Cockroaches are resilient creatures known for their ability to thrive in nearly any environment, often making them unwelcome household pests. Their reputation as indiscriminate eaters is well-earned, as they are opportunistic omnivores that will consume a vast array of organic and even non-organic matter. The specific question of whether cockroaches eat hair is a common concern that reveals an important aspect of their survival strategy.
Keratin and the Consumption of Hair
The direct answer is that cockroaches will consume human hair, though it is not their preferred food source. Hair is primarily composed of keratin, a fibrous structural protein that can provide nutritional value to a starving insect. While healthy hair is tough, cockroaches possess strong mandibles capable of processing the shed strands found on floors and in drains.
This consumption of hair, along with shed skin flakes and fingernail clippings, is typically categorized as a “desperation” feeding behavior. It occurs most often when a severe infestation has depleted all more palatable food sources. The hair is also attractive because it often contains lipids and sebum, fatty substances secreted by the scalp that can sustain the insects for a short time.
Smaller cockroaches, or those competing in a large population, are more likely to resort to these protein-rich desperation foods. In extremely rare cases of acute starvation, cockroaches have been known to nibble on eyelashes or skin calluses of sleeping individuals, a behavior linked to their drive for protein and moisture. They are far more likely to scavenge loose hair on the floor than attempt to eat hair attached to a living person.
The Broader Cockroach Diet
Cockroaches are extreme generalists, meaning their diet in a typical home extends far beyond conventional food waste. Their primary, preferred food sources are rich in starches, sugars, and grease. German cockroaches, common kitchen invaders, are especially drawn to sweet and greasy residues found in pantries and under appliances.
American cockroaches, which often inhabit basements and sewers, frequently feed on decaying organic matter and food scraps. Both species are known to consume items like pet food, spilled soda, and unwashed dishes, which provide the high-calorie energy they seek.
When traditional food is unavailable, their omnivorous nature leads them to materials humans do not consider edible. They readily consume starch-based glues found in book bindings and cardboard boxes, as well as wallpaper paste. Other non-food items, such as soap, toothpaste, and even their own cast-off skins, can be digested due to the diverse capabilities of their gut flora.
Eliminating Food Sources for Pest Control
Effective pest control relies heavily on removing all available sources of sustenance, thereby making the environment inhospitable. Since cockroaches are motivated by both preferred foods and desperation foods, sanitation must be comprehensive.
Sanitation must be comprehensive, starting with meticulously cleaning up food crumbs, spills, and grease buildup, especially around stoves and kitchen counters. All human and pet food should be stored in airtight containers made of plastic or glass, rather than relying on thin cardboard packaging.
Beyond the kitchen, pest management requires attention to the protein-rich debris that serves as a fallback food source. Regularly vacuuming or sweeping up shed hair, dust, and fingernail clippings minimizes the availability of keratin and other desperation foods.
Managing waste properly is also important, which includes sealing trash cans and removing refuse frequently. By systematically eliminating both the easily accessible starches and sugars and the less appealing organic matter like hair, the environment is deprived of the resources necessary to sustain an infestation.