with, such as:

• Bacteria
• Mold
• Fungi
• Viruses
• Worms

This is deposited through their feces. When you eat it, all that goes into you, too.

Signs You’ve Eaten co*ckroach Poop

Symptoms may not appear for a couple of hours. During this time, the contaminants will try to work their way into your body. Your immune system will mount a defense, which may closely resemble food poisoning. The most common symptoms of ingesting co*ckroach dropping include:

• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Abdominal cramps

If these symptoms last more than two days or become dehydrated, seek medical attention right away. You may also contract a salmonella infection, which may need immediate attention. No matter what, if you’re in one of the risk groups, call your doctor right away.

Can You Die From co*ckroach Poop?

People at the greatest risk will be:

• Children
• Elderly
• Those who are immunocompromised

With weakened immune systems, the various diseases transmitted by a co*ckroach may run rampant. This could result in death.

Can You Tell How Many co*ckroaches You Have By The Droppings?

Several droppings can indicate you have a large number of co*ckroaches. However, it may also indicate a small number of co*ckroaches. If they’ve been in your home for a great deal of time, their feces may have built up. To determine how many co*ckroaches you have, you can perform a test:

• Clean up the poop
• Leave the area undisturbed for a full day
• Check the area again

Has any poop been left during this short period of time?

• If a large amount appears, there’s a sizable co*ckroach population in your home.
• If only a little appears, you likely have between 1 and 5 co*ckroaches.
• If no droppings show up, the co*ckroaches might have left or moved to a different area.

Does a Clean House Mean No co*ckroach Droppings?

co*ckroaches thrive in dirty surroundings. However, they are willing to invade a well-kept house. It’s not poor housekeeping alone that attracts co*ckroaches. They may enter your home on:

• Packages of food
• Boxes left on your doorstep
• Appliances

They may even migrate from one home to another out of convenience. While a dirty home will attract them faster, it’s not the only reason for their presence.

What is the Difference Between co*ckroach Eggs and Poop?

On average, a co*ckroach egg will be:

• Very small
• White in color when they are first formed
• Harden and darken as they mature

Over a short amount of time, the eggs will become:

• Dark brown or red-brown
• They may also develop ridges

Unless you take a closer look, this will resemble co*ckroach poop. If you leave the eggs or clean them up improperly, you may have a mess of new co*ckroaches on your hands. To tell the difference, look at these factors:

Size

As small as the eggs are, co*ckroach droppings are even smaller. If you see something brown that’s closer to ¼ inch, it’s probably an egg, not a dropping.

Hiding Place

After that, you’re more likely to find co*ckroach droppings than eggs. Roaches will hide their eggs to keep them from harm. So, if you do find them, the eggs are probably tucked into dark cupboards, under furniture, in basem*nts, or attic.

If It’s Attached Or Scattered

The eggs may also be securely attached to a surface. This prevents them from getting trampled on or found by predators. For example, the eggs may be underneath your fridge, clinging to the metal underbelly. You won’t just find eggs lying around, but poop is often scattered about.

How to Clean Up co*ckroach Poop

co*ckroach droppings shouldn’t be swept away without a care. Since roach waste contains many harmful contaminants, you need to approach clean-up wisely.

Protect Yourself

co*ckroach droppings are most dangerous with skin contact and inhalation. If you touch the droppings with your bare hands, or they brush against you, that’s dangerous. The contaminants are now on your skin and may touch food, your mouth, or other items. Be sure to:

• Wear gloves
• Wear a face mask
• Ventilate the area if you or a loved one has asthma
• Children should also be kept from the area until clean-up is finished

Vacuum Or Wipe

On hardwood or countertops, you can use a wet, sanitizing wipe to clean up the droppings.

On carpet, use a vacuum to clean up the droppings. Ideally, this will be a vacuum with some form of air filtration. It should not allow the contaminants to become airborne. If your vacuum is old, in bad repair, or lacks a filter, be sure to keep the room well ventilated.

If someone in your household has asthma or is immunocompromised, consider investing in a new vacuum. Inhaled droppings can be dangerous or even fatal. Be sure to clean up all evidence of droppings. Affected areas may include:

• Walls
• Clothing
• Furniture
• Carpet

Throw Away Droppings Securely

With a cleaning wipe, immediately deposit it and the droppings into a trash bag. It may be wise to keep the bag close by, so there’s no danger of spilling in transit.

With a vacuum, empty the collection cup into a trash bag. It’s wise to do this outside in case the process kicks up dust. You may also want to sanitize the collection cup to be safe.

In both cases, seal the trash bag to keep the bacteria contained. It’s unwise to leave this in your home, adding more trash throughout the day or week. Instead, take it immediately to your trash collection area.

Sanitize The Area

Use soap and warm water to sanitize the area where droppings were found. If the soapy water fails to get everything, try a citrus-based cleaner and dilute it with water. This will:

• Prevent diseases from staying on the surface.
• Reduce the chances of an allergic reaction.
• Remove pheromones that attract other co*ckroaches to your home.

If you find the smell lingers, baking soda can help neutralize the odor. After you’re finished, wipe or scrub down the surface with clean water.

Clean All Associated Items

Clothing, mattresses, and other furniture should be sanitized if they’ve touched the droppings in any way. For example, if you find co*ckroach poop in your closet, be sure to check all your clothes, especially the pockets.

Allergens from roach droppings can persist in the environment for up to 5 years. As such, being thorough may seem like overkill, but it can protect your household.

I See co*ckroach Poop, But No Roaches

If you’ve spied co*ckroach droppings but no co*ckroaches, this could mean several things.

The co*ckroaches Are Good At Hiding

Since they’re nocturnal creatures and quick to flee, droppings may be your only evidence. Try conducting the test described above to determine if they’re still active.

The co*ckroaches Are Dead

If you’re mounted a counter-attack against your infestation, then take this as a good sign. The poop may be leftover. Over time, you should start finding dead co*ckroaches in corners around your home. This will confirm it.

The co*ckroaches Have Left

co*ckroaches leave when there’s no food source or too many deterrents. If you find poop but not roaches, you may have done a great job scaring them off.

Even if there are no live roaches, be sure to clean up the poop. co*ckroaches are still opportunistic and may return if they smell an appealing invitation.