When cockroaches invade their homes, most people react with disgust. These insects are known to carry bacteria that can cause a variety of illnesses, but even people who are unaware of the roach’s status as a vector for diseases are repulsed to find cockroaches in or around their food and dishes. As a species, cockroaches are amazingly successful; they breed quickly and in great numbers, thrive in a wide range of environments, will eat virtually anything and are difficult to kill. In addition, they are highly secretive, preferring to conduct their feeding forays when humans are not around. During the day, they generally remain hidden from view. Given their nocturnal habits and their ability to fit into extremely tight spaces, a major infestation can be present before the first cockroach is seen. However, if you know the places where roaches commonly hide in homes, you have a better chance of determining whether you have a roach problem.

In the Kitchen

The kitchen is typically the roach’s favorite room; there is an ample supply of food and water, humans are usually absent from the room for many hours every day and there are numerous hiding places.

• You will often find roaches hiding under or even inside refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers.
• Roaches may hide behind or beneath toasters, microwaves, coffee makers or other small appliances.
• Drawers, especially those that are seldom used, are among roaches’ favorite hiding places.
• Cockroaches often hide inside cabinets, particularly in the upper corners of the top shelves.
• Food that is in cardboard boxes or paper bags is not safe from roaches. It is not uncommon to find roaches hiding in cereal boxes, opened bags of sugar or other food containers.

In the Bathroom

In many homes, the bathroom ranks second on the list of roaches’ favorite rooms. Like kitchens, bathrooms offer a source of food and water as well as privacy. Cockroaches will eat soap scum, toothpaste, shampoo and many other toiletry items.

• You can find roaches hiding in bathroom cabinets and drawers.
• Roaches sometimes hide inside laundry hampers.
• It is not uncommon to find roaches underneath bathtubs or shower stalls.

Throughout the Home

There are many places in every room that are ideal hiding places for cockroaches. Although not every element is necessarily present in every room, many of the following elements exist in multiple rooms.

• You can often find roaches hiding behind the plates surrounding light switches and electrical outlets.
• Crown molding, baseboards and other trim provide roaches with the dark, tight area that they prefer.
• Regardless of the room, if pipes penetrate the wall or floor, you may find roaches hiding around the pipe at its entry point.
• Roaches can often be found behind hanging pictures or inside the frames.
• Chairs, sofas and other upholstered items can provide excellent hiding places for cockroaches.
• Cockroaches may hide behind the wallpaper.
• Water heaters, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, washing machines, freezers and window air conditioners can provide roaches with the moisture that they need, making them attractive hiding places.
• Computers, televisions, stereos, clocks and other electronics are favorite hiding places for roaches.
• Other popular hiding places include mops, stacks of newspapers, collections of folded paper bags, boxes containing pet food and stacks of books.

If you discover that you have a problem with cockroaches, you should seek the services of a reliable pest control company. Roaches are notoriously hard to eradicate without professional help.

Whether you need help controlling roaches, ants, spiders, mosquitoes, rodents or other pests, you can count on Bug Man Exterminating for effective, safe solutions. Contact us today so that we can help you reclaim your home from the unwelcome invaders.

Call Bug Man Exterminating at 540-345-2200 today and request a free quote for our top-rated pest control services in Roanoke, VA, and the surrounding areas.