What cockroaches are afraid of - an overview of different products, from wormwood to aquafumigator

In Soviet and "perestroika" times, red-headed Prussians were, albeit unpleasant, but familiar inhabitants of houses and apartments. Most housewives had their own "proprietary" means of destroying annoying arthropods. And the most frequently used folk invention was balls made from boiled eggs and potatoes with the addition of boric acid. It was believed that the acid is harmless to humans, but causes irreparable harm to cockroaches.

The disadvantage of this method was the prolonged effect of the drug and the condition in no case to allow cockroaches to drink. Otherwise, all the work will be in vain. In addition, boric acid acted only on adults, without affecting in any way the larvae deposited, for example, behind the plinth.

But, by and large, the fight against the mustachioed hordes resembled the war with the windmills. None of the known methods have been effective in the long term. Until, at the turn of the 21st century, the "occupiers" suddenly disappeared from their homes by themselves.

And now black and red-haired uninvited guests are returning to some cities in huge numbers. Freeloader insects are seen in houses (private and multi-storey), grocery stores, medical institutions. The work of disinfectologists has significantly increased. There are several reasons for the new expansion:

• the changed economic situation, when their inadvertent “companions” arrive with the luggage of migrants;
• contaminated goods that enter trade networks from regions of the country;
• uncontrolled use of a huge range of insecticidal preparations by the population and specialized firms and, accordingly, the formation of less sensitivity to them in cockroaches.

Where do cockroaches come from in an apartment

Cockroaches are a common problem that is not always a sign that the owner of the home where they appeared is a slob. There are a huge number of options for insects to enter the house. First of all, they look for rooms protected from the cold, where they can hide, find food and water.... Insects can get into residential apartments and houses in the following ways:

• through the ventilation system from neighbors or from the garbage chute - this happens if the population of cockroaches has grown significantly and they are in search of new territories for habitation. This is also possible if neighbors carry out pest control measures;
• through cracks in the building, keyholes, open windows and doors - when it gets colder outside, cockroaches quickly start looking for shelter, as they can hardly tolerate temperatures below 15 ° C;
• from shops in bags with groceries - cockroaches are very fast and tenacious, the female of this parasite can hide behind packaging with goods or hide under fruits and vegetables. By placing the purchased goods in a bag, you may not notice a small brown cockroach, which can subsequently lay eggs and increase its population on its own.

Why are these parasites dangerous?

Do not think that the only harm from these insects is the spoilage of food. This is just a small part of the problems that parasites bring with their appearance. After all, cockroaches are dangerous:

1. They carry on their paws pathogens that are harmful to human health. After such contact, you can get sick with tuberculosis, hepatitis, a number of intestinal infections. Therefore, it is recommended to get rid of all products that have come into contact with the parasites.
2. When molting, the old chitinous shell is thrown off, the particles of which are mixed with dust and cause an allergic reaction.
3. They can crawl into the ear canal at night.
4. In some cases, they can bite a person.
5. They crawl into household appliances and damage the insulation, which can cause a short circuit.

Signs of cockroaches

It is almost impossible to find cockroaches in your own apartment when their number is small. They hide very well, hiding under wallpaper, behind cabinets, under skirting boards and in other places that are hard to reach for humans. During the day, these insects sleep, and at night they go fishing in search of food and water. If you saw a cockroach walking on the table or floor, then this is clear evidence that these parasites have become a lot. In this case, it will be more difficult to deal with them than to destroy a small colony of insects. You can suspect the appearance of pests by the following signs:

• small whitish or yellowish cockroach eggs are found in the corners on the floor. Their dimensions do not exceed one millimeter in length;
• an unpleasant musty smell appears in the room, reminiscent of the smell of mold;
• small black dots remain on clothes, dishes, wallpaper, furniture - these are cockroach excrement;
• small brownish and black scales are found on the floor and furniture - these are cockroach scales, which they shed during the molting period.

If you tear the corner of the wallpaper, which has the most black dots, you can find a whole colony of insects.

Photophobia

The smell that bay leaves exude is intolerable to cockroaches. The aromatic seasoning can be used in several ways:

• it is added to herbal mixtures to repel insects;
• burning bay leaves is practiced to fumigate the room;
• lay out the seasoning in the corners of the house, place it under the baseboard.

Many apartment owners prepare infusions or decoctions from bay leaves. With the resulting concentrated solutions, you can moisten a napkin and wipe the surfaces that cockroaches have chosen for walking. Insects do not die from the sharp aroma of the plant, but they prefer to bypass the side of the room, where bay leaves are used as a repeller.

Experts have long answered the question of why cockroaches are afraid of light. As soon as you suddenly flip a switch in the kitchen or bathroom, insects literally dissolve into the air. In fact, for cockroaches that have survived all kinds of apocalypses, bright light poses no danger. They quickly build a logical chain - after a bright flash, death from a house slipper is likely to follow, and this is worth fearing.

There is another explanation why cockroaches are afraid of light and do not settle in well-lit places. In a dark room, moisture is retained for a long time. They are necessary for insects for the active functioning of their vital systems. The sun's rays or bright light will reduce the concentration of water vapor in the surrounding area.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself: China cockroach remedy

What are cockroaches afraid of?

Despite the fact that cockroaches are one of the most adaptable insect species that can live even with elevated levels of radiation, there are some conditions that cause pests to leave their homes. It is impossible to get rid of cockroaches without a number of professional measures, including the complex processing of the home in several stages. At the same time, one of the ways to combat parasites is to change the surrounding conditions - this will not be able to destroy the colony, but with a high probability it will force insects to look for a new place of residence.

Microclimate

Cockroaches are heat-loving insects for which climatic conditions with a relative humidity of 30-50% and temperatures between 20 ° C and 30 ° C are ideal. Therefore, they choose dry apartments that are well heated. Cockroaches do not like frost and extreme heat, as well as critical readings on hygrometers. For this reason, the activity of these pests occurs in the winter, in the summer they often live on the street, hiding in crevices, holes and basements. Finding shelter in an apartment, insects populate kitchens, since there is always something to profit from, and the kitchen microclimate is ideal for their living and reproduction.

Cold is the most terrible enemy of cockroaches, at negative temperatures, their metabolic processes slow down, and after a few minutes the insect dies

There is a way to drive out insects by changing the temperature critically: lowering it below -2oC or raising it over + 40oC. However, this is only possible for non-residential premises or areas not yet inhabited, where there is no central heating or it is possible to temporarily turn it off and drain the water from the pipes. Such differences in indicators will negatively affect both the repairs made and all the furniture in a residential building, so you should not resort to this.

Ooteca (a capsule in which cockroach eggs are stored) is able to protect future offspring from temperature extremes and withstands a drop in air temperature to -2 ° C, therefore, the freezing procedure must be carried out twice with an interval of 2–4 weeks.

Physical impact

Light and sound affect the life of cockroaches. These insects prefer silence and complete darkness - such conditions allow them to move as quietly and safely as possible, find food, water, reproduce new offspring. Using special tools, you can drive pests out of your home.

Ultrasound

The cockroach orientates itself in space with the help of antennae, at the tips of which the organs of hearing are located. Almost all insects are sensitive to high-frequency sound vibrations, so ultrasonic repellers have been produced. Waves of this frequency affect the nervous system of cockroaches, forcing them to leave the room, but most of these devices are ineffective. Powerful ultrasonic traps can negatively affect the human psyche, causing sleep disturbances and headaches. They are also dangerous for pets, for example, in guinea pigs, ultrasound can cause cardiac arrest.

Ultrasonic traps most often have power regulation and operate on mains or batteries.

We bought an ultrasound machine more than 1.6 years ago. It works without interruption, without stopping, that is, we do not turn it off at all. They lived on the 13th floor, they did not pay much attention to any effects, since insects were not particularly observed in the apartment. But a year ago we moved to another city, to an ordinary typical nine-story building with an operating garbage chute. I think everyone understands what it is. Cockroach insects. That's when I thought, it's good that we have PEST REJECT. Now I think I'll turn on this "magic trick" and all the insects will scatter. Well, it was not there ... He has been working since our move, but the cockroaches, as they ran to visit, I keep running. And then there were midges, flies and moths. So we will have to stock up on old proven means to expel them.
Mesha

Shine

If you go into a room with cockroaches at night and turn on the light abruptly, you can see how these insects scatter in the corners. This happens not because they are afraid of light, but because they have a natural mechanism of self-preservation. Dramatically changing conditions are perceived by the pest as a danger. Therefore, the method of killing cockroaches using ultraviolet lamps and other dynamic light traps is not effective.

If a Prusak is placed in a laboratory under direct ultraviolet rays, then it will live significantly less. But under real conditions, UV radiation is more dangerous for humans than for a cockroach.

If you leave a lamp or UV lamp in the kitchen overnight, cockroaches will perceive this as natural conditions and begin to crawl out of their holes in search of food. You can buy a special light trap against cockroaches, they are not in great demand, but there are still some on the market.

Smells

Microscopic hairs at the tips of the antennae allow the insect to navigate in space, touch objects and smell them. Considering that cockroaches often live in garbage dumps and in garbage chutes, where they find food for themselves, we can conclude that they are not too selective for the aromas surrounding them. In fact, there are some odors that are not tolerated by cockroaches. Substances with such aromas can be used to prevent the appearance of cockroaches in apartment buildings, if most of the apartments in the building are invaded by parasites. It is not recommended to use this approach as an independent method of pest control, since it does not have high efficiency..

Some plants contain essential oils in their composition, which have a pronounced odor and are not tolerated by cockroaches. There are many technologies for using plant products to control insects.

Mint

Mint can be used fresh or dried, it has good aromatic qualities that have a beneficial effect on humans and scare off the Prussians. Plant shoots should be spread out in the corners of rooms, and placed in all kitchen cabinets and drawers that may be potential habitat for cockroaches. Fresh leaves work best, and the essential oil of this plant can be used to enhance the aroma properties of dry mint. After spreading dry grass in the corners and along the baseboards, use an aromatic lamp into which water is poured with a few drops of oil, after which the liquid is heated over a candle flame and evaporates, spreading a bright mint scent.

Tansy

Tansy is a poisonous plant that is a natural repellent. You can use it to fight insects in several ways:

• spread the freshly cut shoots in the corners of the rooms, at the junction of the flooring with the walls and kitchen set. The plant emits a specific smell that cockroaches cannot tolerate, as a result of which pests will bypass plant barriers;
  

  Tansy is a poisonous plant that should not be allowed to animals and children, therefore, cockroaches should be driven out of the house with its help in exceptional cases.

• boil 5 liters of water and pour boiling water over a full glass (250 ml) of dry crushed tansy inflorescences. Insist the product under the lid until it cools completely, then strain and pour the infusion into a container with a spray bottle. Spray the liquid on the floor, skirting boards, along the walls. This method has a disadvantage: in addition to being poisonous, the infusion leaves marks on surfaces that can be difficult to remove.

Sagebrush

Bitter wormwood has an extremely unpleasant smell for cockroaches, smelling its aroma, they quickly leave their homes. The grass is used fresh or dry, spreading in large bunches on the floor and in places where cockroaches are likely to live. Wormwood shoots are spread out with a carpet in the kitchen and bathroom, and also laid on window sills, kitchen work surfaces and under the sink. After a while, the pests will begin to crawl out of their holes, trying to leave the apartment.

Laurel

Dried bay leaves are widely used to prevent cockroaches in the kitchen. In order for the Prussians to bypass your home, it is worth spreading dry leaves in kitchen cabinets where bulk products, pasta and cereals are located. Also, laurel leaves can be placed under the sink so that insects are not interested in the trash can. Cockroaches do not tolerate the smell of this spice, so by placing it in places of potential settlement, you can prevent the appearance of unpleasant insects.

Photo gallery: plants that repel cockroaches with their smell

The peculiarity of using mint from cockroaches is that its smell is pleasant for humans and has a relaxing effect, while cockroaches simply cannot stand it.

Tansy is a poisonous plant that smells unpleasant for cockroaches and acts on them in a poisonous way.

Smelling the smell of wormwood, cockroaches begin to climb out of the cracks, as a result of which they can be destroyed mechanically

Bay leaf is a common spice and an effective cockroach repellent due to its specific odor that insects cannot tolerate.

Substances with a pungent odor

Cockroaches do not live in rooms with strong odors such as vinegar, gasoline, or alabaster. These substances can be hazardous to humans, therefore these formulations for the treatment of living quarters are used with great care.... Among the products with the most unpleasant odor for cockroaches are:

1. Vinegar. This is a strong acid that harms the cockroach with a pungent odor and eats away at its chitinous cover. An effective solution for treating floors and crevices can be prepared: Mix 100 milliliters of 9% vinegar with 200 milliliters of water.
2. Add 15–20 drops of cedarwood or eucalyptus essential oil.
3. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle, shake, and then spray.

   
   Vinegar is a harsh caustic substance that can harm cockroaches by contact, and has a pronounced odor that repels insects

Our (ordinary redheads) got away from ... vinegar. I had a small (cat) who liked to attach herself to the baseboards, so I sprinkled vinegar in all corners with all my heart. This Klava was barely taught, but there were no cockroaches in two days. (And cats are really cool to catch them, only crunch is disgusting)
Brigantine

Ammonia helped us. True, I pour ammonia from the bottle near the water pipes, into the cracks behind the baseboard, wherever possible. 1 -100 ml bottle into the kitchen. I do this once a week. Their own cockroaches are gone, only neighboring individual specimens come running. And the advice was given by our plumber, although he spoke about 70% (technical), we decided to try it at the pharmacy. Then I also wiped all the shelves with diluted ammonia. Sometimes I add it to the water for the floor. I really do not want their return. The plumber was forgiven for all the flaws!
Lydia

Natural enemies of cockroaches

Cockroaches have many enemies, ranging from predatory insects to large primates. The most exotic hunter of these pests is the emerald wasp. She hunts cockroaches and, finding an insect, injects it with a sting with a poison that has a neurotoxic effect. After being bitten, the cockroach ceases to control itself and loses the ability to move. The wasp carries the prey to its burrow, where the larvae eat it. In addition to wasps, a large number of animals feed on cockroaches:

• arachnids;
• monkey;
• hedgehogs;
• shrews;
• birds;
• rodents;
• other insects.

At the beginning of the last century in Russia, to fight cockroaches in winter, people caught small birds and put them in cages. They were released to fly around the house, during which the birds hunted, pulling cockroaches out of the cracks in the floor and walls.

The emerald wasp hunts cockroaches, which can be much larger than the wasp itself

Extermination of cockroaches with boric acid

Boric acid is deadly to cockroaches, so it is used as food traps as one of the most effective folk remedies for pest control.

Cockroaches eat traps that contain boric acid, as it has no taste or smell for insects, after which the pests die

To make homemade poison, you can use the following instructions:

1. Cook a hard-boiled chicken egg.
2. We take out the yolk, knead it and mix with 2-3 sachets of boric acid to get a homogeneous mass.
3. We form a large number of small balls and lay them near the sink, stove, in the corners of the kitchen.

After eating the poison, the cockroaches die. But boric acid is dangerous for pets and children, so this recipe can only be used if there are no people in the house who can be threatened by this product.

In August 2014, even dead cockroaches swam in my coffee, it was an invasion. What I didn’t do, they didn’t disappear. Only grandma's old recipe helped. We buy 2 bags of boric acid, in a raw egg we separate the yolk from the protein. Knead two bags in raw yolk. We lay out this mixture on pieces of paper (about thirty). And then we place these baits in the places where the cockroach is located and near the water: pots of flowers, a crane, a trash can. Acts slowly but thoroughly. The complete disappearance of cockroaches is observed after two weeks. A month later, even the fat individuals who came to visit do not remain and do not breed to this day. The mechanism of action is that boric acid is a terrible allergen for a cockroach. one infected infects comrades. He feels very bad from her. Someone dies, most just makes legs. I did it, it works for you. the main thing is to withstand two weeks. Glory to purity, death to cockroaches!
Ilyich

Purchased cockroach remedies

Modern insecticides have low cost, low toxicity and do not require special skills and knowledge to use. Following the instructions supplied by the manufacturer, everyone can use the product without harm to health, implementing effective measures for the prevention or elimination of cockroaches in their own apartment. Regardless of the form of release and the principle of action of the drug, all insecticides can be divided into the following groups with respect to composition:

• organophosphorus compounds (FOS) are strong poisons of a wide spectrum of action that have a nerve-paralytic effect. They are rarely used to treat living quarters, since they take a long time to erode and pose a significant danger to all warm-blooded creatures. This group includes the following substances: chlorpyrifos;
• malathion;
• fenthion;

According to the form of release, insecticides can be divided into:

• gels are poisons that are highly toxic to cockroaches, most often they have a pleasant smell and taste for insects. They act by contact and intestinal routes, prominent representatives of the group are: "Kapkan Sturm" (gel-paste), gels "Fas", Global;
• aerosols are potent poisons that, due to their shape, can penetrate into small cracks and under the baseboards, destroying the parasites that are hiding there. Combat and Raptor are among the most popular aerosols against cockroaches;
• powders - free-flowing mixtures, lethally acting on insects by contact. The disadvantage of this form is that the powder can enter the respiratory tract, posing a danger to humans and pets. To combat parasitic insects, you can purchase powder "Pyrethrum" or "Frontline M";
• liquid poisons are the most powerful drugs used by professional exterminators during the treatment of the room. These funds can be divided into two groups: liquid concentrates - powerful pesticides that can completely destroy cockroaches in the room, have a pronounced unpleasant odor, are highly toxic to humans, and require special protective equipment during processing. The most effective concentrates are: Tsifox, Avalon, Executioner;
• microencapsulated - the latest drugs in the form of microscopic capsules that contain poisons. These funds are recognized as safe for humans and animals, and they work for several weeks. The product can be purchased under the following names: GET Total, Delta Zone, Ksulat Micro;

Photo gallery: industrial drugs for cockroaches

The disappearance of insects begins within a few hours after contact with the Global gel

Combat spray affects only adults, but with respect to larvae and laid eggs, the remedy is practically powerless.

Frontline M causes contact-intestinal upset in cockroaches, leading to immediate death

"Tsifox" is an effective fast-acting universal drug

Aquafumigator "Raptor" is very simple and safe to use

Temperature regime

Cockroaches, like bedbugs, are very afraid of the cold. Our great-grandfathers got rid of these synanthropic insects by freezing. The fact is that cockroaches are cold-blooded creatures and cannot independently maintain the required body temperature. When the ambient temperature drops below 0 ° C, the pests become inactive, with a further drop in the degree they fall into suspended animation, at -5 ° C they die. Cockroach clutch is less sensitive to temperature drop, but at -10 ° C even larvae in eggs die.

Freezing housing kills cockroaches, but the method is dangerous - the heating system may freeze

As for the heat, the Prussians feel comfortable at 30 ... 35 ° С, they are not afraid of the summer heat, but the temperature rise above 55 ° С is fatal for them. Therefore, the treatment of the cockroach den with boiling water helps to destroy the pests, but only locally: only those individuals who have fallen under the distribution will die.

We suggest you familiarize yourself: How to easily get rid of nits

Prevention of the appearance of cockroaches in the apartment

Preventing the appearance of cockroaches in an apartment is much easier than dealing with an already spread insect colony. In order for pests to bypass your apartment, you can use the following recommendations:

• if the apartment is located in an old-style apartment building, where there is a general ventilation system and a garbage chute, it is necessary to seal the ventilation openings in the room with a fine mesh. If possible, tightness should be achieved at the points of entry and exit to the apartment of sewer and heating pipes;
• all food, including bulk products, must be kept closed in sealed containers;
• all food debris, including crumbs, should be promptly removed from work surfaces, tables and floors. You need to wash the dishes immediately after eating or cooking, without leaving the "mountains" in the sink;
• if there are animals in the house, it is necessary to constantly clean up the places where they eat, wash bowls for food and water;
• should be used to collect garbage buckets with a tight-fitting lid that will not leave insects access to waste;
• most of all, cockroaches need moisture, so you need to wipe the dishes, countertops and sinks, which will ward off insects from living in your apartment.

Deprivation of water and food

The Prussians can eat anything, their omnivorousness determines their vitality, but they cannot do without water. You can deprive insects of access to life-giving moisture as follows:

• check the serviceability of plumbing equipment, eliminate leaks;
• remove open sources of liquid;
• wipe dry sinks, showers, bathtubs;
• monitor the dryness of the pipes;
• cover the toilet seat with a lid;
• cover plums when they are not in use;
• make sure that condensation does not accumulate on surfaces;
• remove indoor plants that need regular watering.

All places adjacent to water sources are treated with insecticides in order to completely deprive the pests of drinking.

Reduces the attractiveness of the apartment for cockroaches and the inaccessibility of food with a pronounced smell (smoked, spicy, fried), oily products. The Prussians love to rummage through the trash, so regular cleaning and food waste removal will help in the fight against pests.