Forget about racism and terrorism. If there’s a battle the world is seemingly losing, it’s the fight against cockroaches. We’ve all seen it in our homes. Spending thousands on pesticides and hours of our time trying to get rid of them, only for them to magically appear after a week or so after spraying. It’s as if they’re invincible!
Even worse, these bugs are omnivorous. They eat almost anything they can chew. And sometimes, they even bite off more than they can chew – well, not literally!
That leaves every homeowner concerned about the safety of their food. After all, we know that if they can eat nearly anything, they can be carriers of disease. And there the question arises: can cockroaches eat through plastic bags?
Can Roaches Cut Through Plastic Bags?
Yes, roaches can cut through plastic bags. Cockroaches have sharp mandibles to gnaw through plastic bags with ultimate ease. So, if you are thinking of using a plastic bag to keep roaches away from your food, think again!
Plastic bags are effective at keeping food from a variety of elements. But they can’t keep cockroaches out. Small and large roaches alike have an adequate bite force to cut through a plastic bag.
You see, one fact about roaches is they are highly resilient. They’ll do anything they can for survival. Perhaps that’s why they’ve been so hard to eliminate!
So, thinking that a plastic bag would hinder a hungry cockroach from getting to your food is a lost cause. If determined enough, roaches will find their way in – and trust me, they will be!
Like any other type of plastic, plastic bags don’t have a chemical nature that can deter cockroaches. So, if the plastic isn’t thick enough, as is with most plastic bags, then they’ll easily be able to nibble right through it.
Can Roaches Eat Through Ziplock Bags?
Yes, adult roaches possess enough bite force to eat through ziplock bags. However, that’s not likely. Unlike some plastic bags, ziplock bags keep the smell of the food inside put. And if cockroaches can’t smell any food, they’re not going to waste their time trying to nibble through the bag.
Ziplock bags have thicker plastic material. That makes it harder for cockroaches to bite through. However, that doesn’t mean these bags are roach-proof. Not at all! If the roaches are big enough and determined, they’ll find a way into it.
But again, it’s unlikely that a roach will even think of eating through a ziplock bag. Unlike other varieties, ziplock bags are airtight. In other words, they won’t give off any food smells. And as we all know, cockroaches are attracted to food by smell.
Even so, it’s worth mentioning that ziplock bags don’t contain the smell of food for long. The more you allow the food to stay in the bag, the more likely it is for the scent to find its way out.
So, if you have to use ziplock bags for your food storage, make sure you consume the food as soon as possible. Don’t let the food sit in the bag for too long.
Can Roaches Eat Through Bread Bags?
Roaches can certainly eat through bread bags. Bread bags aren’t thick enough to stop a cockroach from getting inside. Actually, a bread bag is one of the easiest plastics for a cockroach to penetrate.
Unlike ziplock bags, bread bags are flimsy. That means they can’t prevent a hungry cockroach from finding its way through them.
Even worse, bread bags don’t keep the smell of the food inside put. So, if you store your bread in a bread bag, the cockroaches will smell it from a mile away – not literally!
Sometimes the flimsy design of the paper means you can easily tear it without knowing. That makes work easier for cockroaches since they can nibble their way through the holes.
All in all, it’s best to store your bread in a sealed food container instead of a bread bag. That way, you can keep the cockroaches away from your food – and prevent them from getting their hands on your tasty bread!
Can Roaches Eat Through Garbage Bags?
Roaches can also eat through garbage bags with ease. Garbage bags feature a stretchable design to take in more trash. But that also means they are way thin and therefore easy for roaches to rat through.
While some garbage bags won’t stretch, most of them do. And for their purpose, that’s a well-thought-out feature. The elasticity allows us to use them for more trash. But for roaches, the ability to stretch makes the bags an easy hurdle to get past.
Another thing to remember is that garbage bags often have food residue. That makes these bags an even more irresistible target for cockroaches. If you have a garbage bag full of trash, the cockroaches will be able to smell it from a distance and come to it.
So, if you are wondering whether cockroaches can eat through garbage bags, the answer is yes. These pesky pests can get through these bags and even know what’s inside them before they do.
Even so, you can easily keep them from your trash. For instance, you can consider using bleach to sanitize the place. That will help keep the cockroaches away – and it will also make your trash smell better!
Can Roaches Eat Through Chip Bags?
Roaches can also eat through chip bags with ease. Like bread bags and garbage bags, chip bags have thin plastic. That makes it easy for these bugs to bite through and access the contents.
Like you, cockroaches love chips, cereal, and other snacks. In fact, they’ll get attracted to any food high in carbohydrates and fat. So, if you have a bag of chips in your pantry, the cockroaches will be drawn to it.
So, the next time you buy a bag of chips, be extra careful with it. Ensure that you keep it in a sealed food container or a cupboard – somewhere where the cockroaches can’t reach it.
And if you find a bag of chips nibbled on by roaches, don’t eat the chips! The cockroaches might have left their droppings on the chips, which can contaminate the food and make you sick.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), roaches are carriers of several diseases, such as dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid, fever, and food poisoning. So, it’s best to avoid eating any contaminated food from these pests.
Can Roaches Get Into Sealed Food Containers?
It all depends on the thickness of the container. Cockroaches can effortlessly bite through thin food containers. However, if the container is thick enough, the cockroaches will struggle to get through it.
One way to keep cockroaches from getting into your food is to store it in airtight, sealed food containers. That way, the cockroaches won’t smell the food, so they won’t be able to get to it.
However, that doesn’t mean any food container is okay. As earlier pointed out, cockroaches are determined pests. When hungry, they’ll try to bite anything that stands in their way of food. So, only use thick, sturdy containers that the cockroaches can’t get through.
Also, ensure that the containers don’t have any cracks or holes. Cockroaches are small insects and can squeeze through small openings. So, even the tiniest crack will give them access to the container contents.
Another thing you can do is to keep your food in the refrigerator. That will make it even harder for the cockroaches to get to the food. The cold temperature will deter them, and they won’t be able to smell the food.
Do Roaches Like Paper Bags?
Yes, roaches like paper bags. Entomologists generally agree that most cockroach species prefer to chew through paper bags more than plastic. Paper bags provide an excellent place for these pests to lay eggs.
One of the reasons you’ve unsuccessfully fought roaches for many years is their ability to reproduce quickly. A cockroach’s egg case may contain up to 50 eggs and can hatch after 24 to 38 days.
Now, if you are stocking paper bags in your house, that could be one of the reasons you’ve struggled to keep cockroaches away.
Cockroaches are attracted to paper bags because they provide shelter. Roaches so much love to lay eggs in plastic bags. So, if you have paper bags in your house, check them regularly for signs of roach infestation.
How Long Can Cockroaches Live in a Plastic Container?
A cockroach can live in a plastic container for an indefinite time with access to food and water. However, if neither of these is available, a roach may take up to a week to die of dehydration.
Cockroaches need air, water, and food to survive. But unlike you, they don’t need a lot of oxygen. Their respiratory system requires little amount of oxygen.
As long as there’s some air in the container, cockroaches can survive for a long time. Plus, they can go without food for a month. So, if you’re trying to get rid of cockroaches, don’t think that sealing them in a plastic container will do the trick.
They’ll still die from dehydration. But that won’t happen until a week has passed without access to water.
Conclusion
Roaches are stubborn and will eat through most things to get to the food. Bread bags, chip bags, garbage bags, and paper bags aren’t enough to keep them away. Ziplock bags can protect your food, but these bags aren’t entirely safe.
The best way to keep cockroaches from getting into your food is to store it in airtight, sealed food containers. Only ensure that the container is thick enough and doesn’t have any cracks or holes.