While the environment offers a wide variety of insects that can infest people’s homes, cockroaches are a formidable pest that thrives in moist areas with food and water. It is easy to identify cockroaches from other insects because of their distinct dark red-brown, dark brown, or black body color, and their total body length can range from one to one-and-half inches. Though both male and female cockroaches will often have wings, their ability to fly depends on the species. But a common household nuisance is the “nymph” cockroaches (which are unable to fly), but their strong legs allow them to run fast. So when it comes to do-it-yourself pest control, considering the species of cockroach you are trying to kill will depend on the cockroach species and the size of the infestation in your house, and whether or not you have any pets and children in the house.
While at your supermarket, you will find cockroach bait stations and cockroach insecticide spray for sale. At first glance, a cockroach bait station is a small container that you leave in a hidden spot with heavy foot traffic from cockroaches, and the bait inside kills them when they enter and eat it. A less passive approach is the cockroach insecticide spray, which will kill a cockroach that is within three to five feet from you when you spray directly on them. Though both will get the job done, each carries its own advantages.
While a glue trap will kill an insect that gets stuck and starve them to death, a cockroach bait station includes an insecticide that is poisonous when ingested. Though most cockroach bait stations are child-proof and have low levels of toxicity, keeping them away from pets is crucial as well. Placing a cockroach bait station under a dishwasher or refrigerator, or behind a toilet in the bathroom, can keep them safely away from children and pets. They are easy to clean up because you can brush the station onto a dustpan with a broom, and drop it in the trash. Though depending on the cockroach bait station’s brand, some stations work by slowly killing the cockroach. The cockroach will eat the insecticide bait in the station and go back to the nest so other cockroaches will become infected and die as well. This kind of cockroach bait station is a safe and effective preventative method for any future infestations from the current nest nearby.
But when it comes to cockroach sprays, you need to get close to the live cockroach to kill it. They tend to die immediately when sprayed and cleaning them up with a broom and dustpan will let you safely dispose of them in the trash as well. These will generally have a strong odor so you know poison is in the air, but they are generally safe to use around children and pets as long as they are not directly exposed to it. After disposing of the cockroach, cleaning the area sprayed with a household disinfectant spray will ensure all cockroach spray poison is clear from your home. Cockroach sprays are good to keep around when you need to kill the occasional cockroach lurking in your home, and cockroach bait stations are excellent for multiple cockroaches with a nest nearby.