There are several thousand different species of cockroaches in this world. Many of them are wild, while others are a common pest. You’re not expected to know the differences between the Oriental German, Dubia or Cuban cockroach however, like every living creature, cockroaches of every type must eat and drink to survive. Their favourite snack may be the same as yours and unfortunately, you may have made access a little too easy for them. After the panic of finding this common pest in your home, did you stop to wonder why they went to your home in particular?

WHAT DO COCKROACHES EAT?

With over 5,000 different types of cockroaches, there is no single diet to satisfy every breed. Thankfully, there are typical behaviours and patterns which can help you avoid making their life easy. By understanding their taste and their actions, you can come up with preventative solutions.

First things first: cockroaches are not fussy eaters. Like humans, these scavengers are omnivores and are therefore happy to share your meals with you. This means that they will take any opportunity they can to eat your leftovers. While they have their favourite meals, they will still eat just about anything they need to survive. In particular, pest roaches are attracted to starchy foods like rice, potatoes, pasta, and grains. This gives them more nutrition than some of their other regular meals like sweets, cheese, and other moldy food.

That being said, If none of this is available they will happily chow down on any type of meat and other dead insects. Even if you make sure that they can’t get to any organic food, they’ll still find a way to feed off furniture, paper, wood, and soft leather when they’re desperate. Don’t forget that cockroaches also need water to survive. Give them both, and you’re going to have a serious cockroach pest problem.

HOW TO AVOID FEEDING COCKROACHES

It’s easier to prevent a roach infestation than it is to exterminate one. These pests can carry disease and bacteria, so any infestation can often be the beginning of a much bigger problem. Keeping your kitchen and your home clean is the single most important thing you can do to prevent an issue.

Cockroaches thrive in moist, dark places, so make sure they can’t find any within your home. Seal any gaps and cracks that appear in walls and windows and clean the hard-to-reach places where possible.

You’ll also want to keep your kitchen as clean as possible. This means doing your dishes immediately after use instead of letting them stockpile. Store your food correctly, dispose of rotten foods and products and clean your kitchen surfaces regularly – especially after cooking. Another great tip is to empty your waste bins as frequently as possible. Make sure that the containers are sealed correctly and can’t be penetrated easily.

Finally, vacuum regularly. Crumbs and spills from every prepared meal will easily spread their way around your floors. When you’ve made their life as difficult as possible, cockroaches will also turn to your fingernails and hair for food. Make sure they can’t find any by keeping your floors clean.

HOW EXPERTS CAN HELP

Unfortunately, when all is said and done, you may still discover a cockroach infestation and the best solution will be to hire a professional cockroach pest control company to help. Most cockroach species can live up to a month without water – a staggering three months without food. For this reason, infestations on any level can be very difficult to deal with. The experts at Truly Nolen know the scavengers and their habits inside out and will remove them efficiently.