Cockroach Prevention

cockroachWhen considering some of the most hated insects I can bet cockroaches come to mind. They are known to infest our homes, reproduce quickly, and be difficult to kill; however, they can be prevented and there are organic extermination treatments that do exist.

The first step you will want to take with cockroaches is eliminating their entry into your home. This includes finding any opening into your home, such as cracks, crevices air vents, etc…, and filling them. Air vents can be covered using screen material, and caulking, mesh products, and steel wool can be used to fill any cracks or crevices. By preventing an entryway into your home cockroaches will seek out other means of finding a food and water source, which is really their only desire when entering your home. Also, as I just mentioned, prevent any access to food and water, such as crumbs on your kitchen counter or your dog’s water bowl. A clean home is a great deterrent to roaches.
Next, after preventing the future entrance of other cockroaches you will want to look towards exterminating those cockroaches that already exist in and around your home. On the exterior of your home you can look towards releasing beneficial nematodes, such as those which can be purchased from Arbico, and you may also consider keeping lizards around your home, which will feed on your roaches. Within your home, and around the perimeter of your home, you will want to turn towards organic products that are safe for your dogs and children; however, you will still want to keep them a safe distance away from children and pets. I recommend using my Extreme Insect Control in areas where you have seen roaches, as well as around the perimeter of your home. When using my Extreme Insect Control you may use it sparingly, so that there is not a visible white line of powder, and it will still be just as effective.This will help prevent roaches from entering your home and will cause roaches to dry up and die if they walk through the Extreme Insect Control. Boric acid is another useful product in roach prevention and extermination and it can be made to be toxic to roaches if you can get them to ingest it. I recommend creating your own homemade roach food by mixing ½ cup of sugar, ½ cup of Arm and Hammer detergent, and 2 teaspoons of boric acid. The roaches will be attracted to the sugar and will be destroyed after ingesting the arm and hammer detergent and boric acid. If you do not have boric acid you can make the mixture just the same since Arm and Hammer detergent does present a level of toxicity to roaches. You will then want to place your roach food mixture in a small dish or lid and then put it in areas where roaches have been present, although still away from children and pets even though it is organic. Once the roaches begin to feed on the mixture you will begin seeing a decrease in the presence of these awful insects.


Dave Owens the Garden Guy
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