Cockroaches are one of the most resilient pests that can infest homes. If you’ve spotted these unwelcome insects scurrying around your house, you’re probably wondering – is it inevitable that every house will get roaches at some point?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: While cockroaches are very common in residential homes, not every single house will become infested with roaches. Proper sanitation, exclusion techniques, and pest control can help prevent cockroach infestations.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cockroaches in homes. We’ll discuss the different species of cockroaches, why they’re drawn to our dwellings, and what factors make a home more or less susceptible to an infestation.
We’ll also provide tips on preventing cockroaches from invading your house, getting rid of existing roaches, and keeping them away for good.
Common Species of Cockroaches Found in Homes
German Cockroaches
The German cockroach (Blattella germanica) is one of the most common cockroach species found in homes worldwide. These small, light brown cockroaches grow to about 1/2 to 5/8 inches long and can squeeze into tight spaces.
German roaches thrive in warm, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms and are especially fond of places where food and water are readily available.
Some key things to know about German cockroaches:
- They reproduce very quickly. Females produce an egg capsule (ootheca) every three to four weeks, with each capsule holding up to 40 eggs!
- They prefer sweets and starches but will eat just about anything.
- They can spread bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella by walking over food surfaces and other items.
- In addition to health risks, they can cause damage to materials in the home.
American Cockroaches
The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is the largest common house-infesting species, reaching 1-1/2 to 2 inches long. These reddish-brown roaches have yellow bands along the edges of their bodies and wings.
American roaches are found throughout warm environments worldwide but are especially problematic in the southern United States.
Here’s what to know about American roaches:
- They prefer dark, moist areas and can enter homes through sewers and drains.
- While they do well indoors, they can also live outdoors in mulch or leaf litter.
- These roaches have wings but rarely fly.
- They feed on decaying organic matter but will eat almost anything.
- American roaches can spread pathogens that cause diarrhea, food poisoning, asthma, and allergies.
Oriental Cockroaches
The oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) gets its name from originally being an outdoor species in the Middle East and areas of the Mediterranean. Adults reach about 1 to 1-1/4 inches long and are a shiny black/dark brown. Oriental roaches are slow-moving compared to other species.
More oriental cockroach facts:
- They prefer cool, damp, dark places like basements and crawl spaces.
- Oriental roaches feed on garbage and decaying plant and animal matter.
- Females produce up to 16 egg capsules in their lifetime, each holding 16-18 eggs.
- These roaches can pick up disease-causing bacteria like Salmonella on their legs and bodies and later deposit it onto surfaces they walk on.
Brownbanded Cockroaches
Brownbanded cockroaches (Supella longipalpa) are small roaches reaching just 1/2 to 5/8 inches long. As their name suggests, they have light yellow bands across their dark brownish bodies. Brownbanded roaches fly readily and are very quick movers compared to other species.
More brownbanded cockroach facts:
- They like warmer temperatures and do well in upper levels of homes.
- These roaches feed on starchy foods and grease.
- Females glue their tiny egg capsules in out-of-sight places and may produce up to 18 capsules in their lifetime.
- Brownbanded roaches can trigger allergies and asthma symptoms in sensitive individuals.
Why Cockroaches Invade Our Homes
Searching for Food and Water
Cockroaches are constantly on the hunt for sources of food and water in order to survive. They can live about a month without food, but only a week without water, so they’re motivated to search far and wide.
Cockroaches are omnivores and will eat just about anything, including leftover food scraps, crumbs, grease, garbage, glue from book bindings, soap, and even dead insects. They prefer sweets, starches, meat products, and fermenting foods.
Since we humans store lots of tasty foods in our homes, our kitchens and pantries are like an all-you-can-eat buffet for cockroaches! 😋 Cockroaches also need water to survive, so they’re attracted to sources of moisture like leaky pipes, pet bowls, drains, compost piles, and trash bins.
By entering our homes, cockroaches gain easy access the food and water they crave.
Seeking Shelter and Warmth
In addition to food and water, cockroaches need shelter and moderate warmth to thrive. They prefer temperatures around 85°F and do best in humid environments around 95% relative humidity. Our homes tend to be warm, sheltering places that meet a cockroach’s needs.
Cockroaches will hide in cracks and crevices like wall voids, under appliances, and behind baseboards. Here they can safely rest and breed in a protected environment away from light. Since cockroaches are mostly nocturnal, our homes offer dark areas for them to nest undisturbed during the daytime.
The many inviting hiding spots make human homes an ideal habitat for large cockroach populations to establish and flourish. 🪳🪳🪳
Attracted by Other Cockroaches
Cockroaches give off pheromones that help attract other cockroaches to food sources and prime habitat. So when a few pioneering cockroaches discover the bounty inside your home, they leave behind chemical trails that lure in more of their kind.
Cockroach populations can expand rapidly once an infestation beachhead is established. A single pregnant female cockroach can produce over 300 offspring in her lifetime! Within months, a small group of cockroaches can turn into a swarm.
This proliferating and social nature of cockroaches means that seeing one usually means there are many more hiding out of sight. The pheromone trails they leave make your home even more appealing to join.
Factors That Increase Risk of Cockroach Infestations
Sanitation and Clutter
Cockroaches are attracted to food and water sources as well as places to hide. Cluttered areas with available food waste provide ideal habitats for roaches. Maintaining clean surfaces in kitchens and dining areas is important.
In fact, studies conducted by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) found 98% of cockroach infestations were reported in homes considered unsanitary. Properly storing food after meals and discarding waste daily limits resources roaches need to thrive.
Access Points
Cockroaches can squeeze through extremely small cracks and crevices. Any gaps in walls, floors, doors or windows become potential entry points. Sealing all possible access routes with caulk or weather strips reduces likelihood of infestation.
It’s also critical to repair any leaky faucets or pipes, as roaches require water to survive.
Location and Climate
Geographic region impacts probability of roach populations. Tropical and sub-tropical areas like Florida and Gulf States harbor more roaches year-round due to warmer conditions. Colder northern states still battle seasonal infestations during summer months.
Multi-family homes, restaurants and grocery stores in urban locations report higher rates than rural, single-family houses.
Multi-family Housing
Sharing walls with other units elevates risk substantially compared to stand-alone residences. One study showed almost 80% of apartments in New York City housed cockroaches. Once an infestation gains foothold, roaches easily spread to adjacent units through ductwork, utility lines and tiny crevices.
Vigilant prevention and early intervention are especially vital in these situations.
Previous or Nearby Infestations
Roaches can travel surprising distances to colonize new areas with favorable conditions. Seeing just one roach could indicate a more serious localized infestation. And even after treatment, some survivors may scatter to populate different sites.
Carefully inspecting all sections of a property after sightings and addressing problems quickly limits further propagation.
Preventing Cockroach Infestations
Practice Good Sanitation
Cockroaches thrive in filthy environments, so maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in your home is key to keeping these pests away. Take out the garbage regularly, wash dirty dishes promptly, clean all surfaces and vacuum floors frequently to eliminate food scraps and residue that roaches feed on.
A meticulous sanitation routine leaves little sustenance for cockroaches, causing populations to dwindle.
Seal up Entry Points
Cockroaches can squeeze through extremely narrow gaps and cracks to access sources of food and water indoors. Hence, sealing potential entryways is imperative. Caulk and weatherstrip cracks around windows, doors, pipes, vents and electrical outlets. Repair holes in screens and walls too.
This barricades access routes for roaches trying to invade your living space.
Use Desiccants and Repellents
Applying desiccant dusts containing silica gel or diatomaceous earth in crevices and concealed areas frequented by roaches dehydrates and kills them gradually. Cockroach baits containing boric acid or abamectin are also effective.
Repellents like essential oils of mint, lemongrass, etc create scents roaches dislike, driving them away. Using such insecticidal agents on touchpoints curtails infestations.
Limit Moisture Sources
Since roaches need moisture to survive, eliminating water sources dissuades their activity. Fix plumbing leaks promptly, avoid water accumulation and keep kitchen and bathroom areas dry. Store firewood properly to prevent dampness.
Ventilation systems like exhaust fans, dehumidifiers and air conditioners regulate indoor humidity levels, creating a less conducive environment.
Keep Your Home Well-Maintained
A clean, well-kept home with routine pest control measures in place is much less vulnerable to cockroach infiltration. Follow the preventive steps outlined above diligently, and supplement with professional pest control treatments when required.
With vigilant monitoring and proactive housekeeping habits, you can evict roaches and safeguard your family’s health.
Getting Rid of Existing Cockroach Infestations
Inspect and Identify Infestation Sites
The first step is to thoroughly inspect your home to identify where the cockroaches are coming from and congregating. Check cupboards, under appliances, and in cracks and crevices for signs like droppings, egg cases, or live roaches. Kitchens, bathrooms, and basements tend to be problem areas.
Understanding the scope of the infestation will help determine the best treatment plan.
Implement a Combination Treatment
Relying on a single cockroach treatment method is often ineffective. Using a combination of tactics like baits, traps, insect growth regulators (IGRs), and vacuuming regularly increases your chances of success.
An integrated pest management (IPM) approach makes the environment inhospitable and attacks roaches at different life stages.
Use Baits, Traps, and Insect Growth Regulators
Cockroach baits containing boric acid or hydramethylnon work well. Place them along baseboards and under appliances where roaches travel. Sticky traps also help monitor and decrease populations. IGRs like gentrol disrupt the roach life cycle and prevent nymphs from reaching adulthood.
Vacuuming eliminates egg sacks and debris where roaches hide.
Here is a comparison of some common cockroach treatment options:
| Treatment | How It Works | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baits | Contains poison roaches ingest | Long-lasting, targets entire population | Slow to take effect |
| Traps | Uses sticky glue to capture roaches | Monitors and reduces population | Only catches some roaches |
| IGRs | Disrupts growth and reproduction | Safe, multi-stage attack | Doesn’t kill adult roaches |
| Insecticides | Kills roaches on contact | Fast knockdown effect | Short-lived, hazardous |
Consider Professional Pest Control
For serious infestations, calling a professional exterminator may be the best option. They have the proper chemicals and application methods to eliminate roaches quickly. According to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), over 53% of homes in the United States reported seeing cockroaches indoors in the past year.
Exterminators perform comprehensive treatments of affected rooms. The chemicals continue working for weeks after application. They also provide advice to help prevent future infestations. However, professional services can be more expensive than DIY methods.
Stopping Cockroaches from Returning Once Eliminated
Continue Sanitation and Exclusion Efforts
Cockroaches thrive in places with available food and water sources as well as access to shelter. To prevent their return, continue efforts to eliminate clutter and debris, store food properly, fix plumbing leaks, and seal cracks and crevices where they can enter and hide.
Maintaining good sanitation and exclusion practices is key to keeping cockroaches from invading again.
Deploy Monitors to Detect Early Signs
Strategically place cockroach monitors, sticky traps, or bait stations around likely areas of infestation. Closely checking these devices weekly allows you to spot signs like droppings, egg cases, shed skins etc. Catching an infestation early makes treatment easier.
Deploying monitors offers an alert system so you can call the exterminator at the very first sight of cockroaches rebounding.
Schedule Follow-up Pest Control Treatments
Most pest professionals recommend scheduling 1-3 follow-up treatments, spaced 2 weeks to 1 month apart, after the initial pesticide application. Follow-up treatments target newly hatched nymphs and cockroaches that avoided the first treatments.
According to the NPMA: "Results from a pest management treatment may take time…A sound cockroach control program always includes a series of treatments."
Repeated flushing of populations disrupts breeding cycles. Consistent treatments prevent populations from rebounding. Work with your exterminator to schedule follow-ups over 60-90 days to knock down infestations and put your mind at ease.
Conclusion
While cockroaches are resilient and great at finding their way into homes, not every house is guaranteed to end up with an infestation. By keeping your home clean and well-maintained, sealing entry points, controlling moisture, using repellents, and taking quick action if you do spot roaches, you can help prevent these nuisance pests from taking over your space.
With vigilance and the right pest management strategies, it’s certainly possible to keep cockroaches out of your house and maintain a roach-free home.
