Seeing live cockroaches around your home is bad news, but what if you are seeing dead ones? Unfortunately, seeing dead cockroaches is just as bad as seeing live ones. In this article we explain the reasons for seeing dead cockroaches around your home.
1. You home has recently undergone pest control
If you have recently bombed your home with a pesticide or have employed pest control services, it’s really not that surprising to see dead cockroaches around. Many people seem to panic when they see dead cockroaches. But many times, they have just forgotten that they have used a bug spray on their cabinets and walls.
- Don’t panic because the pest control seems to be working. Seeing dead cockroaches is a good sign that what you are doing to fight these pests is working. Remember that cockroaches don’t like the light so they are often in hiding. If they die in the open where you can see them, it means you have successfully bombed their nests inside your home. They are scrambling to get away from their contaminated nests.
- Clean up the dead cockroaches. Cockroaches are cannibals. They eat their own primarily because of two reasons – food and regulation. They regulate their population especially when resources are scarce. If you see them dead around your home, pick them up and throw them away to avoid attracting more of them. If you leave them lying around, you may even attract cockroaches from outside and increase the number of the pests on your property.
2. You have a cockroach infestation
It’s very unlikely that a hitchhiking cockroach has randomly died inside your home. It’s more likely that you actually have a cockroach infestation, and the dead cockroaches you see are part of the active nests.
- Be proactive and look for cockroach nests. A cockroach infestation is one of the most hated infestations among homeowners. Cockroaches are just outright disgusting, not to mention that they spread a variety of diseases. If you see these pests dead inside your home, don’t waste time and start looking for their nest. Give particular attention to dark, musky, and undisturbed areas, especially those with easy access to food and water.
- Get professional help. There are a lot of DIY solutions for your cockroach problem. For example, you can use essential oils, herbs and spices, and even lemon as a cockroach repellent. But remember that DIY solutions are only great for preventing infestations or getting rid of minor ones. Serious infestations should be handled by professional pest controllers. They have the knowledge and the equipment to deal with your problem effectively and safely. And sometimes, getting rid of a cockroach problem is more than just spraying an insecticide you have bought from the grocery.
3. They are overcrowded
You know what they say – if you see one cockroach, there are probably a few more nearby. This logic applies to dead cockroaches too. There are probably more of them than what you can see. This could be a big problem. This could mean you have a serious infestation in your home, especially if you see the pests in broad daylight. Here are some key insights about overcrowding.
- Cockroaches will move in daylight to survive. Cockroaches are survivors. They can thrive almost anywhere and they will eat almost anything, including their own kind. Expect them to do anything and everything just to survive. Even though they prefer dark and undisturbed places, they will willingly subject themselves to daylight if it is essential to their survival. If you see them dead inside your home, they may be experiencing overcrowding and looking for additional resources.
- You may have a serious cockroach infestation. If the cockroaches are overcrowding in your home, it means you have a serious cockroach infestation. Look at their common hiding spots, such as appliances, bathrooms, and cabinets. Also look for cockroach eggs. They are oval-shaped casings you will find around their nests. If you think the infestation is something beyond you, get professional help. And indeed, the infestation may be something beyond you if the cockroaches are overcrowded and you are seeing them dead around your property.
4. They are looking for resources
Cockroaches are resourceful. This is why you are more likely to attract cockroaches if your home has easy access to food and water. It’s a good idea to put all your food in the proper containers or in the refrigerator, including pet food. If you let cockroaches easily find food and water around your property, you are just helping them thrive. Here are some key insights about the resourcefulness of these pests in relation to seeing dead cockroaches inside your home.
- Cockroaches need a lot of water. Cockroaches are resilient. They can even survive without a head for a short period of time. But what will eventually kill them is dehydration. Cockroaches need a lot of water to survive. This is part of the reason why they thrive in bathrooms and other areas with a lot of moisture. Because of their resourcefulness, they are likely to find water around your home no matter how good you are at cleaning. But if you are seeing dead cockroaches around your property, it may be a sign that cockroaches are looking for resources in the area.
- Desperate cockroaches will look for resources even in daylight. There are two main reasons why you see cockroaches in daylight – they are either overcrowded in your home or are looking for resources. It can even be both. They may be looking for additional resources because they have too many mouths to feed. Seeing dead cockroaches in broad daylight is not a good sign, especially if you have not sprayed anything or hired professional pest controllers.
Seeing dead cockroaches around your property is usually not a good sign
The only time seeing dead cockroaches is good is when you have used insecticide or have hired professional pest controllers recently. It means that the pest control methods are working. But if you are seeing dead cockroaches around your property even if you are not trying to get rid of cockroaches, it’s a different story.
Your property may be suffering from a serious cockroach infestation, with cockroaches being overcrowded and risking looking for resources even in broad daylight.