You will generally find water bugs outside, but if it is not favorable for them, they may be tempted to move indoors. What brings them (and their commonly-associated cousins, cockroaches) inside?
Are water bugs attracted to food?
There are a few things that may attract them to migrate indoors, and they are:
- Water is one of the main reasons
- Food, especially sweet-tasting things
- Rotten organic matter
If you are using the term “water bug” to refer to “cockroach”, then certainly cockroaches are attracted to food as well as water.
Read on and discover how these conditions may attract water bugs to your home.
Are Water Bugs Attracted to Food?
Are water bugs attracted to food? Yes, food attracts water bugs, just as it is for those creepy insects that look very much like them, cockroaches.
If you find a scurrying bug in your home, it may well be a cockroach (see our article comparing water bugs and cockroaches for more).
So, if you find water bugs inside your home, it might be a sign that you should clean more thoroughly. And if you find a giant water bug, well it’s time to move out.
Are water bugs attracted to food? Yes, food attracts water bugs, just as it is for those creepy insects that look very much like them, cockroaches.
Water bugs are attracted by a range of circumstances, including moisture, darkness, and dampness. Food is another primary focus that attracts water bugs. Even though they will hunt for their food, they will not say no to easy food.
This is one of the reasons why you will mostly find water bugs and roaches in your kitchen and even in the bathroom. That is because these places have a lot of moisture and water and dark nooks and crannies to hide in.
If they can find easy food in the kitchen, such as bread crumbs and sugar granules, this is where they will live. While they love sweet and starchy food, they also love fermented beverages such as wine and beer.
For starters, the best way not to have water bugs in your home is to clean thoroughly regularly. You should also disinfect your bathroom and kitchen often to get rid of microscopic organisms where they may lay their eggs.
What Do Water Bugs Eat?
With about 1,500 different species of water bugs to be found, they also have a vast range of food they may consume. The term water bug is such a catch-all, with so many species included, that it can be hard to generalize.
Following is a list of some of the most popular things water bugs would eat:
With about 1,500 different species of water bugs to be found, they also have a vast range of food they may consume.
1. Human Garbage
While water bugs are predatory and prefer to hunt other insects, they tend to have scavenger habits. That is why they will start to look for all types of food waste when they are inside your home, especially in the kitchen.
As mentioned, they also love sweet-tasting food such as syrups, sugars, and foods that are high in starch. You may find that they will even go after book bindings and the materials found at the back of the wallpaper.
You should clean all food scraps to prevent them from being lured to your home.
2. Algae
They eat plant matter; algae are one of their favorite foods, which is why you may find them near your swimming pool. They also lay their eggs in this algae, so they will know even before you that there are algae in your pool.
Even before the algae is visible to your eye, they will have located these microscopic organisms.
3. Human Waste
It is also true that water bugs will eat any waste they can find as a scavenger, such as human feces. They will also eat the skin flakes humans may shed because they will eat any dead animal they can find.
It is important to regularly vacuum the places where humans may shed dead skin cells to keep the water bugs away.
4. Bees And Other Insects
Many species of water bugs are much larger than bees. And because they are predators will even hunt bees and kill them for food. They may also just start consuming a dead bee when they find it after dying for any other reason.
As is the case with every other type of dead, small animal and insect, water bugs will just start eating them. Water bugs will hunt and kill any other type of insects and even eat ants or small spiders if they do not find other food.
No small insect, fish, or small animals such as small snakes and even turtles are safe from water bugs, particularly giant ones. Giant water bugs will even eat other types of baby animals, such as baby snakes and baby turtles, to name but a few.
Conclusion
Water bugs have a wide range of food they eat, including live or dead insects, small animals, and more. If they can find food in your house, they will certainly eat it.
The following is a list of the food they are found to eat:
Water bugs have a wide range of food they eat, including live or dead insects, small animals, and more. If they can find food in your house, they will certainly eat it.
- Human Garbage
- Algae
- Human Waste
- Mosquito Larvae
- Bees
- Baby Turtles
- Baby Snakes
- Ants
- Spiders
- Small Fish
- Other Insects
Standard household products such as vinegar, lemon, and baking soda can take you a long way to keep your place water bug free! Hopefully, this will help you understand water bugs and their habits better.
