What cockroaches are afraid of is what needs to be applied first

Quite often, apartment residents are faced with the phenomenon of cockroaches in their apartments. Dealing with cockroaches is not so easy, since over the millennia they have managed to adapt to any living conditions. The diet of these insects consists of human food, as well as food scraps that remain either on the table in the apartment, or in the trash can, etc. In addition, cockroaches can eat objects that cannot be called edible.

These insects are tenacious and can go hungry for quite a long time. Therefore, a very logical question arises: are cockroaches afraid of anything at all? Of course, it is difficult to scare them, but they also have weaknesses, which are discussed in this article.

Factor one: bright light

Most of the residents are familiar with this picture: when a person enters the kitchen at night and turns on the light, he sees a huge number of cockroaches scattering in all directions to quickly hide. This is evidence that cockroaches are active at night, but during the day they sit in their shelters. Of course, they are not so much afraid of bright lighting as of the looming danger in the form of a person who is ready to destroy them at any moment. Therefore, whoever failed to hide in time gets what he deserves.

Cockroaches are creatures that can get used to light. If you leave the light on all the time, then after a couple of days these insects will get used to such conditions and will go out hunting in full light. Therefore, to say that cockroaches are afraid of bright light would be somewhat incorrect, although in certain conditions bright light frightens them and they try to hide as quickly as possible.

Signs of appearance

It is almost impossible to detect cockroaches in your own apartment when their numbers are small. They hide very well, hiding under wallpaper, behind cabinets, under baseboards and in other places that are difficult for humans to reach. During the day, these insects sleep, and at night they go out to fish in search of food and water. If you see a cockroach walking on the table or floor, then this is clear evidence that there are many of these parasites. In this case, it will be more difficult to fight them than to destroy a small colony of insects. You can suspect the presence of pests based on the following signs:

• Small whitish or yellowish cockroach eggs are found in the corners of the floor. Their dimensions do not exceed one millimeter in length;
• an unpleasant musty odor appears in the room, reminiscent 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 the scales of cockroaches, which they shed during the molting period.

Factor two: cold

These insects are considered cold-blooded creatures, so they cannot heat their bodies on their own. Therefore, cockroaches are completely dependent on the ambient temperature. If the temperature drops to +5 degrees, then the insects hibernate, and temperatures of -5 degrees and below lead to their death.

Taking this factor into account, you can easily fight cockroaches by freezing your apartment. Unfortunately, such an opportunity does not always arise. If you leave windows and doors open for a couple of days in frosty conditions of -10 degrees, then not only cockroaches will freeze. In addition, the heating system may be damaged. Moreover, the same can be said about the private sector. To combat cockroaches in this way, you need to have alternative housing.

Fresh cucumber

The news that cockroaches cannot bear the smell of cucumbers comes as a surprise to many! But not an ordinary smell, but the one that results from its interaction with aluminum. To do this, you need to cut the cucumber and create conditions for its oxidation, making it possible to combine with aluminum (for example, put it on the lid of a tin can).

Oxidation will be accompanied by the appearance of an odor that is not perceptible to humans. For a cockroach, this smell will be unbearable.

Factor three: high temperature

Cockroaches can also be controlled using high temperatures. Regular heat cannot kill a cockroach, but a stream of hot steam immediately leads to its death. Even boiling water can cause irreparable damage to the population of these insects. It is enough to pour boiling water over the areas where pests and cockroaches accumulate and this will significantly reduce them. Unfortunately, this method is unacceptable in an apartment, as it can flood your neighbors. As an option, you can use a household steam generator, with which you can treat any crevices where these insects hide.

How to get rid of cockroaches in a room: their weak points

Most housewives have one reaction to the appearance of unpleasant insects; they immediately ask themselves the question: what to do if there is a cockroach in the room. Although the Prussians are good at adapting to all conditions, they have several weak points that should be taken advantage of to get rid of them.

These include:

• boric acid solution. It helps destroy various pests;
• ultrasonic repellent;
• low (more than -5 degrees Celsius) and very high temperatures contribute to the death of parasites;
• the smells of ammonia or lemon can scare away Prussians;
• kerosene.

In multi-storey buildings, all communications are interconnected, this allows cockroaches to live in any premises, but they prefer:

• toilet;
• kitchen;
• bathroom;
• balconies equipped for food storage.

Factor four: lack of water and food

In the absence of moisture, cockroaches begin to feel thirsty, which then leads to their death. Moreover, a lack of water is much more critical than a lack of food. They can go without food for a long time. Therefore, when choosing places for their existence, cockroaches first of all pay attention to accessibility to water. They can find water anywhere: leaking pipelines, the presence of condensation, a damp bath without ventilation, the presence of fruits and vegetables that the owners often leave on the dining table, etc. Cockroaches pay attention to all this.

When starting the fight against cockroaches, it is first necessary to provide them with unacceptable living conditions: cut off access to water and food. To do this, you need:

1. Wipe all surfaces where even drops of water remain.
2. Repair all faucets from which water drips, and also ensure that condensation does not accumulate due to the good functioning of the ventilation system.
3. Water the plants only in the morning so that the moisture is quickly absorbed into the soil.
4. After eating, you should not leave leftover food on the table.
5. At night, all food should be hidden in places where cockroaches cannot reach.
6. The trash can should be kept closed and emptied of debris promptly.

How to get rid of cockroaches at home FOREVER

Tobacco smoke

Prussians cannot stand the smell of tobacco and stay away from it. The method was widely used in the last century, when all means were good to fight cockroaches. Tobacco smoke clogs the receptors, so the insects hide, and if there is a constant presence of an odor that is offensive to them, they leave the room. To expel parasites, you need to burn a dry sprig of tobacco or smoke shag.

On a note!

The effectiveness of the method is questionable, since the owners of dysfunctional apartments smoke indoors very often, the number of “settlers” does not decrease, but increases. Cockroaches do not like the smell, but it does not kill them or force them to leave the conquered territory.

Factor five: smells

In addition to high and low temperatures, cockroaches are afraid of persistent, pronounced aromas. Moreover, this is typical for most insects.

Eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus does not grow in our country, so only essential oils of this tree can be found in pharmacies. Cockroaches don't like this smell and will try to find a more comfortable place to live.

If used, be aware that essential oils can be harmful to pets, especially cats. If the oil gets into the gastrointestinal tract of a pet, quite severe poisoning is possible.

Anise oil and anise herb

Anise is a plant that has long been used by humans as an analgesic, antipyretic, expectorant and disinfectant. As for cockroaches, they cannot stand this smell and try to leave the room immediately.

You can buy anise grass, make small bouquets from it and place it in places where these insects appear. Anise essential oil is also sold in pharmacies.

Mint leaves

Mint is often used to enhance the flavor of tea. While this aroma is pleasant for humans, it is the opposite for cockroaches. It is good to use mint as a preventive measure, growing it on the windowsill. Thus, you can not only expel insects from the apartment or prevent them from entering, but also fill the apartment with this pleasant aroma. Sometimes it is enough to grow mint in flower beds, next to windows, to rid first-floor apartments of these annoying insects.

Cedar

Cedar, as for humans, has a very pleasant aroma, but for cockroaches it is very unpleasant. To scare away the Prussians, just fill a vase with cedar cones and place it on a table or windowsill. A vase with cedar cones will not only decorate the apartment, but will also scare away uninvited guests, as it will fill the entire living space with a bright, lasting smell.

Tansy

This is a plant that helps a person fight various types of insects and cockroaches are no exception. The plant is found in gardens, near houses, along roads, etc. Small bouquets are made from tansy inflorescences and laid out in places favored by insects. At the same time, you need to remember that this is a poisonous plant, so you need to do everything to ensure that neither children nor pets come into contact with the plant.

Honeysuckle

This plant can also be found both in the garden and in the wild. The smell of this plant has a calming effect on the human nervous system, but cockroaches cannot tolerate this aroma. Honeysuckle helps a person cope with stressful situations by calming the nervous system.

Red elderberry

Red elderberry, like black elderberry, repels not only insects, but also rodents such as mice. Elderberry is a shrub that produces large clusters of red or black berries. Many people love red elderberry for its elegant appearance, and jam is made from black elderberry berries. The inflorescences are used as an anti-influenza remedy.

Tea tree

Tea tree has many beneficial qualities for humans, but essential oils are considered dangerous for insects and pets. This tree is the most dangerous for cats. To drive insects out of your apartment, just drop a few drops of tea tree essential oils into water and wipe the floors and other surfaces.

Essential oils are used by spraying, first dissolving them in water. They are also used using an aroma lamp. It is not recommended to use undiluted concentrated solutions of essential oils. This can be harmful not only to insects, but also to humans.

On a note! If, under the influence of the smell, the cockroaches left the apartment, but at the same time managed to lay eggs, then after a while young cockroaches will appear in the apartment, which can adapt to new smells.

Therefore, it is unlikely that it will be possible to get rid of these insects once and for all using such methods. Traditional odor-based control methods do not destroy pests on a physical level, but only repel them. Over time, cockroaches can get used to any of the smells and will no longer feel afraid. Therefore, it is better to change smells regularly so that cockroaches cannot adapt.

If in a neighboring apartment they fight cockroaches with the same odors, then the insects quickly get used to it. The neighbor's cockroaches, if they appear in the apartment, already feel comfortable with such a smell. Therefore, the fight against cockroaches requires an integrated approach.

What are pests afraid of?

What are these parasites running from? Unbearable conditions for these insects can be created by:

• Low temperatures, in particular frost below -5.
• Presence of animals in the house.
• Strong odors. This category can rightly include all pungent odors such as the “aroma” of enamel, putty, paint, as well as the odors of some plants.
• Insecticides. Many ready-made preparations and folk remedies of this type not only kill insects that have already managed to get into the apartment, but also repel those that are just trying to get into the home.
• Lack of water in the house. If you restrict access to it for pests, they will leave your home very quickly.
• The presence of various animals in the house, including cats and dogs.

All these factors negatively affect the insect population. That is why it is worth understanding in more detail what these pests do not like.

Temperature and light

Prussians are cold-blooded animals whose body temperature depends on external conditions. Both cold and heat have equally detrimental effects on pests.

At +5 - +7 degrees, insects fall into suspended animation, at -5 they die in half an hour, and at -10 in 2 minutes. The unbearable heat for the Prussians begins at +28 degrees Celsius. Cooling down the room in winter for several days completely solves the problem, but is not always possible.

More often they resort to treating cockroach nesting sites, crevices, cracks with steam (using a steam generator) or boiling water. This method will allow you to get rid of both adults and larvae.

Light itself does not pose a danger to Prussians, but insects associate its appearance with danger. That is why, when the lights are turned on suddenly at night, adults scatter.

If you leave the light on for 2–3 days in a row, the insects become exhausted by constant fear and try to leave the home. However, this method is ineffective compared to other approaches.

Deprivation of water and food

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 sinks, showers, bathtubs dry;
• keep the pipes dry;
• cover the toilet seat with a lid;
• cover drains when not in use;
• ensure that condensation does not accumulate on surfaces;
• remove indoor plants that need regular watering.

All areas adjacent to water sources are treated with insecticides to completely deprive pests of water.

Reduces the attractiveness of an apartment for cockroaches and the inaccessibility of food with a pronounced smell (smoked, spicy, fried), and oily foods. Prussians love to rummage through garbage, so regular cleaning and removal of food waste will help in pest control.

Ultrasound and electromagnetic rays

An ultrasonic repeller uses high-frequency sound to send cockroaches into a state of panic. Human hearing does not perceive such an impact, and pests cannot tolerate sound vibrations and leave the home.

There is an opinion that the reduction of pest colonies in modern cities is associated with the widespread appearance in human homes of microwave ovens, the principle of operation of which is based on electromagnetic influence.

The most popular models of repellers with ultrasonic and electromagnetic action:

1. Typhoon. According to the manufacturers, it will rid your apartment of cockroaches in 4 weeks of work. It is expensive - from 1500 rubles, but gives quick results.
2. Rexant. Compact and easy to use, safe for humans. Average price – 600 rubles.
3. EcoSniper. A universal device for repelling most household pests, including ants, mice, bedbugs. Cost – from 1000 rubles.
4. Tornado OTAR-1. Easy to use, but only needs to be installed in an open space - even a light fabric curtain becomes an obstacle to its operation. Costs 900–1000 rubles.
5. Riddex. Covers an area of ​​200 m2 with electromagnetic action. The most affordable - from 200 rubles.
6. Pest Reject. Magnetic resonance device, advertised, but inferior to competitors in performance characteristics. Costs from 300 rubles.

Factor six: chemicals

For a long time, many scientists have been busy trying to create drugs that can effectively fight cockroaches. Today, many drugs are known that can quickly cope with the invasion of such insects. The most popular insecticidal agents are sprays, gels, aerosols, pencils, crayons and simply poisonous powders or liquids. Some of them are designed for use at the household level, and some of them are designed for use by special services. As a rule, these drugs are the most effective.

Crayons

The crayons contain components that have a nerve-paralytic effect on cockroaches. Due to their simplicity and ease of use, they are very popular among customers. This is an ideal remedy if there are not many cockroaches in the house yet. Crayons have a number of advantages compared to other means of struggle, since lines can be drawn on both horizontal and vertical surfaces.

Aerosols

Insecticides presented in this form are also very popular, as they are easy to use and act on insects quite quickly. Unfortunately, using aerosols has its downsides. Aerosols affect insects during the spraying process and for a short time after. In addition, microparticles spread in the air quite quickly, which can harm the health of both people and animals. Therefore, their use is associated with a certain scheme, which does not allow the presence of people in the room during use, and also requires the availability of personal protective equipment, especially for the respiratory system.

Nowadays, aerosols have appeared not based on insecticides, but on the basis of pyrethroids. They are not so poisonous and practically safe for humans.

Gels

Gels, although they are made on the basis of insecticides, are more practical, since they contain a fatty base, which contributes to a longer action of the substance, as well as food flavorings to attract insects.

Gel-based preparations are not highly toxic to humans, since they have a contact effect and insects die due to the fact that the poison enters the digestive tract or chitinous cover.

Special traps for cockroaches are used based on gels.

What attracts

Above are some remedies that can repel cockroaches. However, what do these parasites love?

What smells are attractive to them? Arthropods are absolutely unpretentious; their food source can be not only food familiar to humans, but also any organic matter, rotting parts of indoor plants, spoiled food waste, and household chemicals.

Food waste and foods with a strong odor, such as sausage, sweets, and drinks, are especially attractive to parasites. For example, when making bait traps, the following can be used: beer, jam, honey, sweets, salads.

Accordingly, in order to prevent the appearance of arthropods and the growth of the colony, it is necessary to exclude the presence of the above names in the public domain.

Factor seven: boric acid

Boric acid is a fairly safe and effective remedy against cockroaches. When it enters the body of an insect, it causes paralysis and death. Cockroaches just won’t eat boric acid, so they prepare a special bait based on flour, egg yolk and boric acid. Balls with a diameter of up to 1-1.5 cm are rolled from this mixture and placed in places where these insects like to hide.

The use of boric acid has both pros and cons.

The advantages of such bait include:

• The substance is absolutely safe for both humans and pets.
• The substance does not have an unpleasant odor.
• The substance destroys rather than repels parasites.

Flaws:

1. Although insects die, they do not die as quickly as we would like.
2. If a cockroach can drink water somewhere, then it is not in danger of poisoning.

Why are they dangerous for humans?

Unfortunately, not everyone understands how dangerous these insects are. Cockroaches move freely between the drain, garbage disposal, basement with rodents and attic with bird excrement. They are able to collect a wide variety of bacteria on their paws. Everything collected is carried around the apartment by insects, in particular, throughout the kitchen. The infection may end up on the table, refrigerator, or dishes. It has been proven that an ordinary cockroach can become a carrier of the following diseases:

• meningitis;
• toxoplasmosis;
• urogenital infections;
• gastroenteritis;
• dysentery;
• salmonellosis.

Cockroaches are also capable of spreading eggs of parasites such as roundworms, pinworms, whipworms, and some types of amoebas.

They cause many problems for allergy sufferers. The chitinous scales that they shed during molting are mixed with dust particles, dry residues of cockroaches, and end up on the skin, digestive organs, and respiratory apparatus. As a result, they cause dermatitis, conjunctivitis, and asthmatic syndromes.

When faced with an allergen every day in your apartment, the disease becomes chronic and does not go away at all. Children often suffer from such allergies.

There are cases when cockroaches bite a person, gnawing off pieces of the skin of the lips. Sometimes, in search of shelter, they crawl into the ear canal of a sleeping person. It is very difficult to remove him from there, since he will hide, climbing further. In such cases, you will need the help of a doctor.

Cockroaches can also be dangerous for pets for the same reasons. It happens that a cat or dog eats an already poisoned insect and the poison affects them too.

Factor eight: ammonia

Cockroaches fear the smell of ammonia like fire. As far as we know, ammonia is an ammonia solution and can be purchased at any pharmacy. To carry out preventive work against insects, you need to take one teaspoon of ammonia and dilute it in 1 bucket of water. This solution is used for wet cleaning in the apartment. This is a fairly effective method, but it cannot be used often.

Ammonia has a very pungent odor that is difficult for even humans to withstand. Even after wet cleaning, the smell of ammonia can be felt for a long time. While cleaning, it is better to use a respirator and keep the windows open. It is acceptable to carry out such cleaning once a week.

Mistakes that are important to avoid

Avoid mistakes that could jeopardize your success in preventing cockroaches.

• Do not throw dead cockroaches in the trash, because if the females carry ootheca eggs, they will hatch and the infestation will be present again. In addition, dead insects can attract other pests such as flies and ants.
• Always recheck after 7-14 days. Sometimes additional baiting may be necessary to eliminate an infestation.
• Do not use the same insecticide on the same treated area.
• Don't treat all cockroach species the same: German and Oriental cockroaches, for example, have very different feeding and reproductive habits. Therefore, the removal methods will differ.

Sources

• https://domovod.guru/borba-s-vreditelyami/tarakany/chego-boyatsya-tarakany.html
• https://poleznii-site.ru/dom/byt/kakih-zapahov-boyatsya-tarakany.html
• https://ouborke.ru/chego-boyatsya-tarakany-v-kvartire
• https://oklop.ru/chego-boyatsya-tarakany-v-kvartire-kak-otpugnut-i-vyvesti-vreditelei
• https://apest.ru/tarakany/1-info/34-chego-boyatsya/
• https://tapi-tapi.ru/boyatsya-tarakany-koshek/
• https://parazitdoma.ru/tarakany/chego-boyatsya-tarakany
• https://KlopVred.ru/tarakany/chego-boyatsya-tarakany/
• https://BezTarakana.ru/tarakany/v-dome/top-10-chego-boyatsya
• https://stroy-podskazka.ru/tarakany/zapahi-ne-lyubyat/
• https://combat-dez.ru/tot-kto-est-tarakanov-nash-dryg-i-souznik-po-borbe-s-domashnim-parazitom/
• https://sichovka.ru/vrediteli-doma/chego-boyatsya-tarakany.html
• https://WikiParazit.ru/tarakany/chem-otpugnut-tarakanov.html

Factor nine: ultrasound

Ultrasonic repellers have a negative effect on both cockroaches and rodents. A person does not perceive ultrasound, but insects and rodents feel a sense of fear from its action and try to quickly leave the zone of its action.

If such a device is installed in an apartment, the insects will try to leave the apartment as quickly as possible. Modern products are compact in size and run on batteries. They can be installed in any room.

Fear of ultrasonic waves

Arthropod insects do not tolerate ultrasound. Intolerance to ultrasonic waves used this information to create a variety of devices and instruments.

Ultrasonic and electromagnetic traps are popular. They are used to repel cockroaches. As a rule, insects leave the premises in order to find more comfortable living conditions. For the same reason, arthropods are afraid of the microwave.

In order to purchase an ultrasonic trap, you can visit a specialized store or use the services of online suppliers.

Factor ten: rats

Cockroaches are afraid of rats and do not share such a neighborhood. If rats settle next to them, then the cockroaches will immediately begin to look for another, more comfortable place for themselves. They can't even stand their smell. Experts believe that this is due to food. Cockroaches believe that when rodents appear, they simply won’t have enough food.

Of course, bringing wild rodents into your apartment to get rid of cockroaches is not a good idea. Although you can get a decorative rat and let it out of the cage from time to time so that it has time to leave its scent. The result will not take long to arrive.

How to get rid of cockroaches in a dorm room

It’s not easy to get rid of annoying Prussians in your own apartment, but doing it in a dorm room is even more difficult. This is due to the large number of neighbors who do not keep cleanliness well.

The main reason for the spread of insects is an uncleaned common kitchen, which no one thoroughly cleans.

Despite this, most people want to live comfortably in a dorm room without having to share their living space with nasty pests. To successfully exterminate the Prussians, you need to connect as many neighbors as possible and keep things clean.

You can use special chemicals that kill all insects.

These include:

• gels (Brownie, Global and others);
• sprays and aerosols (Get, Raptor, Cucaracha, etc.);
• traps (Taiga, Raptor, Brownie);
• fumigators.

Students most often use gels. Prussians love to eat such products because they have an attractive smell. Just a few hours after application, the insects begin to die themselves and bring poison to their relatives. This will help keep cockroaches out of your dorm room.

It is important to use gels constantly and regularly change manufacturers to avoid parasites becoming accustomed to the composition of the drug.

Expert opinion

• barbels come for a scout (if we are not talking about mass migration from neighbors after disinfestation), so I recommend applying a strong-smelling substance more often to surfaces near ventilation, cracks in the bathroom (where pipes are);
• You should not fight insects using the waiting method: if you wait until the individuals die, you will have to be patient for many days;
• pests treated with insecticide do not reproduce, have poor body control, and therefore cannot lay eggs.

Life without a head

Recent experiments by American scientists made it possible to make a sensational discovery: cockroaches can continue to live for some time if their head is torn off. Tests have shown that a headless cockroach lives for 7-9 days.

Cockroach without a head

In addition to the body, the separated head of a cockroach can also “live” for 1 week, when scientists placed it in a cool place and provided it with a special solution.

Entomologists explain this fact by the structure of the body of insects, which have no pressure in the circulatory system. Thanks to this, when the head is separated, there is no blood loss, as happens in humans, the vessels are “sealed” with coagulated blood, and the entire system continues to function.

Pests breathe through “spiracles,” special openings on the body; air enters through the trachea, small breathing tubes. Moreover, the brain does not participate in breathing in any way, therefore, after decapitation, the body is supplied with oxygen in the standard mode. But the cockroach itself lives and can even move its legs and move around.

People's experience

To repel insects, aromatic oils and fragrant herbs are used. To breed Prussians, all those compounds and plants that have a pungent odor are used.

Housewives who have repeatedly encountered arthropod insects prepare bags of fragrant plants. Surfaces are treated with essential oils, which have a strong aroma.

Attention!

But such means help to cope only with a small colony.

When choosing a means or substance for control, it is necessary to take into account the degree of its effectiveness. If you choose the composition that cockroaches are most afraid of, then it will not be difficult to deal with them.

How insects behave after disinfestation. Rules of conduct after treatment

When cockroaches receive a dose of poison, their behavior changes noticeably:

• insects are disoriented;
• slowness is noticed, and in other cases, on the contrary, movements are chaotic, while the speed of movement is still high (at the initial stage of poisoning);
• Longhorned beetles are found in the most unusual places; they crawl out even during the day.

After finishing the treatment procedure, you should leave the room in a “preserved” state for 30-120 minutes (depending on the type of product). Then the apartment is ventilated. You can wash the floor, but general cleaning is allowed no earlier than after 1 month, so that the next generation receives a dose of poison.

apartment again after 2-4 months, when the larvae enter the adult phase.

Fear of drought

Cockroach-like species cannot remain without water for a long time. This information should be taken into account and used:

• Access to sewer pipes, washbasins and water supply must be blocked. After this, it will take some time until the domestic insects decide to migrate to another home.
• Areas near communication systems, sinks and bathtubs are treated with insecticidal substances, which are supplied in dry form. The components that are included in the composition quickly spread throughout the premises.