Cockroaches Outside House
Finding a cockroach outside of your house is better than finding one inside. But, you should never ignore the problem since infestations tend to spread quite rapidly. Figuring out why roaches are hanging around your lawn and garden helps you devise a plan that makes them go elsewhere.
Why Do I Have Cockroaches Outside My House?
Outdoor roaches are looking for the same things that the ones inside your house want. Food, water, shelter, and a place to lay their eggs are their priorities. While you might not realize it, your outdoor space has everything roaches need to thrive.
While you might know that roaches naturally live outside, you might be wondering why there is a sudden large population. You can attribute this to the fact that cockroaches communicate with each other through bacteria found in their fecal matter.
When a cockroach finds a rich source of food and a comfortable environment safe from predators, they send out signals to the other roaches in the area. Once the other roaches catch wind that there’s a safe place to feed and reproduce, they’ll swarm to the area.
Where Do Roaches Nest Outside?
Roaches don’t build nests like birds or mice. Instead, they form congregations that all breed, feed, and lay their eggs in the same space.
The ideal place for roaches to nest is damp environments with lots of decaying material. You’ll find roaches hanging out beneath piles of decaying leaves. They also like rotting wood and might be found hiding underneath piles of stacked firewood and other types of debris.
Compost bins and trash cans are another favored spot for roaches, and you might also find them around areas where water exists, such as a storm drain or leaky pipe.
Do Roaches Outside Mean Roaches Inside?
Seeing cockroaches outside of your house means that there is a strong chance that they are getting inside somewhere. This is especially possible if you find roaches running around near your house’s exterior walls.
The likelihood of roaches coming inside depends slightly on the type you have outside. For example, American cockroaches are less likely to be found inside than German cockroaches. However, any type could come indoors to escape extreme temperatures outside.
A roach could also accidentally be carried inside on things you bring in from your yard, or they could be attracted to the light. Simply put, a roach doesn’t care much about the boundary of your house, provided they can find what they need to eat and breed.
Generally, you’ll also need to inspect your house for roaches if you find them outside. It is common to discover that an infestation extends to other areas of your home, such as the kitchen or garage.
Since roach infestations spread quickly, it is important to address outdoor problems before they have a chance to create issues in your house.
How to Get Rid of Roaches Outside and In Your Garden?
Getting rid of roaches in their natural environment requires a little work on your part combined with the help of professional pest technicians. Leaving the roaches alone can still interfere with your ability to enjoy your outdoor space, even if they haven’t made their way inside.
You’ll want to start by thoroughly inspecting your outdoor area to determine where the problem seems to be the worst. Addressing the areas where you see roaches swarming can help your other pest control measures work better.
Here are a few hot spots that tend to attract cockroach populations and provide the elements they need from their environment to thrive.
Eliminate Rotting Materials
Many lawns have areas with rotting debris that might not be noticeable at first when you are used to things in your yard. For example, a pile of leaves may look dry on the top, but they could have dampness and decaying organic matter beneath them.
An old tree trunk that hasn’t been fully removed from the yard could also have decay within the roots or exposed portion. Or, you could have mulch that has started to decay at ground level. Cleaning these areas can encourage the roaches to move on to another space.
Practice Good Compost Bin Maintenance
Compost bins are a great way to use unwanted materials to create rich fertilizer for your garden. While you’re doing a great thing by recycling discarded food, you’ll also want to be vigilant about maintaining the bin.
Compost has all of the elements that roaches love. Decaying food and a dark place to bury themselves in for safety and warmth are major attractants for roaches.
While roaches are fine with fairly warm temperatures, one of the best things you can do is keep your compost bin at a hot enough temp to deter pests. Your compost bin should stay at around 140 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. If you can’t keep it that hot, you might need to invest in a cover to keep the roaches and other pests out.
Pick Up Dropped Produce
If you have a fruit or vegetable garden, then you’ll also want to beware that garden roaches tend to feed on produce that falls to the ground and starts to decay. Like a trash can, they’ll flock to the area for feeding.
Check your garden daily for any produce that somehow makes its way to the ground, especially when the weather conditions are ripe for fruit and vegetables to decay quickly. Removing it can stop garden roaches from visiting the area.
Plan for Perimeter Spraying
Exclusion works well for preventing new roaches from coming to your home, but it usually isn’t enough to eliminate a large population that is happy hanging around.
Perimeter spraying around your house can stop outdoor roaches from coming inside. The spray can also be used in cockroach hot spots or around the perimeter of your yard to kill off any roaches that won’t just leave.
Professional sprayers can use pesticides that are safe to spray around your garden or outdoor kitchen. With regular spraying, you should see the roaches’ population decline rather quickly until you finally have a pest-free yard.
