What Attracts Cockroach

Cockroaches search out 3 things: food, water and shelter. If you are wondering why you have seen cockroaches, ask yourself if any of these things are readily available for cockroaches. If your home is dirty and has dishes and trash all over the place, cockroaches are finding plenty of food. If you have a leaking faucet and mildew under your sink, cockroaches are finding plenty of water. If your home is warm and dry when the weather is cold and wet outside, cockroaches are finding plenty of shelter. These resources are all necessary for cockroaches to thrive in each stage of the cockroach life cycle. Even the cleanest houses have cockroaches so ensuring that the things that attract them are minimized are the first step in preventing future cockroach problems. Below are several examples of what attracts cockroaches in your home.

What Attracts Cockroaches into Your Home?

To effectively control cockroaches, it is important to understand what is inside a home that attracts them in the first place. In this article, we will explore the key factors that lure cockroaches into homes and provide tips for preventing and controlling infestations.

Food Sources

Food is the first and strongest attractants for most bugs with cockroaches being no different. Cockroaches are omnivorous scavengers that will eat just about anything including grease, dust, dirt, paper, soap, hair, and other cockroaches. Cockroaches need these food sources because they provide cockroaches with the energy and nutrition they need to survive and reproduce. They will always find something to munch on regardless of how clean a house is, but it is critical to fight them where they are most likely to be found to reduce the potential for a full-blown infestation. The places where cockroaches are most likely going to find a steady supply of food is wherever your family stores or prepares it. This makes kitchens, pantries, and cupboards prime targets for cockroach invaders. Kitchens are a safe bet for roaches to be able to find something to eat because there are typically crumbs on the ground, grease on the stove, food debris under appliances, or dirty dishes in the sink. However, because cockroaches can also feed on debris like dead skin, hair, dust, paper, and so much more, they can really be found just about anywhere. Places like bathrooms, garages, and laundry rooms are also prime areas where cockroaches are typically found due to ample food sources.

To effectively combat cockroaches in these spaces, it is crucial to keep these rooms as clean as possible and free of food debris. While it can be nearly impossible to get all of the mess, reducing large pain points where there is visible crumbs, stains, and spills can go along way to help minimize cockroach activity. In addition to general cleaning, it really helps to do a deep cleaning on a regular basis that involves deep cleaning the stove and oven for grease, cleaning and sanitizing under appliances like the stove and refrigerator, and wiping down and sanitizing the insides of cupboards and drawers. 

Strong Smells

Roaches have an extremely sensitive and highly developed sense of smell. This sense of smell is largely detected by a cockroach’s antennae, which are covered in scent receptors. These receptors can pick up different molecules in the air which trigger a response in the cockroach depending on the stimulus. Cockroach antennae can tell the difference between small amounts of food, mates, and even sources of water and what direction these resources may be coming from. Even candles, potpourri, and laundry soap can potentially attract cockroaches because they give off odor molecules that smell like food. Cockroaches can even leave pheromone trails to resources to help guide themselves and other cockroaches back to a source of food, water, or a potential nest with future mates. To help reduce the likelihood of cockroaches being attracted to certain odors, doing things like cleaning up messes, taking out the trash, and using and air purifier can all help minimize the strong odors that can attract cockroaches.  

Pet Supplies

Pet food and water provides cockroaches with the perfect source of sustenance they need to stay alive. However, these sources are often overlooked and left out to provide pets with a regular source of nutrition and hydration that they can use when they need it. Unfortunately, keeping a pet’s food and water bowl out and filled is a great way to attract cockroaches and introduce them to your home. Keeping pets fed regularly in small amounts that ensure there are no leftovers for cockroaches will be critical to minimizing cockroach populations. It doesn’t take much to feed a cockroach so it is also important to rinse out the bowls to ensure there are no leftover particles of pet food that cockroaches can eat. It is also important to store the food safely in airtight plastic containers to prevent cockroaches from accessing the pet food. 

Water

Second to food, the other thing roaches need to survive is water. In extreme times of drought or heat, cockroaches may be driven inside in search of leaky plumbing or a dripping faucet to stay hydrated. Just like with food, a cockroach’s strong sense of smell can detect the smell of mold, mildew, and other indicators of excess water. Cockroaches will seek these sources out and this is why you will often find cockroaches in bathroom, kitchens, and laundry rooms. Cockroaches only need about one drop of water every day so they can even find water in potted plant soil, kitchen sponges, and from condensation. If cockroaches are not able to stay hydrated enough, they will dry out and not be able to digest their food or successfully reproduce. This means that eliminating water sources has a two fold impact on keeping cockroaches under control. If cockroaches are not able to find sources of hydration, they won’t be attracted to your property and they won’t be able to breed which is critical when trying to prevent a cockroach infestation. To prevent excess moisture  and keep water sources down, homeowners should:



• Fix leaky pipes and faucets
• Seal cracks and gaps around toilets and sinks
• Ensure that showers and bathtubs are properly set with a waterproof basin
• Remove standing water sources inside of a home
• Rinse sponges and wash clothes with a bleach mix to make the moisture toxic
• Layer potted plants with gravel to separate moist soil from roaches
• Use drain covers that prevent roaches from accessing moisture inside pipes
• Ensure that surfaces where condensation can build up are consistently wiped down

Shelter

Cockroaches prefer to avoid weather extremes like intense heat, cold, or rain. When it becomes difficult to survive outside, cockroaches will move indoors in search of protection against the elements. Cockroaches will generally access your home using cracks and crevices as entry points but once they realize how cozy it is inside your home, it will be hard to get them to leave. It is important to minimize cockroach activity because once a cockroach has found a safe, dark, and humid place to hide and lay their cockroach egg cases, they will release pheromones that attract other cockroaches. The most common places to find cockroaches are:

• Inside cabinets and drawers
• Under kitchen appliances
• Inside or around trash cans
• Under sinks and around pipes
• Around toilets, showers, and bathtubs
• Inside closets and other storage areas with cardboard boxes
• Inside garages, sheds, and barns
• Around laundry rooms
• In crawlspaces and wall cavities

To help eliminate cockroach harborage points, it is important to seal any cracks and crevices, and apply residual pesticides around common cockroach hiding places.

Accessibility

One of the biggest things that cockroaches need outside of the bare resources they need to survive is access to those resources. If your home has food, water, or shelter but all access points have been sealed properly, then cockroaches can’t find their way inside. It can be difficult to block accessibility though, because cockroaches only need a crack the width of a coin to sneak through. For an untrained individual, it can be difficult to find areas where cockroaches can gain access to a home so to prevent a potential infestation, it is important to rely on the expertise of professionals who know where to look. Trained and experienced professionals will know how to treat and seal potential access points that cockroaches can use to invade a building.

Other Cockroaches

Cockroaches are social insects that attract other cockroaches using pheromones. The pheromones released indicate the presence of potential mates and sources of resources that cockroaches need. Usually if you are starting to see the signs of cockroaches, it means that there are several more in a cockroach nest somewhere close by. This is extremely concerning because the rate at which cockroaches multiply can cause a small cockroach problem to become a large infestation in a very short period. To ensure that cockroaches are kept under control, it is important to treat for cockroaches at the first sign of cockroach activity. Keeping and area clean and sanitized can also help eliminate traces of pheromones that cockroaches use to communicate amongst each other. 

Neighbors

If you live in an apartment, townhome, or other unit that shares a wall, you may find yourself unlucky enough to live next to a slob who doesn’t maintain their property and creates an environment that attracts cockroaches. If your unsanitary neighbors do attract cockroaches, they may eventually find their way to your home through a shared wall. Typically, these types of units are often rented and managed by property managers. Most state laws indicate that resolving this issue is usually the responsibility of the property owner or manager. If you are a tenant, be sure to inform the property owner or manager and document the infestation. If you are a property owner or manager, be sure to call a professional cockroach control company immediately.

Cardboard Boxes

In addition to normal food and debris, cockroaches can consume paper and other cellulose rich materials. If cockroaches make their way into your house and find old boxes in garages, attics, or storage, they will make themselves at home. The reason cockroaches will infest cardboard boxes is because these items provide both the perfect home and food source because they are usually in dark, undisturbed places. To avoid this problem, be sure to keep things that are meant for storage in clear plastic bins and containers. Having clear containers will provide visibility into storage items to see if there are any unwanted home invaders hanging out inside your storage items. 

Location

While the location of a home might not necessarily be considered a cockroach attractant, it can definitely impact the presences of certain cockroach species. Cockroaches are a notorious pest that can be found just about anywhere, however homes that are warm and / or humid all year round likely have a higher potential for cockroach problems when compared against homes in colder climates. That being said, cockroaches may become more visible in colder climates when temperatures drop and drive cockroaches inside. The location of your home may have some impact on the likelihood of when homeowners may experience cockroach problems. Regardless, it is important to take the right precautions no matter what your location is to ensure that cockroaches do not infest your property. Warmer climates may require regular treatment all year round as cockroaches are prevalent throughout the year where colder climates may just need seasonal treatments to ensure that cockroaches are defended against when they are most likely to invade a home.

What Attracts Cockroaches Outside?

In addition to all of the things that attract cockroaches inside, there are a few extra things that may attract cockroaches to the outside of your home. 

Landscaping

Your yard may be just as appealing to cockroaches and may provide them with all the food, water, and shelter they need. There are plenty of places where standing water can normally be found, hiding places under every rock and bushes, and food readily available just about anywhere there is organic detritus. This combination makes the outside of your home very attractive which will draw cockroaches to your yard. Once the cockroaches have made themselves welcome in your yard, it is only a matter of time before the weather drives those cockroaches inside. Ensure that preventative measures are taken to keep cockroaches out. Things like keeping your yard well maintained and treating using an exterior perimeter pesticide application can go a long way in keeping outdoor cockroach populations under control. 

Lights

Many species of common household cockroaches are often attracted to certain wavelengths of lights. However, this is the most difficult cockroach attractant to utilize against a growing population because some species are also deterred by lights. Depending on the species, leaving lights on can attract them to your property while at the same time, keeping lights off might attract other species. Seeing cockroaches scurry away when lights are activated usually indicates that you are dealing with a light avoidant species and seeing cockroaches out during the day often indicates that you are dealing with a species that may prefer light. Regardless, this attractant doesn’t help much when trying to combat a potential infestation so professional help is recommended when treating for cockroaches. 

Trash

The primary thing that attracts cockroaches is food and outdoor trash cans typically provide an abundant and consistent source of this in demand resource. These trash receptacles are usually rich with decomposing organic materials like decaying fruits and vegetables and other food scraps. Trash cans can also even provide sources of water and shelter so it makes sense that cockroaches would seek trash cans out. To prevent cockroaches from accessing trash cans, it is important to treat these receptacles with residual pesticides and occasionally clean them out so the insides are free of decomposing food.

Different Cockroach Species are Attracted to Different Things

Different species of cockroaches have their own unique individual preferences. Some prefer humid damp environments while other prefer drier climates. Some species are attracted to light while others are deterred by lights. The differences will be explored below for each common household cockroach species.

What Attracts American Cockroaches

American cockroaches prefer to feed on decaying, organic matter and are particularly attracted to fermenting foods like fruit and beer. They generally prefer warm, moist, and humid environments that are not exposed to too much light, so they usually are not found in human living spaces. Plumbing issues generally attract large numbers of American cockroaches and they can usually be found in places like near your home’s boiler or basement. Not only does a boiler provide the warm, humid environment American cockroaches thrive in, it also provides them with pipes that lead to every room in the house. 

What Attracts German Cockroaches

German cockroaches are drawn to food debris but have a preference for grease buildup, organic food waste, and moist or sweet foods. German cockroaches also prefer warm and moist environments, which gives them plenty of reason to hide out in areas like under the kitchen sink or in pantries and cupboards where food might be found. These cockroaches are nocturnal and will typically hide during the day, only to come out at night. 

What Attracts Brown Banded Cockroaches?

Brown banded cockroaches are typically found in areas that are kept warm and dry. They prefer to hide out in places that are elevated like bookshelves, hanging picture frames, furniture, and other storage places that are left undisturbed. The reason they prefer to hide in places like these is because brown banded cockroaches prefer to feed on cellulose and starchy items like the paper and glue that you might find in books, handing pictures, or wallpaper. 

What Attracts Oriental Cockroaches?

Oriental cockroaches are generally an outdoor species that are attracted to dark, damp, and cool environments. They are commonly found living under mulch, leaf debris, and other types of ground cover that stay moist. They are also commonly found in storm drains and sewers due to their preference for outdoor environments that stay consistently wet. When they make their way inside, they will usually make their way into basements, crawl spaces, and cellars that stay cool. This species also prefers to feed on decaying organic matter and vegetation. 

How to Prevent & Get Rid of Cockroaches

Preventing and getting rid of cockroaches is mostly just keeping them from things they need to survive. When it comes to food, the best strategy is to eliminate, clean, and store.

• Eliminate: Be sure to get rid of any food and pet food that is exposed and sitting out. Then take out the trash every evening so roaches have nothing to attract them when they are most active.
• Clean: Regularly wipe down counter tops and surfaces, wash dishes, sweep and mop floors for food debris, and occasionally clean under and behind large appliances.
• Store: Seal stored foods in airtight containers made of plastic, glass, or ceramic to avoid cockroaches in your pantry. Raise stored goods off of the floor and eliminate cardboard wherever it is unnecessary.

In addition to removing food, it is important to remove sources of water and treat potential harborage places where cockroaches may start breeding. It is important to fix any leaks to remove excess moisture and seal any cracks, gaps, or crevices with caulking or silicone sealants to prevent access. Using a residual pesticide spray on areas where different cockroach species tend to be can also go a long way in helping to reduce cockroach populations. Be sure to apply the spray around appliances, near sources of water, and anywhere food might be found. 

Contact EcoGuard if You Are Dealing with A Cockroach Infestation

If you find yourself dealing with cockroaches, it may be too late to remove cockroach attractants. Be sure to call EcoGuard Pest Management to come in and inspect your property. We will find where cockroaches are active and will shed some light on what could possibly be drawing in cockroaches in the first place. Our inspection will come with a customized cockroach treatment plan designed to deliver the results you want. Call today to schedule an inspection right away.

Cockroach Attractant FAQs