No one wants cockroaches in their homes. But unfortunately, roaches are hard to eliminate and are a common nuisance. Besides, cockroaches pose a significant health risk because they carry bacteria and parasitic worms and can spread human pathogens.
For this reason, if you have cockroaches in your home, it is crucial to get rid of them. Various products in the market can help you eliminate a cockroach infestation. However, sometimes, they are hard to use, are messy, and can be dangerous for use around kids and pets.
Luckily, roach traps offer a safe and excellent solution to your cockroach problem. Moreover, roach traps can help you monitor the roach population and find out their nesting area.
Keep reading to learn more about the various kinds of roach traps, their benefits, and how to use them. You will also learn the factors to consider when picking a roach trap.
What Are Cockroach Traps?
Cockroach traps have bait, any attractant that draws cockroaches, and an adhesive that prevents the insects from moving when caught in the trap. Traps can be used both outdoors and inside houses.
Types of Traps to Buy
There are various types of traps, including:
Bait Stations
Bait stations are usually small plastic cubes with a lure inside a container. Bait stations are an excellent option if you have pets and kids. This is because the poison is concealed inside the container.
Glue Traps
Glue traps, sometimes referred to as sticky traps, are bands of material with an adhesive applied to them. You can place sticky traps around your home where roaches walk on them to get bait and get caught in the glue.
Gel Traps
Gel traps are usually the best and strongest bait. Unfortunately, they tend to dry up quickly and must be reapplied whenever that happens. Gel traps are usually applied on entryways.
Powder
Powders like boric acid and diatomaceous earth can be used as traps to kill cockroaches. These powders kill cockroaches by attacking their nervous systems and dehydrating the insects. In some cases, roaches return to their nest with the powder, where it will kill the other cockroaches.
Best Roach Traps to Buy
Black Flag Roach Motel
This roach trap is highly effective and recommended when it comes to dealing with a mild cockroach infestation. So, the roach motels do work if you are looking for a trap to trap and kill roaches.
Like other roach traps, the Roach Motel attracts roaches into the motel and traps them inside. The best part about this trap is that you can change sides to allow it to trap more insects.
And if you want to know if the trap has captured enough roaches, just look inside. Additionally, the motel is opaque, so you won’t have to deal with the unpleasant view of dead cockroaches.
The best thing about this trap is that it is large and can accommodate more roaches than others; it doesn’t have a pesticide and is safe to use around pets and kids. It’s also easy to use and not messy.
However, it can be a bit pricier than ordinary glue traps and has a large opening that can trap untargeted creatures.
Raid Roach Gel
Raid Roach Gel is another excellent trap that kills roaches without much effort. The gel comes in an applicator tube that makes it easy to use in hard-to-reach areas like corners, cracks, crevices, and near cockroach entry points.
Raid Roach Gel has indoxacarb as its active ingredient that kills roaches that consume it. To use this gel, gently remove the cap to open it, squeeze the tube to create pea size spots of gel, and apply as a line in areas with roach activity. Once done, put back the cap to keep the gel from drying up.
Exterminator’s Choice Glue Traps
These glue traps are the best to use if you are tired of seeing roaches and other crawling bugs in your home. They are easy to use; you only need to place the roach bait in the middle of the sticky trap and place them in areas with roach activity.
These glue traps are also made of superior-quality material and adhesive, making it hard for any trapped roach to escape. However, the Exterminator’s Choice Glue Traps are more costly to use in bulk and are best used for monitoring rather than controlling cockroach populations. Moreover, bait applications can sometimes be challenging for some people.
Combat Max Roach Killing Bait Station
If you are worried about your kids and pets getting access to the bait station, the combat max is an excellent option. Like the Roach Motel by Black Flag, these bait stations are self-contained and expose nothing.
This bait station is made of attractants to target American cockroaches and other large roach species. Its active ingredient is fipronil which kills cockroaches after a few hours of ingestion. The best part of using this trap is that it eliminates the sources of infestation, not just the trapped roaches you see; it eliminates all roaches in a domino effect.
Trapper Max Mouse and Insect Glue Boards
If you are dealing with a serious cockroach infestation, the Trapper Max Mouse and Insect glue boards are your best chance. This trap contains 72 fragrant glue boards; every board has sticky glue and a tiny piece of paper with a lure inside.
This glue is not poisonous but very sticky. So, to keep your pets and kids from walking on them, consider folding them to create a box.
CimeXa Insecticidal Dust Trap
You can make this dust trap at home by yourself. You will need peanut butter, banana peel, or any sweet lure and place it at the center of a disposable plate. Next, sprinkle CimeXa insecticide around the lure and place the trap near areas with roach activity. Hungry roaches will take the bait, eat it while grooming themselves, and eventually die.
The main advantage of this trap is that you will need a only small amount of insecticide dust for every application. However, this bait takes some time to kill the roaches, and you must reapply it after some time.
Advion Cockroach Gel Bait
Pest control professionals and homeowners commonly use Advion Roach Gel Bait. It is formulated with a pheromone lure and is easy to use. This gel bait is so strong that even a tiny amount can wipe out a small cockroach infestation.
Besides, you can easily create your own trap by placing a few drops of Advion in a large matchbox and replacing the bait as soon as it dries up. While this treatment will have you collecting many dead roaches, it is very effective. Also, this treatment might be pricy and time-consuming to apply. However, it is highly effective in getting rid of all roach species.
Victor Roach Pheromone Trap
Like the Advion gel bait, this roach trap uses pheromones as lures. This trap releases a pheromone that lures cockroaches and other insect pests. Once inside the trap, they get stuck in the glue and starve. This roach trap is affordable and can stay up to 3 years as long as it is inside the wrapper.
Hot Shot Liquid Roach Bait Traps
Unlike other roach traps with food lures and pheromones, the Hot Shot Liquid Roach Bait has liquid insecticide. This trap takes advantage of the fact that roaches are drawn to water.
Don’t forget to switch the liquid bait station with other bait to prevent roaches from avoiding the traps. Also, replace the bait station once the liquid insecticide is depleted.
Catchmaster Pest Trap
This product is recommended if you want an affordable and safe way to eliminate cockroaches. The Catchmaster trap is pesticide-free, has a strong glue, and is scented with peanut butter. The trap works by trapping roaches on the glue and is strong enough to catch mice and other big insects.
Homemade Roach Traps to Try
If you are hesitant about using store-bought roach traps, you can make one with supplies you have at home. The following are homemade roach traps to try:
Boric Acid and Peanut Butter
Mix half a cup of peanut butter and a one-eighth cup of boric acid in a bowl to make this trap. Press this mixture into bottle tops and place them in areas with roach activity. For example, you can place the bait under or behind kitchen appliances, inside kitchen cabinets, and under the sink.
2-Liter Soda Bottle Trap
A two-liter soda bottle, a beer bottle, or a wine bottle can all be made into roach traps. Plastic soda bottles are safer than glass bottles.
So, if you prefer soda over beer, cut the soda bottle around the neck and place some lure at the bottom. Next, slide the cut part into the other half and wait for roaches to enter the trap.
Other homemade traps you can try are duct tape and bait and roach cookies.
Areas to Place Roach Traps
After choosing the trap to use and identifying the type of roach infestation you are dealing with, it is time for the trap placement.
It is crucial to understand that the trap’s location will affect the roach trap’s effectiveness. If you place the traps wrongly, they won’t work. Instead, roaches might pass by them.
So, arrange these traps near cockroach nests and areas with high roach activity. The following are good places to set up the cockroach traps:
- Behind stoves
- Drawers
- Cabinets
- Attics
- Behind refrigerators
- Under kitchen and bathroom sinks
- Under water heaters and basements
How to Choose the Best Roach Trap
When choosing a cockroach trap, there are various things to consider, including the trap’s pros and cons. Also, remember that most roach traps have a food lure with insecticide. Therefore, it is vital to consider the cockroach species and the nesting areas. Besides, different roach species have different food preferences.
Also, not all traps work to trap and kill all roaches. For example, some traps are meant for small roach species, while others are larger and can even catch mice. Moreover, various insecticides have different effects on different roach species.
So, make sure you choose a trap to help eliminate the specific roach species you have in your home. In addition, if you have pets and kids, it will be best to go for self-contained traps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Roach Traps Safe for Pets?
Yes, roach traps are safe for pets as long as you follow the instructions. Besides, most sticky traps don’t use insecticide, and baits have them in small amounts that can only upset your pet’s stomach. That said, DIY roach traps can be dangerous to pets as they don’t sometimes measure the insecticide used.
Do Cockroach Traps Really Work?
Yes, roach traps really work.
What Is the Most Effective Cockroach Trap?
The most effective roach trap is one that combines a lure and an insecticide.
Do Roach Traps Attract More Roaches?
No, roach traps do not attract more roaches into your home. Usually, roach traps attract roaches that live in your home to come out and find the bait, but not new ones from outside.
