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Depending on where you live, you might already be far too familiar with tree roaches. They’re troublemakers, flying straight at you when you flick the lights on for a late-night snack. Tree roaches are ugly. They’re scary.

They’re big enough, according to some homeowners, to “help you bring in the sofa when you move.”

And across regions like Louisiana and Texas, tree roaches are a source of infinite frustration where they’re abundant and all but impossible to miss.

Let’s explore what attracts these roaches to your home, then show you how to get rid of them for good.

What They Are and Where They’re From

“Tree roach” is a rather vague name (or actually a nickname) for a certain kind of roach that inhabits trees and shrubbery, terrorizes neighborhood yards and patios, and finds ways to sneak into houses, just to scare the poor residents even more.

It’s a regional expression used in a handful of mostly southern states, and when you dig a little, you’ll find that Louisiana or Texas tree roaches sound suspiciously similar to one of the biggest, scariest cockroaches on the planet—the formidable American cockroach.

So in most places (including most likely yours), tree roaches are American cockroaches, with one possible exception:

Tree Cockroaches vs. Wood Cockroaches

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention wood roaches, the other “roaches in trees” that many homeowners face in wooded areas year-round.

Unlike the American roach, species like the Virginia and Pennsylvania wood roach are somewhat smaller cockroaches that tend to hide in firewood and decaying logs, attack porch lights at night, and certainly like trees, too.

But they really don’t pose much of a threat as pests, and unlike the startlingly big American cockroach, don’t typically cause people to jump out of their skins. For those of you who came looking for solutions to a wood roach problem, you can learn all about them here.

Otherwise, let’s get on with clearing up your American tree roach problem.

Identification

The American tree cockroach is between 1 1/2 and 3 inches in length, huge for a cockroach and intimidating for many people when they’re faced with one in person.

Their reddish brown, hard-shelled bodies are flat, and when you flip them upside down to expose their bellies, more or less oval-shaped. Two long antennae protrude from their small heads. And, oh—the wings! You won’t soon forget them if you’ve ever experienced one of these bugs flying straight at you!

The Tree Roach in the Wild: Where They Come From

American tree roaches are fairly harmless as long as they’re minding their own business in the woods nearby—or a festering dumpster in the alley.

They nest beneath loose bark, especially in oak trees, and hide among the fallen leaves and rotting logs on forest floors. They also live in alleyways, drain pipes and sewers. Closer to home, they like to bed down in flower beds and gardens, depositing egg capsules and making lots of baby tree roaches to make our lives more complicated.

Why and How They Come Inside

Fortunately, these bugs are not quite the major problem that indoor cockroaches are. Being outdoor species, that’s where they mostly stay.

Unfortunately, changes in the weather or environment sometimes drive them inside, where they just can’t resist exploring for snacks, drinks, and possible mates. Though they’re less likely to spread than their indoor cockroach cousins (like the brown-banded cockroach or dreaded German cockroach), tree cockroaches can still contaminate food and irritate people’s allergies.

How They Get in

Isn’t it great throwing the windows open for a breath of fresh air? Tree roaches like it when you do that too, and their wings were made to take advantage of it.

They don’t actually fly very well, but their wings let them glide from tree branches to anything below. Couple that maneuver with an attraction to lights and your nice, bright living room invites them right in.

They’re not choosy about their mode of entry either, and since they spend even more time on the ground than they do in trees, they’ll take advantage of the gaps around pipes, entry points for cables, uncovered dryer vents and weep holes to make themselves at home.

Once they do get in, their favorite indoor haunts are the kitchen and bathroom, where they can count on plenty of cupboards, cabinets and heavy appliances to hide them as they set about the task of multiplying.

How to Get Rid of Tree Roaches

You didn’t buy your house intending to share it with tree roach roommates. Before they get comfortable, kick them out!

Suggested Products to Get Rid of Tree Roaches

To Find Their Hiding Spots and Kill Them Quickly When You Have Just a Few

To Kill Them Inside Your Home When You Have a Serious Problem

To Kill Them Outdoors Before They Have a Chance to Get Inside

Here are 7 simple steps to get rid of them, from outside to inside.

1. Remove debris and clutter.

Battling tree roach invaders is an all-out war. These bugs can seem like they come in from everywhere, one or two at a time. To be successful, your defense strategy must begin outside—in their territory.

Start with the obvious: remove any piles of leaves, twigs or firewood that moisture-loving bugs could hide in. Then, rake mulch and pull weeds so it’s clean and evenly spread. Tree cockroaches like to nest beneath thick layers of mulch and overgrown plants that trap water and humidity.

You should also organize any boxes or equipment you’re storing outside. This is a great opportunity to do that spring cleaning you’ve been “going to get to next weekend” for the past 26 weekends!

2. Seal cracks, crevices and holes in exterior walls.

Now that you’ve cleaned and cleared the space around your house, you can take a close look at the walls to find the cracks and crevices that a committed tree roach could squeeze through.

Check for cracks in brick or siding, gaps around plumbing and wiring, holes in the foundation and spaces under windowsills. Once you’ve identified these weak points, you can use caulk, expanding foam, or copper mesh to seal off your home from these bugs and other critters.

3. Use outdoor baits, sprays, and dusts to keep their numbers down.

Outdoor treatments can’t kill every tree roach that wants to wander in, but they can keep their numbers down – way down – especially when combined.

Liquid insecticides are sprayed in a perimeter around your home and poison roaches as they crawl through them. Outdoor baits are sprinkled in areas where roaches feed, and poison them over time. Insecticidal dusts are used in cracks and crevices around your home’s exterior. They damage roach’s bodies, killing them soon after they make their way in.

You may already know about food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) as one such dust. It works well in the garden and overall, makes a pretty good tree roach killer! If you’re looking for an all-natural outdoor dust, DE is the one to try. If you need pure effectiveness, you’ll want to use a waterproof product called Delta Dust.

4. Place sticky traps inside.

Once you’ve successfully barricaded the outside of your house, it’s time to work on the inside.

You don’t have to start smearing your whole house with toxic chemicals. Be strategic! Using sticky traps will help you narrow down where the bugs could be entering and hiding.

5. If you see them inside, use indoor gel baits, indoor dusts, and IGR’s to eliminate them.

Indoor gel baits are a powerful weapon against tree roaches that enter in large numbers.

They attract the bugs, then deliver a lethal dose of pesticide when eaten. Because these bugs tend to hide in the same places indoors, there’s a good chance they’ll spread the poison to other roaches. It might take up to a week, but you’ll soon start to see the bait’s effects.

Gel baits are even more effective when coupled with an indoor dust like boric acid or CimeXa (recommended over boric acid for its safety and effectiveness)), along with an insect growth regulator (IGR) such as Gentrol, which interferes with the colony’s ability to reproduce.

6. Repair leaks and replace screens.

A leaky faucet or pipe gives these roaches all the moisture they need to survive. Fixing drips will cut off their water supply, not only forcing them to die from thirst, but saving you money in the long run on pest control products or a call to the exterminator!

Big flying tree roaches take advantage of open doors and torn window screens to sneak inside. If you like to let in the fresh air, make sure you’ve installed window and door screens and replaced any that are ripped. Boost your seal by installing weather stripping on doors, too.

7. Keep your house as clean and organized as possible.

Finally, good cleaning habits are your permanent defense against tree roaches. Although they typically don’t come inside specifically looking for food, they might decide to stick around if they like what’s on the menu.

Crumbs, grease splatter and unsealed pantry items can feed a whole colony of these critters. You can change that simply by sticking to a daily cleaning routine: sweep or vacuum floors, wipe counters and the stovetop and wash dishes.

Find even more tips in our guide to preventing roaches.

Conclusion

No one should have to worry about pest infestations or frequent nuisance sightings. You have the power to get rid of tree roaches either on your own, or with the help of a pest control professional. And now that you know the basics, it’s time to take back what’s yours.

We’re rooting for you!

German roaches have a reputation for being the worst of the worst when it comes to cockroach problems. And with so much focus on the adults, you might assume that a baby German roach or two is the least of your worries, But…

Cue dramatic music…

These terrible, tiny pests are the most telling sign of an established—and growing infestation.

When it comes to the baby German cockroach, step one is identifying them, and steps 2 through “whatever-it-takes,” are getting rid of them.

Let’s get started.

What Do German Cockroach Babies Look Like?

Take your worst nightmare and shrink it down to half the size of a ladybug. Flat, oval-shaped and six-legged: that’s your baby German cockroach.

They’re usually dark brown to black in color but newly hatched and molting nymphs are soft and white as their fresh exoskeletons harden. Older nymphs look more and more like adults, eventually growing wings in the final stage before adulthood.

Even as a baby, a German roach’s antennae are longer than its body, and it carries a pair of sensory appendages called cerci it will use throughout its life. Baby German roaches already feature their signature pattern: a pair of parallel black bands that begin behind their heads and run the rest of the length of their bodies. You might need a magnifying glass to see them but they’re there.

How big are they?

These tiny terrorizing bugs don’t look like much more than little beetles when they’re babies. Unlike larger species like American cockroaches, German roaches and their babies are extremely tiny—less than half an inch long for the adults and mere millimeters (the size of small grains of rice) when first born. You’ve probably seen ants that are the same size.

The Nymphal Stage: Tiny Baby Roaches to Big Adult Problem

Young roaches are called nymphs from the time they’re born until they reach adulthood. As a baby cockroach matures during the nymphal stage, it sheds its exoskeleton over and over, each time growing a new, larger one. Baby German roaches molt 5–6 times over a period of 50–60 days.

Fun (or really, not so fun) fact: A baby cockroach molts by gulping air until its body expands enough to breaks open its old exoskeleton.

When they finally reach adulthood, they begin searching for a mate. German roaches simply don’t waste any time—they start reproducing just days after becoming adults.

Baby German cockroaches are a health hazard.

They don’t bite. They don’t sting. So why are they a problem?

German cockroaches carry bacteria from all of the unsavory places they venture into—pipes, gutters, walls, dumpsters and more. They can spread that bacteria on food and cooking surfaces, bringing diseases and allergens into your home.

While a single cockroach might not be a problem, the real threat comes from the fact that cockroaches are seldom loners.

Does the Presence of German Cockroach Babies Necessarily Mean an Infestation?

There is nothing cute about a baby cockroach. German roaches, in particular, are one of the most notorious household pests in the world. Seeing even one nymph is reason to be worried.

Why? These roaches breed continuously, producing offspring all year long.

One egg capsule from a single female German cockroach contains 30-40 eggs! When they’re ready to hatch, cockroach nymphs emerge as independent bugs, ready to fend for and feed themselves. A colony can jump from a few roaches to hundreds in a matter of months.

Baby roaches don’t venture far from their nest. Put it this way—if baby roaches are surviving well, it means the adults had an easy time finding food sources and a hiding place where they could lay their eggs.

Which brings us to…

What are German roaches (of any stage) attracted to?

German roaches are attracted to damp or humid areas. Exterminators have treated infestations in basements, attics, closets and bedrooms. They can thrive almost anywhere there’s enough moisture available.

Their favorite habitats, though, are kitchens and bathrooms. German roaches usually hide during the day in cupboards, crevices and behind appliances, only emerging at night to scavenge for food on floors and countertops. Seeing baby roaches in the kitchen? It’s a better than good bet they’re German.

Other Signs of a German cockroach infestation

Maybe you’re not sure if you’ve seen a baby German cockroach because it scurried under the refrigerator so quickly. These are a few other signs you might have an infestation:

1. Cockroach droppings
2. A stale, musty odor
3. Egg cases or molted skins
4. Dead roaches

Depending on the species (and German roaches are one of these) roach droppings look like tiny black specks gathered on the floor or in a cabinet. You might mistake it for coffee grounds if it weren’t for the musty odor. That odor sticks to surfaces and food they’ve touched, too.

German cockroach egg cases look like tiny, quarter-inch purses or capsules. They’re dark brown and show that the roaches are already laying eggs and hatching. Dead roaches might seem like a good sign but it could mean there are more than could fit in the nest.

German Cockroach Nymphs in Your Home: What It Means

Baby cockroaches are about as bad a sign as you can find. See, finding a big brown adult cockroach could mean you’ve just caught one lonely wanderer. Finding baby roaches signals that, at the very least, there are a few adults nearby and they’re ready to reproduce again.

Once you find baby German cockroaches, it’s time to act… fast. In about two months, those babies will be fully developed and ready to start having babies of their own. Don’t give them the chance.

Getting Rid of Baby German Cockroaches: No Holds Barred

The moment of truth. If you’ve read this far, chances are you’re sweating, stressed and dreading what we’re about to say. But we’re not here to scare you; we’ve got the facts and proven advice for getting rid of them.

Fact #1: You can get rid of baby German cockroaches for good. They’re resilient, clever and stubborn but they’re not unstoppable.

That’s the good news. The bad news…

Are they hard to get rid of?

The German cockroach is Public Enemy #1 for homeowners and pest controllers for a reason: they’re tough to exterminate. They grow quickly and, worse, they have dozens of babies each time they lay an egg case.

Fact #2: They thrive on just a little food, a lot of moisture and a good hiding place. Even the cleanest homes are at risk.

How long does it take to get rid of them?

Be prepared. Taking on baby cockroaches yourself is going to take awhile. You’ll need to search, clean, carefully place baits along with other treatments. and then monitor the effects.

It can be done though, and if you’re ready to try, see “How to Get Rid of German Roaches Step-by-Step” for a complete guide.

You could also hire a professional exterminator who could eliminate a cockroach infestation in 2–3 weeks. That’s usually enough time for the pesticides to work their way through the colony and stop the adult roaches from reproducing.

Hiring a pro will be more expensive, but will also eliminate the dirty work!

How do you get rid of roaches fast?

We cover a variety of all-natural and DIY cockroach control methods that have the potential to eliminate infestations. However, the most effective, fastest solution to a baby German roach problem is to use pesticides.

Whether you choose baits or a spray, these products are designed to kill roaches individually, introduce insect growth regulator to render them infertile, and take down entire roach colonies at a time. When it’s time to get serious about pests, don’t take chances.

Baits are the best German cockroach killers.

Baits may be your best bets against German roaches, not because they’re as fast as kill-on-contact sprays, but because they spread their active ingredient from roach to roach, packing a much harder punch against medium- or large-sized infestations.

When you’re dealing with baby roaches, you have to treat the problem like it’s an already-established infestation. Using sticky cockroach traps can help you gauge the size of the colony and narrow your search for the nest.

Baits should be used in concentrated amounts and in specific areas where German roaches most likely walk. Use your knowledge of their habits—target areas where you think they’re going for food and water.

You can include natural cockroach killers in your extermination plan, too.

Fact #3: Both food-grade diatomaceous earth, boric acid and borax work as effective insecticides against adult and baby German cockroaches.

Keeping German Cockroaches Away

You’ve dealt with baby German cockroaches once; you don’t want to do it again. For everything from cleaning, sealing and repair tips to the essential oil smells that cockroaches hate, don’t miss our complete guide to keeping cockroaches away for good.

Conclusion

When we’re talking cockroaches, bad things tend to come in small packages. German cockroaches are the worst species to find in your home, and seeing even a single baby German cockroach is a likely sign of infestation.

But with this information and help from your local exterminator, you can get back to your cockroach-free life.

You’ve got this!

Written by Andrew Martin. Reviewed by Rae Osborn, PhD.

Disclaimer: This page is strictly for informational use. When using insecticides, keep in mind—the label is the law. Insecticides should be applied correctly and safely when needed, and according to the laws of your state or country.

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Sources

1. Ross, Mary H. and Donald E. Mullins (1995) Understanding and Controlling German Cockroaches: Biology. Oxford University Press.
2. German Cockroach: Biology, Identification, Control (2013) NC State Extension. Retrieved from https://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/german-cockroach/

Cockroach Facts is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

When you find yourself staring in the face of a water bug problem, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. These pests can wreak havoc on your peace of mind.

It’s time to take back your home! We’re going to help you learn how to get rid of waterbugs in a few simple steps, before and after they make themselves comfortable in your space.

What Are Water Bugs?

Let’s clear something up: when we’re talking about water bugs (also known as Palmetto Bugs), we’re really talking about one of these 3 species of cockroaches:

1. Oriental roaches
2. American roaches
3. Smoky brown roaches

Why the nickname? Well, there are domestic cockroaches—those are the indoor species and they’re the troublemakers.

And then there are water bugs—the outdoor roaches. Generally, water bugs stay outside but, sometimes, they do invade homes. That’s the situation you want to avoid.

(While we can’t just ignore Belostomatidae, the Giant Water Bug that lives in fresh water, it’s probably not the one you’re thinking of.)

Getting Rid of Waterbugs for Good

How do you get rid of water bugs? By rigorous application of the supplies and steps below. Once you’ve found a water bug in your space, it’s game on. Why? Because you might not be facing a dangerous cockroach infestation yet, but water bugs can multiply and spread just as quickly.

The good news is that the same things that kill and prevent cockroaches will work on water bugs, too. Let’s get started.

How to Kill Water Bugs

Does Anything Get Rid of Waterbugs Instantly?

We’re going to cover a few things that kill these pests, but with a delayed effect. But what if you want to kill them instantly? Even squishing them doesn’t always work because of their hard, flexible exoskeletons!

Killing them on contact comes down to using chemical pesticides. To use these products, you typically dilute the pesticide with water (according to the instructions) and spray it into cracks and crevices where you think water bugs are hiding.

The problem comes with your ability to access all those hiding places. Waterbugs are sneaky and you may never find where they’re actually hanging out.

Bug-killer sprays sold in supermarkets? They also work on waterbugs. However, killing one at a time won’t solve your water bug problem in the long run.

Suggested Products If You Have a Water Bug Problem

To Find Their Hiding Spots and Kill Them Quickly When You Have Just a Few

To Kill Them Inside Your Home When You Have a Serious Problem

To Kill Them Outdoors Before They Have a Chance to Get Inside

Getting Rid of Water Bugs Naturally

There are a number of natural ways to get rid of waterbugs. And if you’re going to do it yourself, you might want to consider these approaches first.

Diatomaceous Earth: Fast but Not Instant

One of the best-known water bug treatments is food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE). It’s all-natural, safe to use around children and pets (but do take precautions not to inhale), and best of all, effective (although we do recommend CimeXa for even better results).

Most hardware stores sell DE and it’s easy to mix and apply. Some products even come with a duster to make things as simple as possible.

When using DE dust, you want the water bugs to eat it or, at least, walk through it. To attract the bugs to it, you can mix the DE with powdered sugar and spray a thin layer in specific parts of the house.

You can even use it outside, sprinkling it in the grass or mulch to form your very own anti-water-bug moat!

DE doesn’t quite kill instantly but it works more quickly than baits, which are designed to have delayed effects.

Will Baking Soda Kill Them?

Baking soda is a potential killer. It sucks up the water in the environment and can fatally dehydrate water bugs as they walk through it. However, baking soda isn’t nearly as effective as gel baits or chemical pesticides that are designed to kill them.

Boric Acid: An All-Natural Pest Killer

Boric acid is a great natural pest control product that works for water bugs, too! It’s poisonous to the bugs but, in small amounts, it’s not dangerous for pets or children.

Like DE, boric acid isn’t bait so you’ll have to mix it with something to attract the bugs. Again, sugar works really well.

All it takes is a little of the mixture, sprinkled thinly in areas where you think the water bugs are walking. Don’t use too much, though, or the bugs might not want to walk through it.

Home Remedies for Water Bugs

There are plenty of home remedies for waterbugs that may be worth exploring too, including homemade traps, and even essential oils.

Gel Baits: Your Secret Weapon Against Water Bugs

Baits are your secret weapons against water bugs because they’re insecticides hidden in a formula that water bugs just can’t wait to sink their teeth into.

You apply baits by spreading the gel near cracks and holes where water bugs might be hiding. For less of a mess, you can use bait stations, which hold the bait inside a compartment that you can discard after it’s worn off (or been eaten).

What makes bait so much better than simple sprays or traps is that it spreads the pesticide throughout the colony, from bug to bug.

A water bug doesn’t die immediately after it’s eaten the bait; usually, it dies later, after it’s returned to the nest. Then, as the other water bugs feed on the dead insect, they eat the pesticide, too! Even if only one or two water bugs eat the bait, it can kill a dozen or more as its effects spread.

So What’s the Single Best Approach?

The single best way to get rid of waterbugs is the one that eliminates the whole colony as quickly as possible. The winner, unsurprisingly, is the product that’s specially designed to deal with water bug infestations: gel baits.

How To Prevent Water Bugs

Baits, sprays, and traps have their place, but how to keep water bugs away? Luckily, water bug prevention only takes a few simple changes.

How to Keep Water Bugs Out

Water bugs hate dry environments. Their ideal home is damp, dark and hidden, with lots of—you guessed it—water in the vicinity. Don’t give it to them! Chances are they’ll look for somewhere else to stay.

Just follow a few simple tips, targeting those areas, and you’ll start to see results in no time.

1. Prevent standing water under gutters and pipes. Fix leaks, eliminate damp areas, and repair any areas where water collects before water bugs find it.
2. Improve ventilation in storage rooms. Humidity and dampness are just what water bugs are looking for in a place to lay their eggs.
3. Clean the dishes and change the garbage frequently. You’re making it too easy for water bugs to eat if you leave dirty dishes out overnight.
4. Seal up entry points. Pay attention to ways waterbugs may be entering your home. Inspect exterior walls and your home’s foundation, looking for holes, cracks, and crevices that could be allowing waterbugs in. Inspect windows and doors for gaps that water bugs could crawl through.

Conclusion

Despite their less-threatening name, at the end of the day, water bugs are still cockroaches. The longer they’re in your house, the higher the risk that they’ll grow into a serious infestation—and when that happens, your best is to call in a pest control company as quickly as you can.

Now that you know how to get rid of waterbugs…

Let’s do this!

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Pesticide Environmental Stewardship. NC State University Center for Integrated Pest Management. Retrieved from https://pesticidestewardship.org/homeowner/using-pesticides-safely-and-correctly/

Water roaches might not sound like fearsome pests but if they get into your house, they can cause lots of trouble. What causes these bugs to invade homes and what can you do to stop them?

Let’s explore what attracts water roaches and list the steps you can take to keep them out.

Wait! What is a Water Roach?

Before we get into the details, we have to straighten this out: a water cockroach isn’t a kind of bug that’s “sort of, but not really,” a cockroach. It is a cockroach. A cockroach of a very specific kind.

Water roaches are a group of roaches known as peridomestic cockroaches—a type of insect that primarily lives outside. In certain regions of the country, these cockroaches have acquired “water roach” as a sort of catch-all nickname (along with “palmetto bugs,” too).

The cockroach species we’re really talking about?

The Oriental cockroach, Smoky brown cockroach, and by far the most common, the American cockroach (for pictures of these roaches see above).

And the species of cockroach we’re not talking about?

The indoor, or “domestic” cockroaches like the Brown-banded cockroach and the German cockroaches below.

Note: Belostomatidae, a.k.a. the Giant Water Bug or “toe biter” may sometimes be referred to as a water roach, too. These bugs live in water and can deliver painful bites when disturbed, but are not household troublemakers and are probably not the pest you came here for.

Now, without further ado, let’s talk about what causes a water cockroach problem and what you can do about it.

What Causes Them to Come Inside?

Water roaches invade homes for a few reasons, most of which are out of a homeowner’s control. Seriously—they infest homes both clean and dirty, as long as there’s a little food and… the number one reason they move indoors…

Easy access to water.

True to its name, a water cockroach needs lots of water to survive. If a dry spell sucks the water out of the mulch and leaves that cockroaches eat, they’ll start looking elsewhere to quench their thirst—say, those potted plants you dutifully water on the porch.

Just like that, they’ll begin to ignore your personal space and commandeer your home, one area at a time. How disrespectful.

Can Water Roaches Infest Your House?

They might be outdoor bugs to begin with, but once inside, water roaches make themselves at home. Reddish brown to dark brown in color and big—between 1 and 2 inches long, they’re attracted to warm, damp areas, such as the kitchen, bathroom, basement or attic.

They’re fast-moving, good at hiding, and hide behind appliances, in cupboards and in outlets and vents. They can crawl through the hollows between walls and lay eggs beneath baseboards.

You don’t want these bugs around at all, but especially don’t want them building nests in your home. Within weeks of a colony settling in, you could be dealing with dozens more of these intruders skittering around.

Can They Come Up Toilets?

Though it’s true that cockroaches can hold their breath—thankfully, no. Not toilets filled with water, anyway. But leave your house for a season and let your pipes run dry—well, that’s another story. With no water in the pipes and no barrier between your home and the sewer, you could face a nightmare in the bathroom when you return.

Drains, on the other hand, are perfectly acceptable hiding places for these pests. They don’t live in water but they’re known for sneaking into drains for a drink and using the pipes as shortcuts from room to room.

Do They Crawl on You at Night?

Water roaches almost never willingly approach a human, but (rarely) have been known to crawl onto beds at night, drawn by the sweat and skin cells that collect in the sheets. And for what it’s worth, though they’re physically capable of biting people, they’re not often known to do it.

How to Get Rid of Water Roaches

Since these bugs are outdoor insects, preventing them starts outside… in their arena.

Prevention comes down to 4 steps:

1. Inspect
2. Seal
3. Clean
4. Treat

With a solid plan and dedication to the task, you’ll be like a pest control professional in no time.

Ready? Let’s start with step one.

1. Inspect for entry points.

You’re looking for the tiny cracks, crevices and holes that could provide bugs an easy way to enter your home. Check for gaps around the dryer vent, cracks in the walls, holes in the foundation and torn window screens. Roaches sometimes hide in electrical boxes or near hose bibbs in the wall.

2. Cover and seal every opening you find.

With their small, flat bodies, it’s like cockroaches are designed to be able to squeeze through tight spaces—and they are. To create a solid barrier against these bugs, you’ll have to close up every opening you can find with caulk, steel wool or a mesh screen.

That might seem like a lot of work for a “just-in-case” scenario. But be aware—it takes far more work to get rid of water roaches than it does to exclude them and prevent a problem from happening in the first place.

3. Clean up and organize outside (and inside).

Keeping things as neat and tidy as possible is one of the most important ways to prevent these bugs from finding refuge in your home and mooching off your leftovers. The best-case scenario is keeping them far away from your home in the first place.

Here are a few tweaks to help you achieve this:

• Spread mulch thinly so that it dries more quickly and disappoints lazy invaders looking for an easy hiding place.
• Keep things like garbage cans, piles of firewood and landscaping supplies away from your house.
• Before you bring anything in from the garage or outside, carefully check it for signs of cockroaches. The worst surprise would be giving these bugs a free ride into your own home.

Will they leave if there’s no food?

A water cockroach can live as long as a month without eating but, eventually, it’s going to need some food. These scavengers love finding a plate of leftovers that someone forgot to wrap up. A sink full of dirty dishes is like a midnight snack buffet.

Sweeping, vacuuming, wiping and washing around the kitchen removes their easy food sources. Sometimes, that’s enough to send them looking for new digs.

4. Use pesticides (natural or otherwise) to keep them away.

Once your defense is all set up, you can bolster it with a bit of offense. Pesticides come in many forms but the most effective ones for dealing with a water roach problem (remember to read all labels and precautions) are going to be granular treatments and liquid sprays.

Granular pesticides are great because you can sprinkle them in the mulch and grass and let them work in the background, out of sight and automatically. Sprays can also help treat hard-to-reach areas, like narrow crevices.

One of the best all-natural pesticides is boric acid. You can mix this powder with sugar and sprinkle a thin layer where you think water bugs would enter.

Food-grade diatomaceous earth works wonders as another natural, non-toxic pesticide. You can sprinkle it inside and outside, wherever you want to create a deadly barrier for bugs.

Conclusion

Armed with the steps above, along with a little time and effort, you should be able to stop most water cockroach problem in their tracks.

However, if water roaches have already gotten inside your home, your response will need to be a little different. Learn how to get rid of cockroaches in our guide to facing a cockroach infestation.

Either way, you can do it!

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Sources

1. Why do I have cockroaches in my home? (2016) National Pesticide Information Center. Retrieved from http://npic.orst.edu/faq/roach.html
2. Beriseno, Terri. 10 Cockroach Hiding Spaces. HowStuffWorks. Retrieved from https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-hints-tips/insect-control/10-cockroach-hiding-spots2.htm

So it’s come to this… bringing out the big guns. You’re fed up with cockroaches and you’re ready to get rid of them! For good.

Hiring a roach exterminator can seem disruptive and expensive but if your gut’s telling you it’s time, you’ll thank yourself for doing it sooner rather than later. And with the right information, it’s not as bad as you think.

Here are all the details and tips you need to hire a cockroach exterminator, including how to prepare yourself and your home and what to expect from a professional cockroach treatment. Let’s get started!

When to Call An Exterminator for Roaches

Seeing that first cockroach is a shock, especially if you’ve never dealt with these bugs before. If you’re lucky and you’ve only got a few stragglers to deal with, you can probably handle it on your own.

But in most cases, seeing one or two cockroaches tells you that there are more (maybe lots more) hiding nearby. You might even have a hidden roach infestation on your hands.

Watch out for these other signs that usually mean it’s time to call a roach exterminator:

• Lots of dead roaches
• A gross, musty smell
• Cockroach droppings

You might be hesitant to make the call, but when it’s time to get serious about killing roaches, it’s the single best choice you can make to get rid of an infestation. And the sooner you call, the sooner you’ll get rid of the bugs—and the easier it will be on your wallet.

How Do Exterminators Get Rid of Roaches?

The type of treatment will vary depending on your home and the type of roach problem you’re facing. Different roaches require different approaches but there are a few basic tools and techniques that all professional roach extermination services use to kill cockroaches.

Roach Extermination Basics: Step-by-Step

1. Inspect the kitchen, bathroom, closets and basement/attic
2. Use glue traps to estimate how many roaches there are and where they’re concentrated
3. Use gel baits to kill roaches and gradually reduce the population
4. (For outdoor roaches) Treat outdoor perimeter with spray or granular baits
5. In some cases, apply a follow-up treatment

Exterminators often start in the kitchen—it’s the most common source of cockroach infestations because it’s where both food sources and water are within easy reach.

The pest controller will start by inspecting the stove and refrigerator, inside and out. If possible, they’ll pull these and other appliances, like the dishwasher, away from the wall to look behind and under them.

In the bathroom, they’ll look for signs of roaches around the lighting and electrical fixtures, in the cabinets and around the drains. Oriental cockroaches are a frequent problem in drains, so the exterminator might ask you to install drain covers.

An exterminator’s next stop will probably be the utility closet. Not only is it usually warm but it’ll also have piping and wiring running through the walls. Those gaps could let cockroaches enter your home.

Exterminators use wet-and-dry vacuums to suck up dirt, small debris and any cockroaches hiding in these areas. Then, they seal holes and openings with mesh or caulk to keep bugs out.

Finally, an exterminator will look at storage areas and bedrooms, exploring every crack and crevice. They might remove outlets or ask you to empty cupboards and cabinets. If you have an attic or basement, they’ll inspect for entry points or signs of colonies living there.

Double Trouble: The Outdoor-Indoor Cockroach Problem

Recent industry statistics show a rise in peridomestic cockroach infestations—that’s a fancy word for species that live both outdoors and indoors.

In these cases, cockroach pest control operators will apply treatments outside, too. That could make the process a bit longer and more expensive but it would be a lot more difficult to handle on your own.

The Tools of the Trade

Every exterminator’s arsenal includes a few basic tools:

• Glue traps
• Gel baits
• Dusts
• Sprays

Traps are important for gauging the size of an infestation. By placing several glue traps in different areas, a pest controller can pinpoint where the roaches are hiding.

Baits come in gel form and as bait stations. They don’t kill them instantly but that’s the point—the roach dies back in its nest. Then, as the other roaches feed on its body, they eat the insecticide, too.

Some exterminators use dusts in hard-to-reach areas. The most common dusts are diatomaceous earth and boric acid (which are both all-natural!).

Baits are generally the best option; nearly half of the cockroach exterminators in the U.S. report using them as their primary tool. They just work.

Many of these tools are available at hardware and home improvement stores for you to use yourself. But if you’ve seen enough signs to make you think about calling a roach company, it’s probably best left to them.

What to Expect From an Exterminator

Hiring a roach exterminator means starting a relationship.

An exterminator will do their best to eliminate the problem on the first visit but, sometimes, it’s just not enough. About 5% of cockroach jobs receive requests for do-overs. If the infestation was large, a second treatment should be enough to eradicate the remaining roaches. The great thing about baits is that they keep working in between visits!

Not the Worst-Case Scenario

Believe it or not, cockroaches actually aren’t the most difficult pest to eradicate, according to most pest control professionals. That title goes to bed bugs. (Even ants ranked higher on the difficulty scale.)

Hopefully, that news helps you feel a little better!

How Long Does Treatment Take?

One of the most stressful parts of hiring a cockroach exterminator is worrying about the disruption it could cause. How long is all of this going to take?

The average service call takes only about 45 minutes. That’s not bad! However, jobs can take longer with certain cockroach species, and if the infestation is large or its location is difficult to access. An outdoor/indoor problem will take more time, too.

Plan a few hours of availability to answer questions and give the exterminator access to different parts of your home.

Is It Going to Make a Mess?

Exterminators don’t use “roach bombs”; these are the super-messy—and ineffective—products you’re probably fearing. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to stay home during most professional pest control treatments.

What to Expect After an Exterminator Sprays for Roaches

You’ll have to be especially careful if you have young children or pets in the house, as there could be dangerous pesticides on floors or other areas they could reach. Your exterminator will tell you what chemicals were used and when it’s safe for kids to play freely again.

You should also prepare yourself to see dead roaches around the house. Some of the roaches might not die in their nest (sometimes, they seem drawn to the open as they die). Wherever they die, it’s a sign that the roach control service is working!

How Long Does It Take to Get Rid of Roaches After Extermination?

When can you expect the roaches to be gone? That’s a different story.

A cockroach pest control technician could get rid of a small infestation in a week or two. In more severe cases—like a resistant German roach infestation, it might take months for the bait and insecticides to work through the whole colony and completely eliminate the problem.

How Much Does an Exterminator Cost for Roaches?

Oh boy, the moment we all dread: what is this going to cost me?

The obligatory non-answer is: “It depends.” But you want to know if you’re getting a good deal (or a good exterminator—someone who knows what they’re doing will charge for the work they know they’re going to cover).

The cost of cockroach control could be as little as $100 or more than $300, depending on what’s involved. Sometimes, the first visit is only the inspection, which could cost $50–100.

What you pay for professional roach extermination in the end depends on the size of your home, the size of the infestation and the type of cockroach. Peridomestic species (indoor and outdoor) cost more to treat than strictly-domestic roaches.

Some companies bundle their roach services into general pest control plans. That could increase the price (maybe unnecessarily). They might also offer ongoing plans, with monthly or quarterly treatments that could cost $100 each.

What Can Change the Cost

Repeat visits: If the roach exterminator has to come back for a second treatment, your expenses could double. Poor sanitation is the main reason they’d have to return. If you don’t keep up on regular cleaning and organization, the roaches will have no problem re-establishing their colonies.

Trying your own DIY techniques: It might sound like a good idea to add some of your own pest control methods on top of what the service provider did. However, over-applying things like bait can make them ineffective.

Worse, using the wrong advice you found on the internet could end up repelling roaches from the baits or simply spreading them out further—and making it more difficult for the pest controller when you have to call them to come back.

Your Part of the Bargain: How You’re Involved in Pest Control

To make the most of professional cockroach control services, you’ll need to chip in. No, they’re not going to ask you to take a shift with the vacuum or bait stations. But a good cockroach exterminator will make a list of “chores” that will make their treatment as effective as possible in the long run.

That might include repairs that you can do yourself or that require help from a contractor. Major damage to a wall or leaking pipes could be making things easy for the roaches.

Your most crucial job before and after you call a cockroach specialist is sanitation. Keeping things clean, neat and tidy truly is the best way to keep cockroaches out of your house for good. The exterminator should give you a specific list of areas that need attention.

For example, one pest controller recommends to his clients that, for German cockroaches, they should carefully seal all food after cooking and cover the stove’s burners with foil in between uses so the roaches can’t eat the grease.

Next Steps: Start Your Search

Hiring an exterminator is the best way to get rid of roaches. As you research companies in your area, don’t be afraid to call for information, verify certifications and compare each service before making any appointments.

The best value isn’t necessarily the cheapest option; it’s the best quality for your budget.

How to Recognize a Good Exterminator

First of all, you should verify that the cockroach control company is licensed and certified. Then, you can explore their website for testimonials and information about their expertise. You can also search quite a few customer review sites (Yelp, Angie’s List, etc.) for ratings and feedback.

Ask Questions

If you’re worried about pesticides, just ask the company about their products and if they offer any eco-friendly treatments. You can request labels to see the specific ingredients they use.

Get Their Guarantees Guaranteed

You should also inquire about a roach removal service’s guarantees. Some companies offer warranties or promises to return at no extra charge if the first treatment isn’t entirely successful. Just make sure these things are clearly defined before you hire a roach exterminator.

Signs You’ve Found a Good Exterminator

A good exterminator has their ears open to their client’s needs. They’re as invested in the relationship as the client is and they’re ready to make adjustments to their methods if necessary.

A good exterminator is eager to educate their clients about what might have caused the infestation and how to keep pests out of their home in the future.

You should expect transparency from a high-quality exterminator service. They’ll be willing to give you a reasonable price quote and time estimate before starting the work.

What Good Exterminators Don’t Do

First, they won’t bundle roach removal into a broader home-improvement package. Landscaping and tree trimming are not cockroach control techniques and you shouldn’t pay extra for things you don’t need.

Second, quality pest control companies don’t make false claims about their results, any unique or secret pesticides or their speed. Good exterminators are honest and experienced; they know what to expect and communicate realistic expectations to customers. And there are no “secret” formulas for pesticides; they’re all regulated by the EPA.

Finally, good exterminators don’t leave a mess. You’ll know all you need to know about a company’s cleanliness by their reviews because that’s one thing customers never stay quiet about.

Tips for Talking to an Exterminator

Professional exterminators want to solve your cockroach problem—it’s their job! But without your help, they’re walking in blindly. The more information you can give them about your problem, the better.

1. It’s All in the Details

You probably have lots of questions about their service and they’ll have lots of questions about your home, the signs you’ve noticed and the places you think the roaches are coming from. Exterminators know that all of these factors can affect their treatments, the cost and the length of time needed. More information leads to more accurate estimates and better service.

2. Be Observant

If you’ve seen a cockroach and can describe it with a few details, they’ll have a better idea of what species it is before they even arrive.

3. Patience Goes a Long Way

We all want to get rid of cockroaches as quickly as possible but it’s not always as simple as a once-and-done visit. Part of that pest control relationship is trusting that the professional knows best. If they recommend quarterly treatments, it’s up to you to trust that they’re doing it out of precaution, not to nickel-and-dime you.

Find Out More About Cockroach Prevention

Once you’ve had to hire a roach exterminator, you’ll want to avoid dealing with cockroaches forever. We have all of the information you need to keep cockroaches away for good, including guides on where they come from, what attracts them and more!

Good luck!

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Sources

1. 2019 State of the Cockroach Control Market. Syngenta.
2. State of the Cockroach Market (2019) Zoecon/Central Life Sciences.
3. 2019 Cockroach Management Supplement. Pest Management Professional.
4. 2017 Cockroach Management Supplement. Pest Management Professional.
5. Tips for Selecting a Pest Control Service. EPA. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/tips-selecting-pest-control-service

Found a cockroach in your home or business and now your mind is racing? Is your stomach sinking, wondering if there are more?

Don’t panic—you’re in the right place! We’ll help you recognize a roach infestation (if there is one), show you what might be causing it, and help you solve your cockroach problems either way.

The Signs of Cockroach Infestation

Few things are more horrifying than finding your cupboards full of cockroach droppings, or a cockroach inside your food.

The unfortunate fact is that finding even one cockroach should have you concerned about an infestation.

Imagine an iceberg, the tip of which is the one roach you’ve seen. The others, the ones you haven’t stumbled onto, are being much more careful. They don’t always reveal themselves directly, but they do leave certain signs.

So what are the signs of cockroach infestation?

1. Seeing a Cockroach! (Dead or Alive.)

Seeing a cockroach is never a good thing, but does it mean you have a roach-infested house? Not necessarily. But the presence of roaches—even a single one—is among the surest signs of roach infestation.

Roaches are wily creatures that are good at hiding, and make it a way of life. Also, cockroaches are nocturnal, doing most of their business when you and your family are asleep.

So just because you haven’t seen a lot of them, it doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of them around.

If it was a dead roach you saw, it doesn’t mean your nightmare is over, either. The real problem could be the living cockroaches that are silently multiplying behind your walls and fixtures.

2. Finding Roach Droppings

Roach droppings might be hiding right under your nose at first (at least until it starts to stink—that’s up next) because it tends to look like certain other things—spilled coffee grounds, ground black pepper, or just everyday smears and smudges.

You’ll find cockroach droppings in clusters where roaches frequently travel, on both horizontal and vertical surfaces, especially those that are hidden.

Here’s the thing: seeing roach feces—as in, there’s enough that you noticed it—is a strong indicator that you’re dealing with an infestation.

3. Cockroach Odors

Roaches produce scents using chemicals in their bodies, called cuticular hydrocarbons, to communicate with each other.

They leave behind these strong, musty odors as they crawl on surfaces and food. Food touched by a roach will smell spoiled or just not-quite-right. That off smell is a warning you should heed!

Dead roaches also release fatty acids that can also stink up a room as more and more roaches… expire.

Will you smell a single cockroach? It’s not likely. But you will smell a roach infested house (and probably never forget it).

4. Finding Egg Cases and Shed Skins

Less common, but a strong sign of cockroach infestation is finding roach egg cases and shed skins from molting.

Called oothecae, the egg cases are purse-shaped and look like tiny beans or grains of rice. When it comes to cockroaches, bad things come in small packages. Because finding egg cases means just one thing—that the roaches in your space are multiplying.

Discovering shed skins is a bad sign too, because roaches gobble up each other’s molted skins, and you’re only finding a fraction of the skins they originally left behind.

What does it mean to be infested?

A roach infestation doesn’t necessarily mean your hygiene is bad. Cockroaches are frustratingly resourceful and need very little to survive. A few crumbs or a leaky faucet in an otherwise clean house is often enough.

However, it does mean that you and your family are at risk for picking up bacteria that cockroaches leave behind. Roaches can also trigger allergic reactions, especially if you have asthma.

How many roaches make up an infestation?

Basically, an infestation begins with anything more than one cockroach. A couple is all it takes to multiply into dozens of roaches in just a few months.

When is one roach really one roach?

If all you’ve seen is one cockroach, there’s a chance that one is all you’re dealing with. And if the roach is big—say, 1 1/2 inches or bigger—it could be an outdoor species that’s less likely to thrive indoors.

The problem is that even if it is all alone, it could be a pregnant female, or the first of a colony that’s living right outside your home. When that happens, even if it is alone, more are likely to follow.

How bad of an infestation is it?

Cockroach infestations can keep growing and growing as long as there’s food and water for them. If you’re seeing cockroaches regularly (especially during the daytime), it could mean that they’re being forced into the open by too many others in their hiding place.

Hint: Using traps or sticky baits can help you track roach’s movement and get a better idea of how many you’re dealing with.

How Do You Get Cockroaches in Your House?

Unfortunately, cockroach infestations happen easily, and usually out of sight. Some types of roaches—like American and Oriental cockroaches—hang out around homes, feeding on mulch and leaf litter. Then they look for ways inside as they search for more food. They can enter your home through anything from a tiny hole in the wall or window screen to a laundry vent or water pipe.

If you live in a city apartment, a cockroach infestation could be completely out of your control. Apartment buildings are like heaven to roaches because they can run from unit to unit through the walls or pipes.

It’s easier than you probably think to bring a brown-banded or German roach problem home in grocery bags or your child’s school backpack. They might also hide in the firewood you carry into your house and scurry away at the first sign of a flame.

How did my space get infested with roaches in the first place?

The first step in stopping an infestation is figuring out how roaches are getting in, and why they’re staying. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. Do I tend to leave leftovers, desserts, dirty pots and pans or pet food out overnight?
2. Are there any cracks or crevices in the walls that could let cockroaches in?
3. Is my garden or landscaping overgrown or full of fallen leaves and branches?
4. Have I sealed all my open pantry items in plastic, glass or metal containers, bug-proofing them?

Cockroaches can sneak in through the smallest of holes. Sometimes, they take advantage of the gaps where pipes or wiring passes through a wall. Other times, flying cockroaches land on the roof and manage to squeeze beneath shingles.

If they come inside and find easy access to food, that’s when an infestation begins.

It’s up to you to remove their food sources so they can’t make themselves comfortable. Let’s break down how to prevent a roach infestation from growing—

How to Get Rid of a Cockroach Infestation

If you think you have a cockroach infested house, it’s time to act. Don’t be afraid! These bugs won’t bite you. Start now to prevent them from spoiling your food, spreading bacteria and spreading themselves in an even worse infestation.

Next Steps:

1. Identify how roaches are getting in and what’s attracting them.
2. Find out where they’re hiding.
3. Decide whether you want to use a natural pest control method such as boric acid, or other methods like sprays and roach baits.
4. Create a plan for keeping them away, with simple supplies like steel wool and caulk.

Conclusion

Realizing that you may have an infestation can be stressful, and even a little scary. But you’re not alone. Thousands of households and businesses face the same situation every year. In fact, in some cities, more than 40% of households have cockroach problems.

With our tips and your determination, you can eliminate your roach infestation and stop them from ever coming back.

Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources

1. Why do I have cockroaches in my home? (2016) National Pesticide Information Center. Retrieved from http://npic.orst.edu/faq/roach.html
2. Bonnefoy, Xavier et al. (2008) Public Health Significance of Urban Pests. World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/98426/E91435.pdf

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It’s a common question, one that’s both horrifying and well – sort of bravely optimistic:

“I saw one cockroach. Should I be worried?”

So should you? Should you be worried? Honestly, you probably should be.

But if there really is a problem, you’ll know how to handle it. Because by the end of this short 5 minute read, you’ll know exactly what to do if you see a cockroach.

Ready? Let’s go.

Is It Possible to Have Just One Cockroach?

Seriously, is it possible to have just one cockroach in a home or apartment? Sure.

It could be a loner of some sort, or the last of its colony, or even a cockroach scout. It could even be a hapless, relatively harmless wood roach that got carried in along with the firewood – a bug that never wanted to be in your home in the first place.

But without proof, those would be some pretty risky assumptions. Cockroaches are nocturnal so you don’t see them when they’re most active, they rarely live alone, several species will actively try to infest your home – and there are consequences for making a wrong or overly-slow decision.

Having found one cockroach in your house or apartment, how do you know if it’s the only one or an actual cockroach problem? By putting on your detective gear and inspecting the scene for clues – particularly for where they hide, and the evidence they leave behind.

Discovering if There are More

Hiding is one of the things that cockroaches do quite well. There are lots of things that want to kill or eat them, and they know they’re safer if predators (like you) never even know that they’re around.

So to begin to understand what you’re dealing with, you need to find those potential hiding places, and you need to look for signs. Do you have to turn your house upside down to find them? No. You only need to know what to look for and where to start your search.

Finding Their Hiding Spots

So, where do roaches hide?

It’s probably no surprise that cockroaches prefer dark, out-of-reach places. After all, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them! But most home-infesting roaches typically live pretty close to food and water sources, and you’ll want to hunt these down.

Poke around the back of kitchen cabinets and underneath refrigerators. Look in trash cans and behind pet food bowls. Look underneath sinks in the kitchen and bathroom and carry a flashlight to the basement where roaches might be hiding around leaking pipes.

As you explore, don’t underestimate their ability to hide in tiny, out-of-sight places. German cockroaches and other small species can squeeze through tiny holes and live anywhere from sink drains to gaps beneath the floor.

Recognizing the Signs

Sometimes, you have more than intuition to go on in your search for creepy crawlies–sometimes, you have evidence.

Roach Droppings

One roach infestation indicator is feces. Roaches leave tiny droppings in the areas they frequent. That’s gross—and it’s one of the reasons they’re dangerous. Cockroach droppings look like tiny black specks.

If enough roaches are present, their droppings can look like crushed pepper or scattered coffee grounds. The amount of feces you find is a good indicator of the size of the roach infestation.

Cockroach Body Parts

Roaches leave body parts of every kind behind. As young or baby roaches grow, they slough off their old, outgrown exoskeletons. You may find these entirely intact, or in bits and pieces after other cockroaches have fed on them.

Cockroaches also simply die of course, and other roaches readily eat their bodies, leaving body parts, bits of wings, and antennae in areas in your home.

Cockroach Eggs

A rarer piece of evidence is an egg case. Cockroach egg cases are typically about 1/4 inch long or smaller and brown or reddish-brown. Cockroaches take special care when hiding them, so you’re unlikely to find them without some serious sleuthing.

Adult female roaches hide egg cases in cracks, crevices and, sometimes, inside cardboard boxes. Some species such as the brown banded cockroach also stick them to walls, and if it’s a brown banded roach you’re dealing with, you’ll want to look on the tops of picture frames, and in areas closer to the ceiling.

It’s also possible that you’ll start to smell cockroaches in your home. As the roach problem grows, you might notice a sharp, oily odor. If you start to sense this kind of musty smell, don’t ignore it. It’s a good signal that they’re nearby and also a warning that there are probably more than one.

By following these clues, you can start to narrow down their potential hiding places and begin to assess the actual level of the problem.

Next Steps: Getting Rid of Them

You won’t have to actually find more roaches to know if something needs to be done. Finding signs of their presence will be enough.

If you’ve found those, the next step is to begin a thorough pest management plan. You’ll use a combination of baits, liquid pesticides and preventative measures to eliminate roaches and keep them out.

Insecticides and Other Chemical Cockroach Killers

Comprehensive cockroach control involves more than scrambling for the bug-killer spray any time you happen to spot one. You’re savvier than that.

You’ll use strategy, perseverance and the knowledge you now have about cockroaches’ habits and habitats to target them efficiently.

Cockroach control products come in several forms:

1. Traps
2. Baits
3. Insecticidal Dusts
4. Residual sprays
5. Non-Residual Sprays
6. Perimeter treatments

A few roaches probably doesn’t warrant a full-on chemical assault. That’s a lot of work for a problem that’s potentially very small.

Instead, consider starting with roach traps. A few strategically placed traps can help you diagnose the size of the problem and find its epicenter.

Cockroach baits contain insecticides that kill roaches after they’ve gone back to their hiding place and, ideally, spread the poison to other roaches. In combination with a residual spray, which can kill on contact, baits can effectively reduce a cockroach population without requiring too much work on your part.

If you’re worried you’re facing a cockroach infestation on the larger end of the scale, it’s probably a better idea to call a professional pest control service than to take on the problem yourself. A professional can treat your whole home with a perimeter spray and better target cockroach habitats indoors and outdoors.

Suggested Products

To Find Cockroach Hiding Spots and Kill Them Fast When You Have Just a Few

Recommended for all cockroaches

To Kill Cockroaches Inside Your Home When You Have a Serious Problem

Recommended for German cockroaches and Brown banded cockroaches, as well as American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), and Oriental cockroaches when they enter in large numbers.

To Kill Cockroaches Outdoors Before They Have a Chance to Get Inside

Recommended for American cockroaches (Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Tree roaches, Sewer roaches), Oriental cockroaches, and Smokybrown cockroaches.

Natural Cockroach Control

There are a few natural ways to kill cockroaches, too.

Food-grade diatomaceous earth is safe for people and pets (though you should take care not to breathe it) but lethal to cockroaches. Sprinkling this around areas you suspect they’re hiding is a good way to eliminate some of them.

You can also mix boric acid and sugar to make a mixture that’s a natural bait and insecticide.

Preventative Measures: How to Keep Roaches Out

You might be asking yourself, why did that cockroach you saw have to pick your house? In all likelihood, it’s nothing you did. The cockroach only came in for its basic survival needs: food, water and shelter. Finding a cockroach in your house doesn’t necessarily mean your home is dirty.

That said, it won’t hurt to be a little more deliberate in your cleaning routine after you’ve found a roach. Eliminating food sources is an effective way to keep them away. You can also make a few external changes—such as clearing piles of sticks and leaves and organizing boxes in the garage—to keep cockroaches outside.

Oh, and always keep windows covered with screens if you like to leave them open, especially at night. Many flying cockroaches are attracted to lights and they’ll fly straight through an open window to get to your living room lights.

These simple preventative measures can make a big difference in your cockroach control efforts.

Conclusion

You saw one cockroach; should you be worried?

It’s important to pay attention to the evidence and do a careful inspection before you start fearing the worst.

Try to find their hiding place, be strategic with baits or natural pesticides and up your cleaning game until you’re confident the roaches aren’t interested in coming back.

By using the information in this article, you can win back your peace of mind and protect your house from future cockroach break-ins.

Explore the site for more information about cockroaches, facts about the most common species and answers to your questions about how to get rid of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Wizzie Brown, Michael Merchant, and Kerry Siders, Cockroach Biology and Management. Retrieved from https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/insects-of-homes-schools-businesses/cockroach-biology-and-management/