Pest guide

Cockroaches: what to do in a Texas home

Seeing a roach doesn't mean your home is dirty. In Texas, big roaches wander in from outside all the time. Small roaches breeding in your kitchen are a different problem, and they need a different plan.

Which roach do you have? #

German cockroaches are the small ones, about 1/2 to 5/8 inch long. They're light brown with two dark stripes on the shield behind the head. In Texas they don't live outdoors. They live inside, mostly in kitchens and bathrooms near warmth, food, and water. They ride in on groceries and boxes, and they move from apartment to apartment. They breed fast, with a new generation in about 100 days. German roaches are linked to allergies and asthma.

Big roaches include the American cockroach (often called a waterbug or palmetto bug), the smokybrown cockroach, and the oriental cockroach. The American cockroach is the largest roach in Texas, at 1 1/2 to 2 inches long, and it can fly. These roaches mostly live outdoors and in sewers. They wander in under doors, through gaps near the roof, and up through floor drains.

Not sure which one you have? See how to get a bug identified.

Getting rid of German cockroaches #

German roaches won't leave on their own. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's plan is cleanup plus bait. It says good cleanup makes baits work better, and that sprays are not nearly as effective as baits for getting rid of German roaches.

1. Find where they hide #

Use a flashlight at night. Check under the sink, behind the fridge and stove, around the dishwasher, and inside cabinets near hinges. Look for droppings that look like crushed pepper.

Sticky traps placed along walls and under appliances show you the busiest spots. Traps help you find roaches, but they won't end an infestation.

2. Take away food and water #

The less food roaches can find, the more likely they are to eat your bait.

3. Seal hiding spots #

Use caulk to close gaps around sinks, pipes, and backsplashes, and cracks in walls.

4. Use bait the right way #

Roach bait is food mixed with a slow-acting insecticide. Roaches eat it and go back to their hiding places to die.

• Use ready-made bait stations or gel bait labeled for cockroaches.
• Place stations as the label directs, close to hiding spots, against walls and cabinet edges. Use enough of them: A&M suggests at least one station within 1 to 2 feet of every place you think roaches are hiding.
• With gel, use the dot size and spacing on the label. A&M suggests many small dots instead of a few big ones.
• Don't spray near bait. Roaches avoid bait that has spray on it.
• Replace bait when it's gone or dried out.
• If you don't see results in 2 to 3 weeks, switch to a bait with a different active ingredient. The active ingredient is listed on the label.

Keep all baits out of reach of children and pets, and follow the label.

5. Vacuum #

A vacuum picks up roaches, egg cases, and crumbs. A vacuum with a HEPA filter helps trap the allergens roaches leave behind.

Keeping big roaches out #

When to call a licensed company #

• You've cleaned and baited for a month and still see German roaches.
• Roaches are in several rooms or coming from a neighbor's unit.
• Someone at home has asthma and you'd rather not handle pesticides yourself.

Ask which products they'll use (and ask to see the labels), whether follow-up visits are included, and how to get ready for the visit. Then check their license.

Photo: "Cimex lectularius (bed bug) (5975917188)" by Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped; this version is licensed CC BY-SA 2.0. Photo: "Rattus norvegicus - Brown rat 02" by Zeynel Cebeci, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped; this version is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: "Centruroides vittatus 209027111" by Sam Kieschnick, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized. All photo credits