You just sprayed your home to get rid of a cockroach infestation. However, you find dead roaches all over the place, and you notice a cockroach upside down. Why is this, and what makes this behavior occur?
Cockroaches die on their backs because they are exposed to pesticides. Cockroaches do not have a high center of gravity, so their weakened muscles prevent them from pulling themselves back up. This is especially true if they fall on smooth surfaces.
This article discusses why cockroaches die upside down and what pesticides do to them. If you wish to learn more, keep reading.
How Do Insecticides Make Roaches Flip Upside Down?
Insecticides make roaches flip upside down because of the neurotoxins they contain. The insect’s nervous system gets compromised, making the cockroach lose muscle control.
After the poison reaches the cockroach’s nervous system, the roach eventually gets muscle spasms, leading it to flip on its back.
These household pests carry most of their weight on their slightly rounded back, so if they do not have anything to grab onto to help turn themselves back over, they will die this way.
However, if the poison does not take effect until a few days later, it may paralyze the cockroach for hours or days until it dies.
Are Upside Down Roaches Alive?
Yes, some upside down roaches are still alive. However, if gravity pulls them down and they do not have anything to lift themselves back up, they will remain upside down and eventually die from insecticide action, thirst, or hunger.
Some roach sprays do not work as they claim to. In that case, if you pick up a paralyzed roach, it might still be living. However, they lose control to move for a while.
On the other hand, cockroaches that live outdoors rarely die of old age. If a roach happens to be on their backs but is still alive in the wild, predators will take this as an opportunity to eat them.
Cockroaches are dominant prey for many predators, such as lizards, parasites, scorpions, spiders, etc.
Read More: How Long Do Cockroaches Live? What Is Their Average Lifespan?
How Do Insecticides Work?
Insecticides work via different modes of action to kill and control a roach infestation. However, there are many different methods and ways you can kill roaches.
In some cases, the pesticide will damage the exoskeletons, while others disrupt the nervous system, making insects unable to function correctly.
You may find insect poison in gels, baits, sprays, and dust. However, pesticides are poisonous to people and animals, so it is essential to make sure you use safety precautions while dealing with such chemicals.
For best results, use boric acid to kill cockroaches. We highly recommend using one part boric acid with one part sugar and strategically placing it in places with a roach problem.
What Should I Do If I Find a Dead Cockroach?
If you find a dead cockroach, pull out the vacuum cleaner and suck it up. If you have multiple dead cockroaches in your house, the live cockroaches will see them as food and eat them.
Another essential thing to do is take a flashlight and inspect the area where you found the dead roach. Check inside crawl spaces, under appliances, inside cabinets, etc. Odds are, there may be more cockroaches.
Call a Professional for Help
If you are constantly finding dead cockroaches everywhere and you are starting to see a massive cockroach infestation, call a professional exterminator to help solve your issue.
Many professionals will thoroughly check the area, see what cockroach species you are dealing with (like the German cockroach), spray the premises of your home then do a follow-up to ensure the bugs are gone.
