How to Use Roach Bait

Killing Roaches With Roach Bait

Exterminators use roach bait to kill roaches for a lot of reason, all of which I'll explain, and you can do the same thing at home and save the money that you would have paid exterminators to do it. And yes, that is a ladybug in the picture. I write a lot about roaches, but I can't stand to look at them. Even if you are determined to learn how to kill roaches, wouldn't you rather be looking at a ladybug while you do it?

There are several reasons that exterminators are increasingly going toward using roach bait instead of using commercial bug sprays to kill roaches. Here are a few:

  • Roach bait is more effective than many sprays. There are many commercial bug poisons that roaches are developing a tolerance to. That is making it harder to get the desired effect from the poisons. roach bait has not had this effect and is currently extremely effective.
  • Roach bait is inexpensive. For a couple of dollars, you can have a roach killing product that can work for three, four or even six months. I'm not aware of any poisons that last that long. Exterminators generally want to spray each month because the sprays aren't effective for long.
  • Roach bait does not expel the poisons into the home's air. It's easier on kids, the elderly, people with allergies and anyone who has even a slight case of asthma.
  • It's easy. Sliding a few roach bait in place is a simple thing that takes just a few seconds. Once it's done, you generally don't have to think about it again for several months.

How to Place the Bait

When you have your roach bait, you might want to put together a strategic plan for where to place it to do the best possible job of killing roaches. Some baits are childproof, but even if they aren't, most should be kept away from areas where children will be. There are non-toxic baits on the market as well, but while they may be non-toxic, but they still aren't anything that you want a child to stick fingers into. You also need to keep them away from dogs and any other pets that could chew on them or carry them around in their mouths.

Placing the bait discs in tiny areas where fingers and pets won't go is the best idea for everyone's safety as well as to ensure that the roach baits will stay exactly where they should be. Putting them under the refrigerator, under heavy furniture, behind the couch, under old boxes in the garage and in other out-of-the-way places will keep them in the perfect places for roaches to come across them without worrying that pets and animals will too.

Putting them in areas that can attract moisture, such as the areas around water pipes, is another good way to ensure that cockroaches will find them, wander inside the discs and die from the bait.

Why You Might Want an Exterminator to Place Bait

Personally, I'd rather pay a few bucks and buy the bait myself rather than pay bug exterminators to do it for me. But, there are some people who do choose to hire an exterminator to kill bugs for them. They often simply spray a little poison into the corners and place roach bait discs in the best places for them, things that you can easily do yourself for less. However, there are a few reasons why it may fit your lifestyle better to hire an exterminator to kill your bugs.

Because these little plastic discs are so easy to place and forget, you may end up forgetting that they are there and forgetting to change them out when it's time. Hiring a pest exterminator can ensure that they are changed out regularly.

If you hire an exterminator, you also have someone there to answer your questions about roaches and to give you ideas about how to get rid of roaches and to keep them from getting into the home.

Comments 2 comments

DonnaCSmith profile image

DonnaCSmith 3 years ago from Central North Carolina

reassuring to read these roach traps work. How often should they be changed for best control?

Beaker 3 years ago Author

Most of them are labeled either for a specific number of days. It's usually 30, 60 or 90 days. I've noticed that 90-day traps don't tend to last quite that long, though. I would recommend changing out most traps once every month or two, depending on the type of trap.


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