When foraging for food and water, cockroaches contaminate food, surfaces, utensils as they go. They can be vectors of disease, being in contact with numerous pathogens, such as those causing food poisoning and many other bacteria. A thorough inspection to identify the species and look for the good roach traps are essential.
Unfortunately, roaches are common both in private houses and public buildings and have become an obvious health concern. Eradicating these insects is extremely difficult, however, being properly informed about roaches can help you face the challenge without blinking an eye. This guide will help you eliminate the problem step by step and reduce the risk of future incidents.
So, what are the best roach traps as of today? Deciding which roach trap works best depends on several things. Before buying anything, follow these three simple rules:
- Learn as much as you can about roaches.
The first thing you should know before starting this uneasy process is that the smartest thing for you to do is to use their biology against them. What does this mean? Know your enemies! Learn as much as you can about them.
- Identify the type of cockroaches living in your home.
- Do not let pesticide companies play on your emotions.
Do not try too much too fast and don’t believe any commercial. Instead, search carefully for all needed information before deciding what trap to choose.
Why Baiting Is Better Roach Killer Comparing To The Spray?
Have you heard that these insects have really disgusting habits: starting from defecation ending with eating other roaches when they die? When you choose a spray as a weapon, it is only contaminating the area and repelling them. That is why sprays are considered a temporary solution to this problem. What happens when you use baits for treating the unwelcome guests? A roach eats it and usually have enough time to go back to the nest where it dies. When it dies, it produces a special vomit. For some reason, the rest of the nest finds it delicious, so they eat it, which causes their death too. Thus, baits produce a secondary-kill effect, which makes them the best roach treatment ever.
How To Use Roach Traps?
I will guide you through the whole way: from where to put the poison to choosing the best roach bait trap among famous brands.
Roaches are social insects. They like to be around each other and search for food together at night. The best place to put roach traps is a corner of your house, where they usually gather. You may also place it under sinks or in cabinets. Make sure that it is the only food available to them in the kitchen.
In addition to putting baits in known infestation areas, you must also place enough traps to “cover” the areas of suspected infestation. The simplest method to monitor roaches is to inspect hiding places using a flashlight or place a glue trap.
The Best Roach Traps
- Syngenta A20378A Advion Cockroach Bait Arena Insecticide
- Combat Max 12 Month Roach Killing Bait
- Raid Double Control Small Roach Baits Plus Egg Stopper
- Maxforce FC Roach Bait Stations
- Vendetta Plus Cockroach Gel Bait
- HaRUION Cockroach Gel Bait
- Rockwell Labs – Invict Gold – Cockroach Gel
What are the best bait traps for roaches speaking of brands? Below is a quick list of my favorites that will get the job done fast.
1. Advion Syngenta Cockroach Bait
Specifications:
- Active Ingredient: Indoxacarb 0.5%
- Parts Included: 60 stations per Bag
- Item Weight: 1.59 pounds
- Package Dimensions LxWxH: 6.95 x 10.45 x 7.7 inches
- Target pests: Roaches
- Made in: USA
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According to the study of D.Miller and T. Mccoy (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA), the indoxacarb formulation showed the most rapid results with 100% mortality recorded within 24 hours.
Furthermore, the formulation of some baits is no longer appealing to bait averse roaches (American and German in particular), meaning they will not choose the bait among other food. Feeding indices for the indoxacarb bait formulations are positive (even bait averse cockroaches preferred both of the indoxacarb baits to dog food).
It happens because a formulation for the new Advion Cockroach Bait was developed with technology to solve this problem and change the gel bait-aversion behavior exhibited by German and American roaches. Through chemical optimization methods, scientists designed the active ingredient to be bio-activated by target insects themselves.
The price for this innovative bait matrix is comparatively high: from $30.
2. Combat Max 12 Month Roach Killing Bait
No products found.
Specifications:
- Active ingredient: Fipronil
- Style: Bait Stations, Small Roach
- Number of pieces: 12
- Item Weight: 0.02 Pounds
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 7.06 x 1.38 x 4.63 inches
- Made in: USA, Korea
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Its active ingredient belongs to the phenylpyrazole chemical family. Fipronil disrupts central nervous system normal function.
Researches show that fipronil cannot be effective for all types of roaches. In bioassays evaluating the bait susceptible strain, all of the bait formulations caused 100% mortality within the 7 days, including Fipronil. However, after 7 days only 5% mortality was recorded for the bait averse cockroaches exposed to this bait.
The product is convenient for usage: it includes small stations, that you should place under appliances, sink, or on floor along baseboards. The baits must be put properly so they are touching walls and corners. A big advantage is their special stations for baits so there is no mess around. The cost is lower than Raid.
3. Raid Double Control Plus Egg Stoppers
No products found.
Specifications:
- Active ingredient: Avermectin B1
- Style: Bait Stations
- Number of pieces: 2 Pack
- Item Weight: 0.27 Pounds
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 10.24 x 8.43 x 2.52 inches
- Made in: USA
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Its active ingredient acts by attaching selectively to specific neurotransmitter receptors that function in the peripheral motor synapses of insects.
Raid is not the number one name in the line of insecticide products, but it’s usually considered one of the best brands of roach traps. Small roach baits in two 12-Count boxes are able to remove infestation entirely after several weeks. Raid Double Control also prevents roach reproduction. Baits don’t smell and can be put in hard to reach spots. The downsides are the cost and limited indoor-only usage. Moreover, Raid is strong and extremely toxic, so you have to use it only as directed, wash your hands carefully after touching it and keep it away from children and pets.
4. Maxforce FC Roach Control Bait
Active ingredient: Fipronil, hydramethylnon
Made in: USA
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Convenient in usage: the transparent red top let you monitor bait consumption while allowing roaches into the darkness, because roaches are not able to differentiate light in the red spectrum. This product goes with child-resistant bait stations.
According to research, negative feeding indices showed: MaxForce FC (0.01% fipronil), MaxForce (2.15% hydramethylnon) when feeding bait averse roaches.
After 7d only 5% mortality was recorded for the bait averse cockroaches exposed to fipronil bait.
5. Vendetta Plus Control Cockroach Gel Bait
Specifications:
- Active ingredient: Avermectin B1
- Item Form: Gel
- Number of pieces: 4
- Item Weight: 8.47 Ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 2 x 2 x 2 inches
- Made in: USA
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The abamectin bait performed significantly better during the researches than either of the MaxForce products with 75% mortality after 7 d for the bait averse roaches. Vendetta seems to be the thickest gel between products of its competitors.
6. HaRUION Cockroach Gel Bait(not available)
Active ingredient: Indoxacarb
Made in: USA
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The price is higher than Advion, but the ingredient is the same. You should apply 3-5 spots per 10 linear feet. It also does not contain 8 most common food allergens.
7. Invict Gold Control Gel Bait
Specifications:
- Active ingredient: Imidacloprid
- Item Form: Gel
- Number of pieces: 4
- Item Weight: 8 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 4 x 2.4 x 5.5 inches
- Made in: USA
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InVict Gold Roach Bait Gel contains 10 baits with active ingredient imidacloprid to kill bait averse German roaches.
What are cat friendly cockroach traps?
To avoid harming your pet, while dealing with cockroaches, is not that easy, but perfectly manageable. That depends on the type of trap you’ve decided to use. Today’s cockroach traps allow you not only to catch the insects but also to get rid of them with the help of special ingredients.
First of all, try to choose cockroach traps with non-toxic trap stuffing, such as glue boards — they don’t kill a bug right away, but can glue it for good. There’s no possibility of your cat getting into it because the size is too small.
Another good reason to buy a trap of this type is that they don’t even smell toxic, on the contrary, they attract cockroaches with yummy food smells.
For higher quantities of cockroaches, you would need a more effective substance, like tablets or powder. The easiest way of pet-friendly usage, in this case, is placing them in non-cat-reachable areas. The tablets can be put under a cupboard or a bath tube, as for the powdered substances, they can be scattered into cracks and other small apertures insects come from.
Conclusion
It is crucial to know the biology of roaches in order to win the fight against them. If you know about their main habits and the way they live, you understand why baiting is the best roach trap.
According to several pieces of research that compared bait formulations for efficacy, the Indoxacarb formulations produced the most rapid results (within 3 days), achieving 100% mortality among “bait averse” and bait susceptible strains. That is why it would be fair to consider baits with this formulation best roach traps for German roaches.
Abamectin B1 was also effective (from 75% to 88,8 % within 5 days). Hydramethylnon bait produced < 50% mortality during the same period. The lowest results showed Fipronil baits: only 5% mortality of bait averse German roaches.
Feeding indices calculated for the indoxacarb bait formulations were also positive, all the cockroaches chose these baits over food.
So what roach traps are the best after all?
Taking into consideration the results of the researches and prices, my top-7 of the best roach bait traps will look like this:
- ADVION SYNGENTA COCKROACH BAIT
- VENDETTA PLUS CONTROL COCKHROACH GEL BAIT
- RAID DOUBLE CONTROL PLUS EGG STOPPERS
- INVICT GOLD CONTROL GEL BAIT
- MAXFORCE FC ROACH CONTROL BAIT
- COMBAT MAX 12 MONTH ROACH KILLING BAIT
I would suggest getting one piece each of Advion and Vendetta and use one for 5-7 days, then apply the next one for 5-7 days.
And last but not least:
If one gel bait didn’t work for you, the other might, so don’t lose hope!
Related Post:
- 7 Best Roach Repellents on the Market
- How to Get Rid of Palmetto Bugs
- How to Get Rid of Waterbugs
- How to Get Rid of Oriental Cockroaches
Contents
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Can you tell me how to get rid of german roaches? I’ve had them for the past two years and I keep spraying and spraying but they never seem to die.
Check out my recent article on how to get rid of german roaches.
Roaches are the worst! When they came to my house, I immediately began to look for the best bait for roaches. I don’t know types of these insects. I had to find something universal to kill all the roaches immediately, so I picked Advion gel bait mainly because it is simple in use. I haven’t seen any cockroaches for a week already. I believe it sticks to the promises.
Thanks for all these roach trap reviews. They are helping! I read your reviews twice before picking Combat Max traps. They are not pricey and effective for tiny cockroaches. I had them in my kitchen for months and tried numerous baits. Your description and instructions were so detailed, all I had to do was following them. After I bought and used these traps, roaches died.
Hello! Thank you, Nicholas, for your review! I purchased cockaroach traps: Syngenta advion.
Before arranging them, I did the big cleaning. I washed everything in the kitchen, armed myself with boots, and courageously put books and notebooks in a large bag, carried them (books and, possibly, hidden insects) to the balcony ( it was cold). Then I set traps, and just about the next day I noticed that there were fewer cockroaches. Alas, they did not disappear for all, but more often, dead insects came to my eyes. So the traps are working!
Someone in our apartment building must have a nasty problem, because I’m pretty sure we’re (luckily) just getting the overflow: We’re seeing a single 2-inch American cockroach (maybe even the same one) in our kitchen about once every 4 weeks since February (today was sighting #3). No others at all anywhere.
I tried the standard roach traps last time without realizing it was too big to get in the openings. I think I’m going to have to try the gel–even while having to worry about blocking two curious cats from it. ☹️
Yeah, having neighbors with roach issues can easily result in getting your apartment infested if you provide roaches with attractive living conditions (food leftovers in the first place). I’d recommend Advion Gel Bait (you can’t go wrong with this one), just make sure your cats can’t reach it.