How to determine the best cockroach bait

Dr. Jamel Sandidge, BCE

When dealing with cockroaches, competitive food sources are one of your biggest nightmares. Cockroaches eat what is available until the supply runs out. Cockroach baits can vary with their attractants:

• Some have the aroma of meats like beef or chicken.
• Some incorporate potatoes, flour and other carbohydrates.
• Some have the sweet scent of molasses, honey, sugar or fruit.
• Some use long-distance attractants with a pungent odor, such as vinegar, garlic, yeast or other natural attractants.

With so many cockroach baits available, how does one determine which bait is best for a customer’s particular issue? One key that will help with bait acceptance and help you gain control fast is determining the cockroaches’ main source of food, removing as much of it as possible, and selecting bait that matches the material.

If the food source is not obvious, another option is to apply borate dust in cracks and crevices, under equipment such as refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers, to effectively turn the material they are feeding on into bait.

Yet another route is to apply a fine granule or dust food attractant-based bait into cracks and crevices where it will be consumed directly. A bonus benefit is that it also will be eaten as it settles on hidden food particles that may be serving as a major food source.