Strategies To Eliminate German Cockroaches

German cockroaches are one of the most difficult pests to eradicate. These roaches evolve rapidly to changing circumstances and thrive in the worst conditions. However, with the right treatment plan, your home can be free of them.

Eliminate Food and Water Sources

The first step to getting rid of German cockroaches is to identify their food and water sources.

German cockroaches primarily like to eat sweets and fermented foods. However, they will eat anything you eat, in addition to things like glue, paper, and packaging material. They will even eat each other in a pinch.  

Sources of water are pretty easy to identify. Roaches will consume water from your sink and leaky pipes. However, they also get water from sources that you wouldn't expect. They consume water from condensation and even the scraps of drinks you leave in cans and glasses. German cockroaches can only survive about a week without water, so remove water sources.

Strategically Place Baits and Traps

After you've removed sources of food and water, the roaches should be concentrated in specific areas. The traps and baits you place will also be more effective because the roaches will be more attracted to them. 

If you happen to see a roach, pay attention to where it runs. German cockroaches often flee back to their nest when startled. 

Use glue traps to monitor the status of the infestation. German cockroaches often live behind walls and other surfaces and are notoriously hard to treat. Glue traps alone aren't able to eliminate roaches, but they are an extremely valuable tool for monitoring infestations. Place glue traps along the paths where you think their nests are located. As the number along these corridors reduces, you can be certain that the population of roaches is also reducing. 

You will also want to place baits close to the nest locations. With other food sources eliminated, the roaches will be more attracted to these baits. You may want to use more than one type of bait to see which bait is the most effective. 

Strongly consider using an insect growth regulator, or an IGR. These IGRs come in the form of baits or stand-alone products. An insect growth regulator functionally works as birth control for the cockroaches and prevents them from breeding more roaches. German roaches breed rapidly, so stopping their reproduction cycle is key to eliminating the pests. 

Reach Out to a Pest Control Company

If you're struggling to remove German cockroaches on your own, reach out to a pest control technician. A pest control technician will be able to recommend specific strategies to help you eliminate the roaches.