6 Foods That Attract Cockroaches

In general, cockroaches will eat just about anything, including fruits, vegetables, and even other insects. Roaches can even survive off hair, fingernail clippings, soiled clothes and even grease spots. Did you know that young cockroaches tend to eat the droppings of older cockroaches?

However, if a variety of food options are available, they will consume a nice balanced diet of starches and proteins. Any available food source can support and create a roach infestation, but there are six kinds of food that really attract cockroaches into your home.

1. Sugar

Sugar is the most powerful lure for a roach. They will gladly make themselves at home in bag of sugar or enjoy the drops of coke that remain in a soda can on the counter overnight. They can smell dried sugary drinks on the floor, and a sweet apple core in the kitchen garbage is delightful. They will happily indulge in the sweet sugar that is sprinkled on top of a Mardi Gras king cake. Make sure to keep all of theses sugary items in airtight containers, and don't forget to whip off countertops.

2. Starch

Cockroaches love starches - such as bread, pasta, and rice - so much that they will even eat book bindings which contain starch. They have no problems consuming paper, cardboard and even paper bags, especially if they contained food. The best way to keep them from eating these items is to keep the bugs out of your home with a good pest control company like Terminix.

3. Grease

Grease is hard to clean off stove tops, counters and oven hoods. It can even be on walls and the floors after using a frying pan. Unfortunately, greasy foods is a great source of fat that roaches love. This means it is very important to take time to remove the grease from the entire area around your stove.

4. Cheese

Blue cheese, swiss cheese, American Cheese, gouda cheese….roaches are not picky on the type of cheese they like as all of them are good. Small particles of cheese left on a cheese board or even left in the garbage can in the kitchen can attract roaches. Take your time and thoroughly wipe down all services, including the cheese board, and take out the trash regularly to avoid attracting the cockroaches.

5. Meat

Roaches are extremely attracted to the smell of meat, any type of meat. Chicken, beef, sausage and any other type of meat is a great source of fat and protein for any growing roach. If you spill meat or the juices while cooking or small pieces are left in the sink after the meal, be prepared to find roaches looking for the tasty leftovers.

6. Garbage

The garbage is not a single type of food for a roach, but a complete food smorgasbord of delightful treats all in one location. The trash can will have sugar, starch grease, cheese, and meat all in one huge buffet just waiting for the roaches to come for dinner, attracting them with a strong smell of food. In order to avoid the roach dinner rush, take out the trash on a regular basis, if not every evening.

Call Cockroach Exterminators

Whether you saw a cockroach running across your floor, found roach droppings, or even dead insects, call the experts! The best way to get rid of cockroaches for good and prevent another cockroach infestation from happening is by working with professional pest control company. Our team of New Orleans pest exterminators can identify a variety of cockroach species and create a treatment plan tailored to your home. Contact us today to schedule your inspection!