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Do Roaches Come Back After Extermination?
When tackling a cockroach problem, employing an exterminator is identified as a top approach for eliminating these pests. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of this tactic can vary depending on the circumstances.
Roaches can come back even after extermination, but that doesn’t mean they always do. Extermination or killing the roaches is only a part of a pest control plan.
Whether you performed a DIY extermination or hired a professional pest control company, a preventive measure should always be included in the end to make sure that the roaches don’t come back.
Yes, it is normal to still see cockroaches even after extermination or treatment. That does not mean, however, that the infestation in your home got worse.
This just means that the method of extermination is working as they are trying to escape the chemicals killing them and that their nest has already been reached by these chemicals.
Reasons why roaches are still present
Food
Once the treatment has been performed, cockroaches will be forced out of the homes they have made in the hidden spots of your house. They will be searching for sources of food and water and a new habitat.
Depending on the extermination or treatment method, you might notice these roaches actively roaming after a couple of days or immediately after the treatment itself.
Roach eggs
Some roach eggs may not be affected during the treatment method. So if you see some baby roaches days or weeks after the treatment, they were most likely eggs at the time.
However, you should not worry about how to get rid of these baby roaches because they are easier to bait than adult ones. Their increased appetite lets them eat basically anything, including bait.
In addition, they may also feed on other dead cockroaches that have been poisoned, ultimately poisoning themselves as well.
Newcomers
Roaches don’t always have to come from your own place. Sometimes, people get them because of infestations outside their homes.
Even after extermination, you could still have roaches possibly because your neighbors also have them. Your yard could also be home to these roaches or perhaps, the trash cans outside your house are attracting them.
Because of this, regardless of where the roaches in your house come from, you should always make sure that preventive measures are followed by the pest control company you hired to ensure that there will be no re-infestation.
How long does it take for roaches to go away after treatment?
There are several factors that affect how long it takes for roaches to go away or die after treatment, and these are:
Size of the infestation
The roaches could almost completely be exterminated after a few days or a week with a small infestation. Approximately 70% to 80% of their numbers should be reduced by then.
However, if you are dealing with medium to large infestations, complete eradication could take longer than a week. Follow-up visits by your pest control company may also be needed.
Treatment method
This includes the tools needed for trapping, baiting, and/or killing them. For example, baking soda is a good tool for killing cockroaches, but it takes 12-24 hours for it to actually kill them.
Full extermination of a roach infestation won’t have to take ages if the treatment method and the formulations used by the pest control company are normally quick to take effect.
The species of the roach
The species of roaches you have in your home is also a big factor in determining how long it takes for them to die after treatment. For example, German cockroaches can still live up to 5 weeks after treatment.
Even if their numbers will decrease after a week following the treatment, you may be advised to have another treatment for these stubborn pests. In fact, some infestations in homes require several treatments for complete removal.
How often should pest control be done for roaches?
Quarterly or bi-monthly pest control for roaches is advised to keep regular homes and apartments clear from roaches. It helps to avoid these pests from establishing hidden nests in the area where people go about their daily lives regularly.
For areas with a severe roach infestation, monthly treatments are advised over the course of 3 to 6 months in order for it to be clean and habitable for people as these pests usually bring germs and bacteria that may cause disease and infection.
In case the roach infestation persists after regular maintenance, it is better to consult professionals in order to determine the underlying causes of roach infestation in the area and to establish an appropriate schedule of roach treatment.
How do professionals get rid of roaches?
Professional exterminators get rid of roaches using several methods of extermination. Before using anything, they first determine the species of roaches invading the area to know what method would be more efficient.
There are hundreds of species of roaches worldwide, but the most common are German cockroaches, oriental cockroaches, and American cockroaches. Though these species have wings, they tend to scuttle across the floor and walls.
Traps and baits
For these species of cockroaches, professional exterminators determine all the entryways utilized by these roaches and place glue traps or gel baits in these areas to lure them into the chemicals that would kill them.
Insecticide spray
Insecticide spray is also being used by professional roach exterminators to kill roaches that are hiding beneath the entry points and those that are lurking between spaces around the home.
Since these roaches would be trying to get away from the poisonous chemicals, they tend to go out of their nest as it is deemed compromised for their survival. This is why after the initial treatment, there would be more roaches visible.
Treatment and maintenance methods
The surviving roaches will then be exterminated by your hired professional within a series of several treatments depending on the severity of the infestation. Afterward, regular maintenance is advised to completely get rid of the roaches.
What to expect after an exterminator treats your home for roaches?
After an initial treatment of roaches is done by the exterminator, there could be more roaches visible even during the day even when you would just normally see them at night prior to extermination.
These are the roaches who are trying to escape the poisonous chemicals present at their nest or those that can no longer enter the established entry points that have poison baits placed in them.
Seeing more roaches after extermination also means that their regular habits have been disrupted and that these roaches are somewhat confused about what happened to their normal living situation.
These roaches could appear to move slower than the ones you usually see scuttling on the floor and walls of your home, meaning they are weaker and could have already been affected by the poison and are expected to die eventually.
What should I do after pest control treatment?
It is important to know what you should do after the treatment to prevent re-infestation and harming yourself, family members, or pets.
Monitor your health
After pest control treatment, the first thing to do is to monitor your health as well as those of your pets. While the chemicals used for pest control are designed to kill the roaches, these chemicals can be hazardous for humans as well.
Do not visit treated areas
As much as possible, avoid going inside your house once the treatment has been done. Until the area is safe to re-enter, stay away from treated areas.
Wait at least an hour before going in, and wear protective gloves before touching any treated surface.
Delay cleaning your home
While you may have the urge to clean your home right away after the pest control treatment, it is better to delay cleaning in order to kill all the remaining roaches and let the chemicals dry out to avoid inhaling them while you clean.
It is recommended to wait at least a few days or weeks before cleaning out all the things used during the extermination.
Eliminate contaminated food sources and house items
Once it is deemed safe to enter the home, make sure that your food isn’t contaminated with harmful chemicals. Food that is left outside while the area is being sprayed with insecticide should be discarded right away.
It is also important to discard wet paper products exposed to the poisonous spray as it could be a health hazard. Furniture and other items in your home should also be cleaned to avoid direct contact with the skin which may cause irritation.
Repair leaks as soon as possible
Upon cleaning the entire area, repairing leaks and cracks that could possibly turn into entry points for pests should be done. Looking for further signs of an infestation is also key to keeping your space rid of roaches.
These important measures should be done after pest control treatment as well as regular preventive maintenance to keep your living space free from roaches and other pests that may interfere with a clean and healthy space for you to live in.
