What Do Cockroaches Eat?

When it comes to food, cockroaches are definitely not picky eaters. They are omnivores, which means they will eat both meats and vegetables in the wild. Cockroaches will eat any food source that they can find, but just like humans, cockroaches have their favorite foods, which are greasy foods, meats and starches. Cockroaches are often found in the kitchen because they are attracted to their favorite treats.

Cockroaches are scavengers, finding something to eat wherever they are. What a cockroach eats often depends on where it lives. Cockroaches can survive for months at a time without food if they have access to water. Without food and water, they can only survive up to a week. They have even eaten books and hair when they are extremely hungry!

Some cockroaches will eat common items found in the home. American cockroaches, which live in warm, dark, wet areas, will eat just about anything, including plant matter and other insects. Brownbanded cockroaches, which live in warm dry locations, prefer to eat starchy foods such as wallpaper paste, book bindings, and even nylon stockings! German cockroaches live in warm and damp places like kitchens and bathrooms. They love sweet and greasy foods but have been known to eat toothpaste. Oriental cockroaches, which often live in sewers or wet and decaying areas, like to eat all types of garbage.