Generally, cockroaches don't like the cold one bit. They are cold-blooded arthropods that don't survive very well in either extremely cold or hot circumstances. They're always at whatever temperature their environment is and generally slow down with cooler temperatures.
Because cockroaches cannot survive temperatures above 115° F to 120° F, it is possible to use heat to eradicate cockroaches from restaurants and food service establishments.
So you've seen the roaches near your air conditioner (or coming out of your air vents), and you're wondering if these little creatures like your AC for some reason. Well, the short answer is yes: roaches do like air conditioning systems.
Roaches typically don't like the cold as they are cold-blooded arthropods and their body temperature mirrors that of their surroundings. Some nymphs will enter a state of diapause (an inactive, hibernation-like state) where their metabolic rate slows and their growth stops.
And when the weather outside gets too hot even for cockroaches, they'll enter your home in search of more hospitable temperatures. All of these factors combined means that you're likely to encounter far more cockroaches in your home during the summer than you would in the colder months.
The Natural Predators of Roaches
Toads and frogs. Lizards, such as leopard geckos, bearded dragons, monitor lizards, iguanas and even panther chameleons. Certain large species of beetles. Certain kinds of parasitoid wasps.
The most common places for a roach nest in the house are in kitchens or bathrooms, particularly behind refrigerators, in cracks and crevices, and under furniture. Roaches prefer a warm, humid environment, so these places should be considered first, especially if they are close to a food source and water supply.
Borax is a readily-available laundry product that's excellent for killing roaches. For best results, combine equal parts borax and white table sugar. Dust the mixture any place you've seen roach activity. When the roaches consume the borax, it will dehydrate them and kill them rapidly.
You See a Roach.
Unfortunately, cockroaches are not loners. If you see one, there are likely many more that you can't see. Cockroaches are nocturnal creatures, so you'll most likely spot them late at night, especially if you walk into your kitchen and turn on the light.
They prefer to live and feed in the dark, so a cockroach seen during the day is a possible sign of infestation. Cockroaches tend to prefer dark, moist places to hide and breed and can be found behind refrigerators, sinks and stoves, as well as under floor drains and inside of motors and major appliances.
Vents – The Perfect Roadway for Roaches
Roaches can also get into the AC system through the drain pipe. Another reason vents attract roaches is their dark, cavernous environment. Cockroaches are nocturnal insects that like to stay in the shadows.
Cockroaches are attracted to your home by the smell of food. They are most attracted to starch, sugar, grease, meat, and cheese. Rotting fruits and vegetables can also give off a very pungent smell that will definitely attract these pests.
Cockroach Bites
Cockroaches are omnivores that eat plants and meat. They have been recorded to eat human flesh of both the living and the dead, although they are more likely to take a bite of fingernails, eyelashes, feet and hands. The bites may cause irritation, lesions and swelling.
Hence, the misconception that bed bugs like cold rooms and freezing temperatures. But the truth is the temperature at which you keep your AC on is pleasant for bed bugs. As bed bugs hide in tight places in your room, the temperature at their hiding places is a bit higher than in your room.
Cockroaches prefer humidity and heat, and they like to stay near a source of food, so they are likely to stay near your kitchen or bathroom areas.
Cockroaches are ectotherms (unable to create their own body heat), so they draw heat from their environments. If they're in a cold climate, they'll seek out heat sources to compensate. If the cockroaches in your fridge cannot find one, they'll still survive by entering a phase called diapause.
Absolutely, and roaches in bed while you sleep is definitely not an ideal situation. Even with a clean sleeping space, roaches may still find their way into the bedroom. So many people wonder how to keep roaches away from bed areas but often are at a loss with how to do so without chemicals and sticky traps.
Can Cockroaches Play Dead? Cockroaches can, indeed, play dead. Many have reported seeing cockroaches stay completely still (sometimes even roll onto their backs) until a human presence or threat has gone away. Once they detect the coast is clear, the cockroach will flip back onto its feet and scuttle away to safety.
Roaches need moisture to survive and this search for water will bring them into even the cleanest of homes. Leaky pipes and faucets are one of the most common attractants for cockroaches and is one of the main reasons you often see them in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
The myth that killing a cockroach will spread its eggs isn't true, but killing a cockroach with force can attract more. But that can be used to your advantage if it brings bugs out of hiding to be eliminated.
Add some food like a small piece of meat or some sweet stuff like chocolate on the roach bait in the bowl. Keep the bowl near one of the hiding places of roaches. To cover all the hiding places, you'll need multiple bowls with sticky roach trap and food. The smell of the food will draw the roaches out.
Roach droppings look like specks of pepper, coffee grounds, or dark grains of rice. The size of the feces is directly related to the size of the cockroach. Bigger insects produce larger droppings.
Linen closets, bedroom closets, bathroom cabinets, and so on are often places where you will be surprised by a roach or two. The most common spot they are found inside these tight spaces is in the upper inside corners, where you might spot them hanging upside down.
Is there a queen roach? Cockroaches are not truly social insects (like honey bees or termites). As such, they do not have a queen. However, they are considered 'gregarious' and tend to congregate during rest times (generally the daytime).