Number of cockroaches If you see one or two cockroaches in your home, it may not necessarily mean you have an
Cockroaches are nocturnal and prefer to stay hidden in cracks and crevices during the day, which means if you see one, there's a good chance it's not alone. Cockroaches can squeeze into the smallest spaces and multiply quickly, especially German roaches, producing hundreds of offspring in a year.
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. If you do see them during the day, it's usually because roach overcrowding has forced them out into the open, so chances are you've got a pretty large roach infestation.
Unfortunately, spotting a roach or two means you're likely dealing with a larger population hiding out of sight. Cockroaches reproduce quickly, so taking action fast is important to prevent the infestation from worsening.
Everyone is saying one roach is a problem but that's not necessarily true. One roach is not ideal, but if you live in an old building that has roaches it's almost inevitable that you'll see a few travellers in your unit, and does not necessarily mean that you have an active infestation.
No matter how clean your home is, if there's some excess moisture somewhere, it could very well be an attractive invitation for your neighborhood roaches. This is one of the reasons why you'll commonly find roaches hanging out in your bathroom and laundry room or around an appliance that produces condensation.
Cockroaches are repelled by the smells of peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, citronella, and cedarwood oils. These scents can be used as natural deterrents to keep them away from your home.
Their ability to hide in small spaces and multiply quickly makes them harder to eradicate. Big roaches, such as palmetto bugs, while more intimidating due to their size, are not necessarily more dangerous. However, their presence can still cause significant distress.
If you see a cockroach or three, you're likely have hundreds—or thousands—living in a nearby nest. But if you act fast before the population has taken hold, you may be able get rid of cockroaches within a week to ten days. And most of them will be gone in a day or two.
If you think you have cockroaches, do not panic. Finding roaches is not a sign that your house is dirty. Even if you clean regularly and maintain a tidy home, cockroaches can usually find food and water without much trouble. This allows them to thrive in many environments.
Cockroach season can vary depending on the region. For instance, in Texas and Florida, where the climate is generally warmer and more humid, roaches can be a year-round problem. In other parts of the US, roaches come out during the hottest months, usually from June through September.
Citrus is one of the scents cockroaches are most known to hate, notably lemon and orange. Keeping a dish of lemon juice on your kitchen counter can deter these pests, as well as placing lemon peels around the home to discourage cockroaches from coming out of hiding.
Generally, the presence of discarded skins and feces are indicative of a nest, with other telltale features including a large number of dead roaches, egg cases, dark spots, and smears. Egg cases are usually brown and less than a quarter of an inch long. Each case can house 40 or more baby roaches.
If it is between 10 to 25 roaches, it can be a moderate one. But if it exceeds 25, it can now be classified as a heavy infestation. You should know that the few roaches you see at home are not the only ones you have to deal with. There may be 40 to 50 roaches hiding within your place that you don't know.
Because roaches are so durable and can adapt to pretty much any situation, they can be nearly impossible to remove on your own. The best way to get rid of cockroaches is by contacting a pest control technician.
There's no instant or overnight solution for a cockroach infestation, but there is one fix that's more effective than all the others: calling a pest control specialist. Because cockroaches are so difficult to kill and infestations are tough to control, it's best to rely on the pros to get rid of them.
Unlike many pests who have seasonal surges and ebbs, the cockroach is an all-season, 24/7 pest.
Besides, they also feed on their nymphs, making them stay longer in a home even if food isn't available. However, one thing is for sure. They will eventually leave if their survival techniques reach a dead end, but don't expect that anytime soon.
Some strong scents, such as lavender and mint, have been known to repel cockroaches.
It may surprise you to know that cockroaches are, in fact, able to bite humans. There have been reported cases of cockroaches biting fingernails, eyelashes and calloused skin on hands or feet. Cockroaches will also eat dead skin cells. However, cases of cockroach bites are extremely rare.
Choose your bait.
Onion is a common choice, although you can use anything fragrant. Try using a small strip of fresh banana peel or sweet, overripe fruit. You can also use a small piece of bread. If you have noticed the cockroaches in your house being attracted to a specific food, try using that as bait.
Leaving the light on doesn't deter cockroaches effectively because they can navigate in low-light conditions. While they're mostly active at night, they may still come out in search of food or water. During the day, cockroaches hide in dark areas not directly exposed to light.
Cockroaches are blessed with an amazing sense of smell. This is what they use when seeking food and mate but at the same time, this is also their weakness. A cockroach's sense of smell can be used to get rid of them.