What do cockroaches eat in the apartment and on the street?

Cockroaches are a headache for many people. Pests are divided into several types:

1. Red domestic ones.
2. American periplanet.
3. Turkestan cockroaches.

It is difficult to remove these insects from the house, but it is quite possible; first you need to understand the reasons for their appearance, and then decide on methods of control.

Why do cockroaches prefer to live in the kitchen?

Prussians (lat. Blattella germanica)

, or red cockroaches, according to the biological classification, belong to synanthropic insects that prefer a nocturnal lifestyle. They are omnivores and are able to consume not only foods of plant and animal origin. In the digestive system of cockroaches live specific parasites “gregarines”, which help them digest any substances, even those that are considered inedible by humans.

In addition, cockroaches have increased vitality due to the ability to fast for long periods - they can eat nothing for 30-40 days. But without water they will live no longer than 2 weeks.

The cockroaches see the kitchen as a kind of restaurant where you can “come and have a great meal.” Food waste strongly attracts insects, and in the kitchen there will always be bread crumbs forgotten by a person or leftover food in the trash can. Such conditions are most favorable for the life and reproduction of Prussians.

DIY anti-cockroach traps

It is not necessary to purchase store-bought devices; every person, even those who do not have any specific knowledge or skills, can independently construct an equally effective trap.

To do this, you will need to use the following algorithm of actions:

Prepare a medium-sized cardboard box; its bottom will need to be taped with double-sided tape.

At this point, it is better not to save money and choose a tape that does not dry out over a significant period of time, since the service life of the device will depend on this factor. Place odorous products that can attract the attention of cockroaches in the center of the box and its corners.

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The homemade device is placed in insect habitats. The best areas are behind cabinets, the refrigerator, or under the kitchen sink.

It can also be placed in any place where cockroaches were most often seen.

Once a day, check the number of caught pests; as soon as there are too many of them, the box is disposed of and a new device is installed in its place.

There is an alternative option for making a trap, which is even simpler, but no less effective:

1. Prepare a glass jar, the recommended volume is at least a liter.
2. A small amount of kefir or beer is poured into the bottom of the jar, into which several small pieces of bread are placed.
3. The outside walls of the jar must be wrapped with paper or cloth, the main thing is that the surface structure allows the cockroaches to easily climb along it.
4. The inner walls of the jar are generously lubricated with Vaseline or regular sunflower oil.
5. The secret is that all the insects that get inside on the smell of the fragrant bait will not be able to get out on the slippery surface.

Homemade remedies usually show good results; if over time they contain fewer parasites, this indicates that their population is gradually declining.

However, it is recommended to use this technique in combination with other options for exterminating insects, then the level of effectiveness will increase significantly.

Basic diet and preferences

Although red cockroaches eat whatever they find, they also have some taste preferences. The Prussians' favorite foods include:

• sugar and sweet products (cookies, candies, etc.);
• bakery products;
• meat;
• fruits;
• cereals and porridges;
• vegetables;
• water and any liquids.

In the absence of food, parasites do not disdain food waste that they find in the trash, regardless of whether it is fresh or rotten. And if they don’t find anything, they can feed on inedible substances.

These include:

• fabrics (preferably natural;
• paper and wallpaper;
• leather goods, incl. shoes;
• book bindings;
• shoe polish;
• soaps and lotions.

We use food for cockroaches against them

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Despite the fact that today there are a huge number of synthetic insecticidal products on sale, many housewives prefer to use homemade preparations and exterminate insects using old, proven methods.

Striving for satiation, cockroaches do not disdain any food: they will indiscriminately absorb tasty morsels mixed with poison and poison.

Boric acid and borax (borax), the most popular composites for preparing poisonous agents for killing cockroaches at home.

Recipes containing these elements have been passed down by word of mouth from mothers and grandmothers to representatives of the younger generation for many decades. How did they deserve such popularity and why do they not lose their relevance?

Boric acid and borax have a detrimental effect on insects, but do absolutely no harm to the human body. It is this feature that attracts most consumers. After all, no one wants to expose themselves to additional risk by using chemical insecticides.

Conducted clinical trials suggest that boron and borax introduce a certain imbalance in the functioning of the human body. However, for harm to be obvious, the concentration of substances must be incredibly high.

The same doses that are used to make homemade poisonous drugs are only sufficient to exterminate insects.

By placing several dozen homemade balls made from boric acid powder and egg yolk around your apartment, you can be sure that cockroaches will leave your home very soon.

What smell attracts cockroaches

Every day, adult female Prussians eat up to 50 mg of food, and males require 2 times less. If the size of the colony is small, then insects go out to search for food at night, when people are sleeping, and during the day they hide in inaccessible places (cracks in the floor and walls, baseboards, etc.).

Cockroaches find food for themselves by smell, preferring the aromas of fatty, smoked, oily or sweet foods. The most attractive scents include:

• butter or vegetable oil;
• smoked sausage;
• various types of cheeses;
• rotten and fresh fruits;
• beer and fermented drinks.

How to exterminate insects with boric acid?

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Any housewife can prepare destructive balls of boric acid, because this action does not require absolutely any special knowledge and skills. All you need for this:

1. raw egg yolk;
2. boric acid powder.

Mix the yolk with two tablespoons of dry powder and roll into balls the size of beans. That's it, all that remains is to spread the improvised poison in places where cockroaches gather.

After this, all that remains is to wait until the curious barbels taste the treat and expose themselves to mortal danger. A tiny amount of powder can kill a Prussian on the spot within just a few hours.

Once in the digestive tract, boron or borax is absorbed into the circulatory system of the insect, and then rushes to the nerve sections, causing paralysis, convulsions and death.

Despite the fact that cockroaches are omnivorous insects, alcohol tinctures and alcohol-containing products not only do not attract pests, but also repel them.

Therefore, when starting to prepare the balls, stock up on the powder and not the alcohol solution, otherwise you may not expect a positive result.

It is human nature to improvise and experiment. Not surprisingly, there are many recipes based on boric acid and regular food for exterminating cockroaches. There is no particular difference between them, because the active, working composite in all cases is boron.

Recipe No. 2

1. 2 tablespoons of strong-smelling vegetable oil.
2. 1 chicken egg yolk (boiled).
3. 3 tablespoons boric acid powder.

Recipe No. 3

1. 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar.
2. 1 raw yolk.
3. 3 tablespoons of borax powder.

Recipe No. 4

1. 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar.
2. 1 tablespoon of vegetable, unrefined oil.
3. 1 yolk (boiled)
4. 3 tablespoons boric acid powder.

Any of these recipes has the right to life, because it contains the working element of a nutritious, aromatic component. The strong smell attracts the insect, the food product makes it taste the “treat”, and boric acid deals the decisive blow and causes death.

Danger and harm to humans

The appearance of cockroaches in an apartment is an unpleasant event for residents. In addition, they can be harmful to human health, because... often become carriers of pathogenic bacteria and worm eggs that cling to their paws. In addition, during periodic molting, they shed their chitin shell, releasing a specific odor containing toxic substances into the air. As a result of accumulation, such toxins can provoke allergies in people living in apartments, and even asthma.

If the Prussians have become insolent and appear in the kitchen during the daytime, this means that the colony of parasites has increased sharply. In such a situation, it is necessary to take urgent measures to destroy them.

By using toxic substances in the fight against parasites and knowing what food and smells cockroaches like, baits with poison will become more attractive to parasites. This will allow you to quickly get rid of unpleasant neighbors in the apartment.

Poison traps

Such traps look like small boxes with small holes where only cockroaches can get through. Inside these traps there is a toxic substance that the cockroaches bite and become infected with, and the infected pest can transmit the toxic substance to other cockroaches.

There is a Velcro strip on the back of the trap that allows you to install the trap on vertical surfaces to prevent small children from reaching it. The appearance of the trap does not spoil the interior; they come in black and can be found with different patterns to match the color of the furniture or parquet.

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Common poison traps:

• Raptor;
• Combat;
• Raid;
• Dohlox;
• Taiga;
• Clean house.

By placing several traps presented above, you can get rid of even a large number of cockroaches.

Traps Raptor

Raptor uses the active substance to destroy pests, chlorpyrifos; when a pest enters the body, it is absorbed into the hemolymph (cockroach blood) and affects the nervous system. The Raptor trap uses a very strong substance that can be transferred from one cockroach to another upon contact. After the death of an infected cockroach, neighbors will eat its remains and also become infected. Several Raptor traps will be very effective in controlling pests.

Traps Kombat

Combat uses a new generation insecticide, hydramethylnon. Combat is a leading company in the creation of cockroach traps. Combat traps are completely safe for pets and people. The cost of a package containing four traps ranges around 180 rubles.

Traps Raid

The raid contains a toxic substance inside, which belongs to peritrides and effectively destroys cockroaches even that have not had direct contact with the trap. It is enough for one cockroach to fall into the Raid trap, and it will spread the poison to other cockroaches. “Raid” are very popular traps that have proven their effectiveness many times over.

Dohlox Traps

The active component in Dohlox traps is fipronil, it is a low-toxic substance for humans, and in some cases cockroaches can develop resistance to Dohlox traps, so it is recommended to use comprehensive measures, a Dohlox trap and cockroach chalk.

Traps Taiga

This trap will help get rid of pests; it is based on an insecticide that has been proven for many years. There are six traps in the package.

Traps Clean House

The trap begins to operate when the insect eats the insecticide or simply touches it. The “Clean House” trap is based on chlorpyrifos; it affects the nervous system of the cockroach when it enters the body and destroys it.