Many things attract roaches to your homes and yards. However, one of the many things you might wonder about is mulch. Does it attract roaches, and what can you do about it?
Organic mulch attracts roaches to your yard because it provides shelter and traps moisture underneath its surfaces. However, some inorganic mulches keep the pests away.
This article discusses what type of mulch to steer clear of and what kinds you can get if you choose that route. These things are essential to know, especially if you have a flower bed or something planted beside your home. The last thing you want is a cockroach infestation, so continue reading for more information.
What Causes Roaches to Be Inside Mulch?
Searching for shelter causes roaches to be inside mulch most often. However, mulch also provides moisture. Let us go more in-depth on each subject below.
1. Shelter
First off, cockroaches need shelter to survive. In that case, wood mulch provides just that. Most cockroaches will explore at night, so they need a hiding place during daylight. In that case, cockroaches will gladly hide in mulches, mainly if it is applied 6 inches or more on the ground.
2. Moisture
Certain cockroach species, like the smoky brown and wood cockroaches, thrive in moisture. Since it provides them with a water source, they are incredibly comfortable hiding and living inside there. Often, thick layers of mulch will mat together, which forms a barrier for water to stay.
What Mulch Attracts Cockroaches?
Bark and pine straw mulch are the mulches that attract cockroaches.
1. Bark Mulch
You might often see bark mulch in playgrounds or around a home’s foundation. These shavings often attract wood and Asian cockroaches, which often call these places their home. This mulch is perfect for reproduction as both insects love eating decaying wood and use plant cellulose for energy.
2. Pine Straw Mulch
Pine straw mulch is made from lightweight pine needles, which is perfect for most cockroaches to burrow themselves in this organic matter. Pine bark mulch is very similar too. Overall, as long as it provides roaches with a safe place to live, they have no problem living there.
What Mulch Repels Cockroaches?
Inorganic, cedar, and cypress mulch repel cockroaches. You may want to consider getting one of these types instead. These are great alternatives to use if you are worried about getting a roach infestation in your home.
1. Inorganic Mulch
Plastic mulch and rubber mulch are excellent alternatives to keeping cockroaches away.
- Plastic mulch is excellent because it is known as a reflective mulch, which repels roaches away from its reflection. The two types that are used are black polyethylene film and clear polyethylene. A big downfall is that it traps heat and moisture, so if you install it properly, there are better alternatives.
- Rubber mulch is good at keeping roaches away because it does not provide them with any of the food they require. You also do not need to replace it often, as it can last up to 10 years! However, it is not effective at keeping Asian cockroaches away.
2. Cypress Mulch
Cypress mulch lasts much longer than others because it takes longer to decay. Cockroaches despise the smell of its natural oils and will steer clear of this type of mulch.
3. Cedar Mulch
You can use cedar mulch. Cockroaches will stay away from cedar. However, it also disrupts cockroaches’ pheromones, which prevents them from mating and communicating with one another.
Other Mulch Alternatives to Use
Aside from the ones mentioned above, here are some other alternatives you can use:
- Stones
- Tea tree mulch
- Cocoa bean shell mulch
- Sugar cane mulch
- Recycled rubber tires
How Do I Get Rid of Roaches in My Mulch?
There are many ways to remove roaches in your mulch, but the primary way is to remove food, water, and hiding spots for them. This is especially true because cockroaches need these three things to survive.
Firstly, you want to make sure to put a thin mulch layer. Too thick means more roaches.
You can also set up sticky traps and bait stations for these pests. Make sure to place them in spots where they will stay dry and work for quite some time. Luring them in with peanut butter or sugar is also an excellent bait trap.
Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the perimeter or inside the mulch. Finally, you can create a bait using diatomaceous earth and cocoa powder to ensure they return the bait to their colony and eat it.
Once shared, the diatomaceous earth will dehydrate their bodies, causing them to die eventually. However, if it rains outside, you must reapply this method, as getting DE wet makes it ineffective.
Lastly, you can apply outdoor perimeter treatments with pesticides. However, doing so may also kill other beneficial bugs like honey bees, so this method might not be the best option.
Are Cockroaches Beneficial to Mulch?
Yes, cockroaches are beneficial to mulch despite them being a nuisance in our eyes. If they are breeding and harming your yard, you should consider eliminating them. However, if your yard does not have much of an issue with roaches, you should keep them to help your garden.
First off, cockroaches release nitrogen when they eat rotting materials and decaying wood. Doing so helps nourish plants and trees.
Another benefit to cockroaches being in mulch is they are natural composters, which helps break down organic matter as they eat it. Doing so helps your plants gain nutrients, helping them grow more quickly.
Not only that, but they decompose relatively quickly when they die, providing energy, water, and nutrients back into the world and returning to the food cycle.
What Kind of Bugs Does Mulch Attract?
The kinds of bugs mulch attracts are other pests like ants, earwigs, sowbugs, spiders, centipedes, and millipedes. These insects are beneficial because they break down organic mulch and feed on garden pests, like aphids. However, they are still a nuisance, nonetheless!
Final Thoughts
To summarize everything, roaches love organic mulches but only certain kinds. However, you can still use different alternatives if you want to avoid cockroaches.
Still, it is impossible to avoid them altogether, but taking those preventative measures can ensure you lessen the chances of them coming inside your home. If all else fails, call pest control, as they can help you more with this issue.
We hope this article was helpful to you. If you have any more questions, feel free to look at our other articles!
