What Are Roaches Most Attracted To?

Cockroaches have a reputation of being indestructible. While these unsightly pests can survive many different conditions, roaches are ultimately just another insect that requires certain steps to avoid, control, and exterminate. The best cockroach control is preventing their entry in the first place by limiting what could attract them to your home.

What is a Cockroach?

Cockroaches are common insects that seek food, water, and shelter above all. Ranging from brown to reddish brown to black, their oval-shaped bodies are usually topped off by antennas as big as they are. They prefer dark, moist places but can be found both indoors and outdoors as long as their primary living conditions are met. The most common kinds of cockroaches that invade homes are the German and American types.

German cockroaches are small and more tan colored. They have wings, but don’t use them. They are often near a water source, like in kitchens or bathrooms. There, they feed on whatever they can find, such as soap or toothpaste.

American cockroaches are larger and often reddish-brown. Unfortunately, once they are adults, they will use their wings to travel rather quickly. American cockroaches will go wherever they find food and shelter, feasting on anything from crumbs to pet food. They prefer warm temperatures and invade homes year-round, but especially in the winter time.

What Attracts Them?

Once cockroaches make their way into your home, it’s extremely difficult to control them. They reproduce quickly, so that for every two cockroaches you see, there could be as many as 25 more. You can help avoid roach infestation by reducing what attracts them in the first place.

Moisture

Cockroaches love to settle in near a water source and can survive in very damp conditions, such as sewers and drains. If your home is especially humid or there are extra water sources like an open pet bowl, roaches may take an interest. They are known to access moist areas via openings around pipes. While they usually stay out of sight in hidden spots like drains or cabinets until nighttime, it is possible for them to be lurking as long as there’s a water source nearby.

Paper and Cardboard

Roaches don’t have a specific diet, but they do have a preference for paper, cardboard, and the glue on cardboard items. If you have some moving boxes left to unpack or have been saving that cardboard for craft material, you may want to take care of the clutter before roaches take advantage of the appetizing supply.

Food

Roaches are attracted to human food, too. Whether it’s open containers of food or just crumbs on the floor, cockroaches live where they can find snacks around. They will even take the opportunity to eat off of dirty dishes or nibble on trash that’s been left out a little too long. Keeping your counters, cabinets, and floors free of food debris will give roaches less of an opportunity to make a meal out of your leftovers.

Dark Places to Hide

Roaches are nocturnal and prefer the dark, which is why they can be tough to track down. It’s important to keep areas like under appliances clean and not to cut corners when vacuuming or sweeping so that cockroaches have fewer places to hide. Their love of the dark is another reason roaches can make it into a perfectly clean home, as they sometimes end up in the bottom of backpacks, handbags, and coat pockets.

Identifying an Infestation

The truth is that roaches are persistent pests that can even find their way into the cleanest of homes. While cleanliness certainly reduces the availability of food scraps and cardboard that roaches like to feed on, any home is susceptible to a cockroach invasion. Here are a few indications it may be time to call for backup.

Droppings

Roaches may hide during the day, but their droppings are pretty noticeable. Similar to mouse droppings, roach feces are dark in color and may even be as small as coffee grounds or pepper. You’ll often find this evidence in cabinets, under sinks, or under appliances. In some cases, you may find smears of droppings if there is moisture nearby.

Odor

Roaches emit a noticeable pungent, oily odor. If you’re catching a whiff of some unidentified musty smell from, for example, your closet or basement, it may be a sign that you have a roach infestation.

Exoskeletons

The most unsettling thing besides seeing an actual roach is finding the shedded skin of a roach. Roaches molt five to eight times over their lifespan. Finding their discarded skins is a clear sign of a roach problem.

Allergies

Many people are allergic to proteins that cockroaches carry. If you are having sudden allergy or asthma symptoms that you haven’t had before, especially indoors, it could be caused by the presence of cockroaches. However, this is a less common sign of infestation and the onset of sudden symptoms should always be discussed with a healthcare provider.

Roach Control

Roach control seems like an oxymoron, considering how difficult it is to control a cockroach infestation. There are a lot of sprays, baits, and DIY solutions on the market that claim to solve cockroach problems. While cockroaches can be kept away with a combination of preventatives and good sanitation, the truth is that if there are already roaches in your home, it’s best to call a professional.

A pest control professional can also help you prevent a cockroach invasion using preventative treatments that are longer-lasting than DIY applications. If cockroaches are a concern, Capelouto Termite & Pest Control can help. Contact us today!