We all know that cockroaches are disgusting creatures. They live in garbage cans, sewers, and other unsanitary places. They can give you diseases such as cholera, salmonellosis, and typhoid fever. This is why you do everything you can to get rid of them as soon as possible. But how do you know that pest control is actually effective? How do you tell if cockroaches are indeed dying?
The signs that show cockroaches are dying
1. You see more cockroaches than usual
You have just hired pest control professionals and they have bombed your home with pesticides. But instead of seeing the cockroaches disappear, you actually see more of them. Don’t worry. You haven’t been scammed. Seeing more cockroaches than usual is actually a good thing when you have just used pesticides.
Most pesticides work by attacking the nervous system of pests. The victims often become erratic, so it’s not surprising that you are more likely to see them running around. It just means that they are dying and are no longer trying to even hide. It’s a sign that the pesticides are working.
2. You see dead or dying cockroaches
You can tell if cockroaches are dying if you see, well, dead cockroaches lying around. And you may also see cockroaches moving slowly as if they are on the verge of death.
Seeing dead cockroaches is not always a good sign. It’s only a good sign if you are bombing your home with pesticides. It’s not a good sign if you are not doing anything and you are just randomly finding dead cockroaches around your property.
Seeing dead cockroaches even with no pest control efforts is a sign that you have a serious infestation. And no, the cockroach population is not dying out naturally. You still have to call pest control professionals to get rid of these pests.
3. You see fewer cockroaches after a while
When you have undergone pest control, you will see more cockroaches than usual as the pests try to scramble. But this should be temporary. After a while, you should see fewer cockroaches as their population dies out.
There is no clear timeline for this. It can happen in a few weeks or days, depending on the severity of the cockroach infestation. But one thing is for sure — a big portion of their population will die within the first week after the treatment. You should see fewer cockroaches after this time.
Severe cockroach infestations will take a longer time to completely eliminate. They may also require multiple treatment sessions.
4. You see fewer droppings and eggs
You can tell that cockroaches are dying out when you see fewer signs of cockroach infestations. When cockroaches are active on a property, you will notice droppings and eggs. Cockroach droppings are brown or black pellets, like coffee grounds and pepper. Cockroach eggs are brown and oval casings, like beans.
Take note that most pesticides can’t kill eggs. This is why it takes multiple weeks to completely get rid of cockroach infestations. You will have to wait for the eggs to hatch and kill the emerging baby cockroaches by exposing them to pesticides. You don’t have to exert extra effort for the eggs yourself. The pest control professionals will take care of them.
5. You don’t smell musky odors anymore
Cockroaches release pheromones. This is why you smell musky odors when you have a cockroach infestation at home. Even the very items the cockroaches have crawled on will have an unpleasant smell.
Cockroaches release pheromones when they die or find food. The pheromones are basically signals for other cockroaches. The pheromones may signal to other cockroaches that the area is dangerous because their comrades have died there. They may also signal that the area is bountiful.
The musky odors from pheromones are a clear sign of cockroach infestations. When cockroaches are dying out because of pesticides, you will see this sign with less intensity.
Next steps
1. Vacuum Up the dead or dying cockroaches
Yes, pest control professionals are good at their jobs. But this doesn’t mean you should let them do all the work. You can help in getting rid of the cockroach infestation in your home. The least you can do is pick up the dead cockroaches and throw them away.
Even dead cockroaches can spread diseases, so these creatures are health hazards whether they are dead or alive. Cockroaches are also cannibals. The dead cockroaches lying around your bathroom floors and kitchen countertops can attract other cockroaches from outside, introducing a new batch of cockroaches to your home.
Your property is particularly vulnerable to new cockroaches if it has broken pipes, cracks and holes in walls, uncovered drains, and other potential cockroach passageways.
2. Declutter
Another thing you can do is declutter to give the dying cockroaches less room to hide. When a home is bombed with pesticides, cockroaches may try to hide in the most inaccessible areas to escape the toxic ingredients. Cockroaches can go through the tiniest gaps because they can effectively squeeze themselves.
Don’t give them areas to hide in by getting rid of clutter. Items you don’t disturb often, such as cabinets, cardboard boxes, and old books and magazines are the usual hiding spots. If you have no practical need for them, consider throwing them away. Areas that are damp and dark are also common hiding spots. These include attics, basements, bathrooms, ceilings, crawlspaces, and floors. Clean them up.
3. Avoid spraying pesticides yourself
You can tell cockroaches are dying when you see them scrambling about after pest control professionals have bombed your home with pesticides. This may give you the idea that you should double down on the pesticides to kill the cockroaches faster. Let go of that idea.
When you see cockroaches out in the open, don’t spray them with your own pesticide. It can interfere with the pesticide your pest control professionals have used. You may also startle the cockroaches, putting them on the defensive and making them squeeze through the tiniest gaps in your home where pesticides won’t be able to reach them.
Let the pesticide from your pest control professionals do the killing. If you really want to help kill the exposed cockroaches, don’t use pesticides. Simply squash the cockroaches with a hard object, like a rolled-up newspaper or a shoe.