How do cockroaches get into the house?
It can be a surprise to find cockroaches in your home or workplace, but they can move in easier than you’d think, hitching a ride in bags, shopping or in luggage. They’ve also got amazingly flexible exo-skeletons so can also squeeze through gaps a quarter of their body size which means they’ll find their way into your home if there’s an infestation next door pretty easily.
What attracts cockroaches?
Cockroaches move into your house searching for 3 main things: food, moisture and warmth. They’ll eat almost anything including glue, paper, rotten fruit and when food is scarce will even eat each other! They’re thirsty creatures so will naturally go where there’s plenty of water – if you’ve got cockroaches in your house, you’ll more often find them in your bathroom or kitchen.
Once they’ve found shelter, such as your cupboard under the kitchen sink, they’ll start breeding rapidly able to double their numbers within one week. Eggs hatch into nymphs which are mature enough to breed in less than 50 days.
Signs of cockroach infestation
Cockroaches can live indoors for some time before you notice them, as they’re nocturnal and spend their days hiding in small cracks and crevices. They produce pheromones which attract them to each other so will gather in groups but in time you’ll start seeing live cockroaches, often sheltering in cupboards and around kitchen appliances such as fridges, freezers and microwaves.
You’re more likely to see cockroaches foraging for food when it’s dark and you’ll also start to see droppings (small, dark smear marks or spots). Cockroaches shed their skins as they grow so you’ll also start to see shed cockroach skins and egg capsules (known as ootheca) which females have dropped.
Preventing cockroach infestation
Cockroaches are often associated with dirt but be reassured – they will move in anywhere if they can find food, shelter and water.
Sometimes we’re just unlucky and an infestation will occur however if there’s nothing to eat, then cockroaches will be less likely to want to stay. Limiting available food sources by keeping all food in properly sealed containers is advisable, as well as removing food waste.
Sealing all possible entry points into your home or workplace will also help, to stop cockroaches finding their way from next door buildings. Buying items such as food and kitchen appliances from a known and reputable source will also help to avoid inadvertently bringing cockroaches into your home.
How to get rid of cockroaches
Unfortunately, once they’ve moved in cockroaches can be hard to get rid of. The best advice is to give your home a thorough clean which will also remove the cockroach shed skins which are a food source in themselves.
Make sure all cracks and crevices are sealed where possible, so the cockroaches have fewer places to shelter, and as well as sealing stored food make sure bins are regularly emptied and the washing up is always done so that easy food sources aren’t just lying around.
Finally, make sure there’s no water leaking or damp areas where cockroaches can drink – even indoor plants can be source of moisture for cockroaches. However, after these steps there are no guarantees it will be enough to remove cockroaches from your house, and we’d always recommend a reputable pest control service that is trained in cockroach removal.
