Can Cockroaches Drown? Myths and Truth Revealed!

Tired of dealing with roaches that just won’t go away?

Ever wondered if you could just drown them out?

If you’ve been asking yourself, “Can roaches drown?” you’ve come to the right spot. 

In this complete guide, we’ll take a deep dive into how cockroaches manage to survive, even when submerged in water. 

Can Cockroaches Drown?

Yes, they can drown, but it’s not as easy as you’d hope. Cockroaches have developed some pretty clever ways to survive in water. 

Why is it hard to drown roaches? 

Roaches have several key features that make them hard to drown: 

Unique Respiratory System of Roaches

Roaches don’t have lungs like we do. Instead, they have a bunch of tiny tubes called tracheae that help them get oxygen straight to their cells.

When underwater, they can hold their breath by closing these tubes, making it tough for water to get inside and drown them. They can hold on like this for up to 30 minutes! 

Roaches’ Ability to Hold Their Breath

Besides their special breathing tubes, roaches can also hold their breath for a long time—30 minutes underwater and 40 minutes on land.

If a roach falls into water, it traps air inside its body, which helps it float. This gives the roach more time to find a way out of the water. 

Strong Climbing Skills 

If you’ve ever seen a roach scuttle up a wall, you know they’re good climbers.

They use this skill to climb out of water, too. Unless you’re holding them underwater, they’ll try to climb their way out. 

But keep in mind, even a roach has its limits. If it’s underwater for too long, or if you manage to keep it submerged, it will eventually drown. They’re tough, but they’re not invincible. 

Factors Affecting Cockroach Drowning Time

Several things come into play when figuring out how long a roach can stay underwater before it drowns. 

How Deep and How Long They’re Underwater?

First off, how deep the water is and how long the roach is underwater matter a lot. If the water is shallow and the roach isn’t underwater for long, it has a better shot at surviving.

The deeper the water and the longer it’s submerged, the more likely it will drown. 

Type of Cockroach

Different kinds of roaches are better at dealing with being underwater. For example, American and Oriental roaches are generally better at surviving underwater compared to others.

But remember, no type of roach can stay underwater forever. 

The Roach’s Health

The better shape a roach is in, the more likely it can survive underwater. On the flip side, if a roach is sick or has been exposed to bug spray, it’s more likely to drown. 

Can Roaches Drown in Hot Water? 

You might wonder if hot water is a surefire way to drown a roach.

Well, hot water can indeed kill them, but it’s the heat that does the job, not the water.

Roaches can’t handle temperatures over 125 degrees Fahrenheit (about 52 degrees Celsius).

Just splashing hot water on them won’t cut it. For it to work, they need to be fully under the hot water for more than just a few seconds. 

>> Read more: Does hot water kill roaches? The Best Tips and Tricks.

Can Cockroaches Swim Underwater?

Have you ever seen a cockroach in bathtub and wondered how it can survive in water?

You may be surprised to learn that roaches can’t really swim, but they do have some tricks up their sleeves for staying afloat.

They can trap air in their bodies by closing tiny breathing holes called spiracles, which lets them float.

But don’t get it twisted; they’re not natural swimmers. They’re just desperate to escape.

>> Read more: Roach in Bathtub: How to Handle This Nightmare Situation.

How to drown a cockroach?

How long does it take for a cockroach to drown?

The answer is that it takes 10-30 minutes for roaches to drown in water, but hot water kill cockroaches faster than cold water.

This is because roaches have an open circulatory system that is more vulnerable to heat damage.

Hot water can scald their exoskeleton and dehydrate them more quickly than cold water. Therefore, if you want to drown roaches, you should use hot water for better results.

FAQs

Do Cockroaches Die in Water? 

Yes, but roaches are tough critters that can live in water for a good while. They won’t drown right away because they can trap air in their bodies to float.

But if you keep them under for a long time, they will eventually drown. 

Can roaches breathe underwater?

No, roaches can’t breathe underwater like fish can. They have a unique breathing system, made up of tiny tubes, that allows them to hold their breath for a short time.

That’s how they manage to survive underwater for a bit. 

Is it possible to kill roaches by drowning them?

Yes, you can drown roaches, but it’s not as easy as you might think because they can hold their breath.

If you keep them underwater long enough, they’ll eventually drown. 

Can You Flush a Cockroach?

You can flush a roach down the toilet to get it out of sight, but that doesn’t mean it’s gone for good.

Roaches can hold their breath for about 30 minutes, so there’s a chance it could survive and come back later. 

>> Read more: Flushing cockroach down toilet: Everything You Need to Know.

How Long Can Cockroaches Survive Without Air? 

Roaches can hold their breath for a pretty long time—about 30 minutes in water and 40 minutes in open air.

But they can’t go on forever without air. 

Conclusion

To wrap up, the question “Can roaches drown?” took us on quite the adventure into how these bugs survive. 

If you want to learn more, check out other blogs on Pestweek. We aim to give you all the info you need to tackle any pest problems you’ve got.

Calina Mabel

Calina Mabel has over 15 years of experience in the field of journalism and communications. Currently, Calina Mabel is the Content Writer for categories such as Cockroach, Ants, Bed Bugs, Mosquito, Rodent, Termite, and Flies on Pestweek.com. She aims to build content for these categories with a focus on providing valuable and accessible information to readers, in order to create the world’s largest knowledge community about Pests.

All content written by Calina Mabel has been reviewed by Emily Carter.