Roaches vs. Beetles: Is There Really a Difference?

Roaches and beetles are sometimes confused for one another, especially when the beetles are as uncomfortably large as full-grown cockroaches. They both have tough exteriors that protect them from predators, a normal insect anatomy, and a preference for staying on the ground when not flying. Some beetles have bright color palettes, but most beetles and roaches are a little creepy-looking for our taste. But besides appearances, how many differences are there between these two grounded pests? Let’s look at some of the key components of an insect’s life and how these two compare in their habits.

Life Cycle

Beetles and roaches show their differences from day one, since they have varied forms of maturation. Roaches begin as eggs that hatch into miniature cockroaches that grow with time. It can take anywhere from about a month to two months for the eggs to hatch, and each egg case can have about sixteen to fifty eggs. This is why a roach infestation seems to be ever-growing, since the roaches are ready to start pestering us as soon as they emerge from their egg. Roaches live anywhere from several months to a year, depending on the species, which is surprisingly long for a pest that can exclusively eat trash and feces if it wanted to.

Roaches are most easily distinguished by their body structure, since it does differ from beetles. They have flat bodies with long antennae and 6 lengthy legs. Most varieties are brown or black in color, and some have distinguishable markings between species. American cockroaches have circular markings and a reddish tint, while German cockroaches have a couple of stripes and are lighter brown in color. Most roaches do have wings that lay flat against them when not in use, but they tend to prefer running away instead of flying away. They also have an outer shell, similar to beetles, but the covering on roaches is more wispy than hard like that of a beetle. It just serves to protect their wings, since roaches are positively thigmotactic and can compress every part of their body to fit in the tightest of spaces. 

Beetles have a more traditional life cycle to the average insect. They start as eggs, which are laid hundreds at a time in a secure place that is near a food source for when they hatch. Then they become larvae, which is the most destructive phase of the beetle. Next is the pupa stage, where the beetle is dormant and exclusively uses its energy to develop into the final stage, the adult stage. This is also when the beetle is the most protected, since it has fully-developed defense mechanisms of some kind, be it camouflage, smell, or mandibles. 

There are over 300,000 species of common beetles, so it would take quite a while to explain the specific color patterns and body makeups of each one. For now, just remember that beetles are rounder and often more colorful than roaches, and that is the easiest way to tell them apart visually. Some are brown, like ground beetles and June bugs, and could be mistaken for a roach, but the body structure gives it away. Beetles have antennae and 6 legs like roaches do, but beetles’ legs are shorter and therefore not as quick-moving as the legs of roaches. They have a wider variety of escape methods when necessary, as beetles can run, fly, and even swim! Beetles can have two sets of wings hidden under a tough exoskeleton, which is why many of them tend to fly away rather than scurry for safety.

Diet

This is where the differences between roaches and beetles become very apparent. Roaches are essentially the garbage disposals of the pest world. They are scavengers and spend most of their days searching for good food that will give them the protein and energy needed to reproduce and cause more problems for the human race. Roaches will eat anything and everything, especially if it has some kind of food residue on it. One favorite material of roaches is starch, which is why they can be found near old books, cardboard, wallpaper, glue, and adhesives. But they will also eat feces and other roaches, so who can really say what a roach’s favorite food is? 

On the other hand, beetles have a slightly more refined diet. They stick with the normal plants and organic matter, for the most part. This is also why beetles like to stay outside more than roaches do. Beetles have strong mandibles that allow them to chew through all kinds of tough materials, so they have a large selection of foods available to them. Their favorites include wood, seeds, leaves, fungus, and waste. Some species are predators, so they can eat smaller garden pests found near their home. Think of a ladybug and how much it loves to eat aphids. Other species enjoy more specific materials, like how a carpet beetle loves the fibers and organic materials in carpet and clothing. Beetles may be smaller than many roaches, but they definitely do some damage to our gardens and materials.

Habitat and Preferences

As we have already established, roaches are not very picky at all. They can live just about anywhere, provided there is some kind of tight space in the area. They also like to be near a water source and in complete shelter, which unfortunately means that our homes are perfect for them. Roaches actually love to feel enclosed in the claustrophobic embrace of a small wall gap or underneath a box with just enough space for them to squeeze through. Since they can squish every part of their bodies together, including the organs, roaches don’t feel any discomfort in living somewhere that doesn’t allow much movement. And since they compress so much, they can fit their whole family in the tight space they claim as their own. Roaches are nocturnal and prefer the darkness in general, which all helps to explain why we never seem to find an infestation until it’s too late. 

Beetles conversely prefer the great outdoors. They like to be near the plants that either house the pests they enjoy, or are the food source themselves. Many species like the light and are diurnal, so their natural body clock is opposite of roaches. Some like to live underground or under rocks and logs, while others will settle for living under the shade of a plant. Many beetle eggs are laid in the soil, hence the tendency to stay near the top layers of the dirt. When beetles do get inside a home, they still stay near the food source, which is now anything with organic fibers or food residue. Carpet beetles obviously like to live in the carpet, but they will also settle for living in the closet with all of the organic material they could dream of in our clothes. Even though beetles aren’t a danger to humans, we still don’t want them in our homes due to the destruction they bring wherever they go. 

Pest Level

On a scale of one to ten of how much you do not want this pest around, roaches are an eleven. Their one saving grace is that they hardly ever bite people or pets, since they prefer to run away rather than attack. But there are plenty of other reasons for roaches to be one of the worst pests ever. For one, they notably spread all kinds of bacteria and germs everywhere they go. Since they eat everything and can live anywhere, there is plenty of harmful bacteria to be found on their feet, antennae, and bodies. This transfers onto the future surfaces they walk on, which can be the furniture or countertops in our home if they invade. Some of the more infamous diseases that roaches can carry are salmonella and staphylococcus, neither of which are anything we want. 

Another major problem with roaches is what their skin castes and droppings do to our senses if they are not removed immediately. People living in a house with a roach infestation may experience a massive spike in allergy symptoms, which are aggravated by the discarded skin castes. So even if you don’t get near a roach (which we recommend staying away from in general), you may still begin to feel physically worse through allergy symptoms. Also, roaches smell. This isn’t a personal attack against the pests; they literally put off a musty odor that only gets worse with a larger population. A positive spin on this trait is that you will know if you have a roach problem based on smell.

Beetles are less dangerous to us since they don’t carry as much bacteria and don’t seek out people to bite, but they are still bad pests to have. Most beetles are destructive by nature, and the specific targets of that destruction depend on the species of beetle. But since most enjoy eating plants and anything related to a plant, gardens are often the biggest victims of beetle attacks. Beetles can destroy crops if they are not taken care of, and this isn’t helped by the fact that the numerous beetle species in the U.S. mostly seem to take a liking to our plants. The beetles that prefer natural fibers and materials, like carpet beetles and powder post beetles, can destroy our clothing and furniture before long. Beetles don’t have a pain factor like wasps or black widows, but the tiny holes they leave in our plant leaves and sweaters are enough to make us want them gone ASAP.

The best ways to prevent both of these pests are the same as every other pest: keep all food properly sealed and put away, take out the trash when it’s full, wipe down counters and surfaces, and seal any cracks or openings in the house. Keep all plants and trees trimmed back from the house. Fix any water leaks immediately, as this is one of the main reasons that roaches will invade. Also, check any box or bag before bringing it inside since these insects are excellent hitchhikers. Pests go where the food and shelter is, so by eliminating as many attractors as possible, we give the insects less of a reason to invade. 

Pest Control Tackles All Kinds of Creepy Critters

Roaches and beetles may have a few similarities, but they are definitely distinct creatures. They each serve a different purpose in the ecosystem, whether we enjoy those purposes or not. But when they decide that our homes and backyards are the perfect place to invade, it is guaranteed to be a bad time. Thankfully, professional pest control is an effective way to ensure that your space is free of creepy insects. Our team of knowledgable technicians is equipped to take care of all kinds of pest problems without the use of harmful chemicals. Contact us to find out more about our services and how we can keep your home free of six-legged nightmare insects, whether they’re beetles or roaches. 

Citations

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Dingeman, L. (2017, June 14). Cockroach or beetle – Which one is in your home?. EarthKind. Available at https://www.earthkind.com/blog/cockroaches-vs-beetles-in-home/ (Accessed on July 15, 2022).

Graham, M. (2022, April 7). Solved! What are these bugs that look like cockroaches in my home?. Bob Vila. Available at https://www.bobvila.com/articles/bugs-that-look-like-cockroaches/ (Accessed on July 15, 2022).

Hahn, J. & Ascerno, M. (2019). Cockroaches. University of Minnesota Extension. Available at https://extension.umn.edu/insects-infest-homes/cockroaches (Accessed on July 19, 2022).

Martin, A. (n.d.). Bugs that look like roaches (but aren’t). Cockroach Facts. Available at https://cockroachfacts.com/bugs-that-look-like-roaches-but-aren-t/ (Accessed on July 15, 2022). 

The life cycle of a beetle. (n.d.). Terminix. Retrieved on July 19, 2022, from https://www.terminix.com/blog/bug-facts/the-life-cycle-of-a-beetle/