Cockroaches are generally annoying, but it is worse when the big roaches suddenly start roaming your house. With around 30 roach species commonly associated with human habitats, seeing them in different sizes is unsurprising.
The sudden appearance of large roaches may be due to several reasons, including changes in weather, increased humidity, nearby construction activities, or potential infestation in neighboring areas.
Different cockroach species typically invade homes. These include the German roach, Australian cockroach, American roach, Brown-banded cockroach, and Oriental cockroach. Their sizes span from millimeters to many centimeters.
So, why are you seeing big roaches suddenly, and how can you get rid of them and have your house back?
Why Am I Seeing Big Roaches All Of A Sudden?
Below are the reasons you suddenly see cockroaches:
1. Change In Weather
The sudden appearance of big roaches can be attributed to weather changes, as they can affect the roaches’ behavior and movement, resulting in suddenly seeing more of them in your living space.
Since cockroaches are cold-blooded, they regulate the temperatures of their bodies using external heat sources.
Therefore, sudden temperature changes can compel them to move from their current habitat to more favorable areas.
For example, roaches may seek out warmer spots, such as the kitchen and laundry rooms, to escape a sudden cold spell. On the other hand, cockroaches will likely come out more in search of food, water, and cooler temperatures in the event of a heat wave.
Additionally, changes in humidity levels can also impact roach behavior. Roaches require high humidity levels to survive, and a sudden drop in humidity can cause them to seek out areas with more moisture, such as kitchens or bathrooms.
Also Read: Why Do I See More Roaches After Bombing?
2. New Construction Nearby
If the habitat of roaches is disturbed, they may become more active and visible as they seek new places to live and find food and water sources.
For instance, new construction nearby could suddenly cause big cockroaches to emerge. Construction sites often provide ideal conditions for roaches to thrive, such as dark and humid areas with food and water sources.
Therefore, disturbing the soil and surrounding areas during construction can displace cockroaches from their nests, causing them to move in search of new habitats. This may lead them to your home because it is a great source of food, habitat, moisture, and warmth.
Besides new construction sites, cleaning out cluttered areas of your home, such as storage spaces and closets, can disturb cockroaches, making them move around more. These critters will likely move to other parts with conducive living conditions.
Additionally, using a pesticide or other treatment to eliminate roaches may cause the surviving cockroaches to scatter and search for new areas to hide.
3. An Increase In Food Sources
Roaches will eat nearly anything because they are opportunistic feeders and will eat almost anything, including food scraps, grease, and even paper products.
Therefore, an increase in food sources in your home can attract big roaches and encourage them to become more active and visible.
These food sources may include dirty dishes, improperly stored or uncovered food, garbage or compost piles, and dirty kitchen surfaces.
Also Read: Best Homemade Cockroach Killer
4. Seasonal Changes
Some roach species are more active during specific seasons. For example, American cockroaches, one of the largest cockroach species, are more active during summer because they thrive in warm, humid environments.
Therefore, summer provides the ideal conditions for their survival and reproduction.
It’s common to see American cockroaches in many outdoor areas, like under mulch or inside woodpiles.
However, they may also enter your home through the foundation or wall cracks and gaps, looking for water and food.
So, if you suddenly find big roaches in your home in summer, American cockroaches may have made their way inside.
Although cockroaches prefer and thrive in warm and humid environments, some can survive and even do well in winter.
These include German roaches, Oriental roaches, and Brown-banded roaches. However, while these cockroaches can be active in winter, they are not exclusive to this season, so it’s common to see them during other seasons.
How To Get Rid Of Big Roaches
Generally, eliminating roaches isn’t an easy task, whether they are small or large cockroaches. However, you can achieve the desired results with the right prevention measures and treatment methods.
1. Eliminate Food And Water Sources
Roaches love humid and warm environments, and homes offer plenty of spots that meet these conditions. These include bathrooms and kitchens.
In addition, cockroaches need food to survive, and the best part is that they aren’t picky, so they will eat whatever they can find at your home.
Therefore, keeping your home clean and dry by repairing leaky faucets, putting food away, and keeping your surfaces clean is vital to eliminating big roaches. You should also dry out damp areas.
2. Seal Cracks And Gaps
Even big roaches can squeeze through the cracks and gaps in your house, such as walls, doors, foundations, and windows. Sealing these spaces goes a long way in keeping cockroaches out of your living spaces.
Seal tiny gaps using a silicone caulk or foam sealant and larger cracks with a foam baker road and silicone caulk. After applying the sealant, let it dry before painting or covering the spot.
3. Use Baits And Traps
After eliminating the entry points, you must also get rid of the roaches already in your house. Baits and traps are effective, proven control methods against roaches because they work against their behavior and biology.
These methods use attractive substances like peanut butter and sugar to lure the roaches.
Baits typically use active ingredients specifically formulated to kill cockroaches. These ingredients have a delayed effect, thus allowing the roach to get back to the nest and spread the pesticide to other cockroaches before dying. On the other hand, traps use a sticky surface or bait to capture roaches.
The common baits for eliminating roaches include gel baits, bait stations, Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) baits, granular baits, and DIY baits.
On the other hand, examples of roach traps are bait stations, homemade traps, roach motels, and glue traps.
4. Try Homemade Remedies
There are multiple homemade remedies used to kill roaches. DIY roach killers are cheaper, readily available, and safer because they use natural or non-toxic remedies. Here are some effective remedies to use:
1. Baking Soda and Sugar
The carbon dioxide gas produced when roaches consume baking soda builds up inside their bodies, causing them to expand and eventually explode and die.
However, you must get the roaches to eat it, which isn’t easy since baking soda is unpleasant to them. This is where sugar comes in: acting as the bait since roaches love eating it.
However, this method isn’t the best for eliminating large infestations and may not work on some species. For example, German roaches tend to avoid sweet baits.
2. Boric Acid
Boric acid can effectively kill roaches by damaging their digestive systems. The cockroaches can spread boric acid to their colonies through their bodies, thus killing many more. Dust boric acid around roaches’ hiding places.
3. Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth is a natural powder made from fossilized marine organism remains. When crushed into a fine powder, DE can effectively kill many pests, including roaches.
When roaches come into contact with DE, the tiny fossilized particles’ sharp edges cut into their exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate and die.
DE can effectively kill roaches over time and may also have a residual effect, which can help prevent future infestations.
5. Seek Professional Help
If you are having trouble getting rid of big roaches, it may be best to seek the help of a pest control professional. They can identify the roach species and provide an effective, safe treatment plan for you and your family.
What Repels Large Roaches?
There are many things you can use to deter cockroaches- natural and chemical. These include:
1. Essential Oils
The strong, pungent smell of essential oils like tea tree oil, peppermint, lemon oil, cedarwood oil, lemon oil, and eucalyptus can repel roaches.
Mix a couple of drops of your chosen essential oil with water and spray the solution around areas roaches are likely to enter your home, such as doors and windows.
Although essential oils can keep roaches out for a while, they are not a long-term solution. Therefore, use them together with other proven strategies against cockroaches, such as targeted pesticide treatment.
2. Bay Leaves
Roaches do not like the bay leaves smell, so they can help make your home unpleasant to cockroaches. Place bay leaves in strategic areas like kitchen cabinets and closets.
3. Catnip
Catnip has a compound known as nepetalactone, which repels roaches. You can place catnip leaves in sachets where you would likely find cockroaches or their common entry points.
4. Ultrasonic Pest Repellers
These repellers emit sound waves with high-frequency to deter pests, including roaches. These devices emit sound with frequencies cockroaches cannot hear, but pests can, making them uncomfortable enough to leave the area. This method will work against roaches without causing you any discomfort.
Summary
Sometimes big roaches may find their way into your home despite keeping it clean and dry. Fortunately, you can employ the methods discussed above to kill or drive away these repulsive creatures. Remember that getting rid of cockroach attractants gives you an upper hand.
I’m Mike Hyle, an exterminator with 7+ years of experience handling all sorts of pests, including mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, and termites. I also write for Pest Solutions DIY blog to share my knowledge and help homeowners keep their homes pest-free. Outside work, I enjoy hunting, snowshoeing, and exploring nature. Check out my blog for helpful pest control tips!