Just the sight of a cockroach in your home can be enough to ruin the environment. They are pesky and resilient creatures that can be very hard to get rid of once they have infested a space. Knowing what cockroaches are attracted to can help you keep your home free of infestation and will give you the peace of mind you need to take every preventative step.
Are cockroaches attracted to light? There are lots of myths surrounding cockroaches that are important to debunk so you can rest easy knowing you are not unintentionally attracting them into your home.
Do They Like Light?
There are mixed opinions on light and cockroaches. Ultimately, most of them are not afraid of it. Cockroaches will generally come to dimly lit places that have moisture because they need a lot of moisture to survive. There are a few species that actually are attracted to light, though. Since cockroaches are nocturnal, it might be difficult to determine which species you are dealing with. Pay attention to where and when you see them. Many can be found on your TV screen or by windows, with some preferring to gather at any drains or open vents.
Since no cockroaches are particularly attracted to light, you do not need to worry about keeping certain rooms dark or dimly lit. This is only going to give them another safe place to gather. You can use your lights how you normally would, even if you do have a cockroach infestation going on. This is not going to worsen the problem. The key to getting rid of cockroaches is to observe their habits and track where they are coming from.
This is probably going to occur at night since this is when cockroaches are most active. Nocturnal creatures run on opposite schedules—while you are getting ready to go to bed, cockroaches are waking up and moving around. For this reason, a cockroach infestation can worsen quickly and when you least expect it. You might not see them very often since they tend to move in the dark, but you will definitely notice them when they do happen to roam when it is bright.
Since it is not detrimental to keep your rooms well lit if you notice there are cockroaches in your home, you should focus on other methods of getting rid of them. Identifying where they dwell is the very first step to take before you can select the proper preventative methods. This is usually unpleasant, but you will be able to stop the problem when you can understand what is causing it.
Benefits of Keeping Lights on
Given this information, you now understand that cockroaches are not attracted to light. You will not have to worry about them gathering in brightly lit spaces. Keeping your home well-lit can become a part of your preventative strategy. If you can keep them away from the main areas of your home, you can then set up traps or use sprays to get rid of them while they are lurking in the darkness. You need to understand that even though cockroaches will stay away from the light, they can still survive fine in the darkness. It helps to alleviate the inconvenience of seeing them around, but you do need to take additional steps to finally get rid of them for good.
Another personal benefit of keeping the lights on in your home during waking hours is that you will be stimulated when you need to be and then you will unwind once you dim the lights. This gives you a schedule to follow and time to handle the infestation problem you are dealing with. You can also keep these tips in mind if your infestation exists outside of your home. Just because the cockroaches are only lurking outside does not mean they will not find their way inside. They are very persistent creatures.
Why Do Cockroaches Scatter in Light?
Having an understanding of cockroaches in evolutionary terms is also important. These nocturnal creatures scatter in light because they feel vulnerable to predators. You might think that this is a good time to kill them or get rid of them, but they can also move very quickly when they feel threatened. They will scatter to protect themselves, making it difficult to get rid of all of them at once. It is not recommended to try to solve your problem this way because there are likely still plenty that is roaming around in the dark.
Methods to Getting Rid of Cockroaches
It might be unpleasant seeing them scatter, but it will get you closer to getting rid of them by using powerful repellants or chemicals that are non-toxic to humans and other animals. You can set up traps if you do not want to deal with cleaning up dead cockroaches, or you can take a more direct method by calling your local exterminator.
There are also special cockroach-killing sprays you can use in your doorways and by windows, common points of entry. If you are against chemicals, essential oils can be helpful. There are some essential oils that cockroaches cannot stand. You do have a lot of options to rely on when it comes to their removal.
If you have yet to see a cockroach but believe you have an infestation, shining a flashlight in dimly lit areas of your home that usually do not get much natural light will be helpful. This will be jarring to the cockroaches, and they will inevitably begin moving around so you can identify where they are.
Final Thoughts: Are Cockroaches Attracted to Light?
No matter which method you use, there is no doubt that the problem will be handled efficiently. Now that we’ve answered the question ‘are cockroaches attracted to light?’ and you understand how cockroaches function, you will be able to get one step ahead. Many people become overwhelmed when they see a cockroach in the house for good reason—they can multiply very quickly. Even though they are resilient and smart, using the methods above in a targeted way will allow you to feel comfortable in your home again.
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