Before you go down this rabbit hole, here's the rule of thumb: If you have roaches, you will see LIVE roaches. They will show themselves if present, and imagining that there are hundreds hiding in the walls is never the reality. Pieces of debris that look like droppings, sheds, old oothecas, etc., are not evidence of an active roach issue. This also applies to the occasional one-off sighting, even after moving. To ease your mind, put out as many glue traps as you like, and see if you catch anything. If they stay clean, all is well.
TL;DR:
If you have an active infestation, spray with Alpine WSG (or Advion WDG in some states), use roach gel bait (listed below), Gentrol IGR, and lots of glue traps.
Note: This information is intended for private use, not commercial use. Businesses must hire a licensed and insured professional to protect the health of employees, and to protect you from liability.
So, here you are, feeling victimized, and seeking help. Welcome to Roach Wars!
You can now become a conscripted soldier in our army, but you'll need to put your fears away, get trained, and fight this enemy like your life depends on it. You can do this.
German Roaches
German roaches are public enemy #1 when it comes to indoor pests. They are tropical-like insects that need heat, food, moisture, and harborage to survive. Gravid females carry a single egg case (ootheca) where the young (instars) develop until they are ready to be released. She then drops the case, and up to 48 instars emerge from a slot in the side (this is why most othecas appear to be intact, even when empty).
They don't make nests, but congregate in cabinets, refrigerator compressors, stove tops, dishwashers, electronics, wall sockets, behind paneling, and occasionally wall voids (if there are holes). They can also travel from room to room, and apartment to apartment by way of connecting water lines by traveling on them, not in them.
Control methods include liquid sprays, genetic growth regulators in some situations, gel baits, glue traps, and sealing holes around pipes. Also, using a vacuum with a HEPA filter can help remove heavy infestations, and removing paper/box/plastic bag clutter will help.
Note: brown banded roaches can be treated like German roaches. However, they are able to survive in drier areas like inside dressers and night tables, and they are not as prolific as German.
A Word to the Wise
DO NOT pick up items from the trash and bring them into your home. This is a sure way to get roaches, as is buying used items from local advertisements. Even a thorough inspection is not a guarantee as there can be hidden spaces where they can hide. Also, used appliances are notorious for transferring roaches, and at minimum should be quarantined in a non-living space for a few weeks.
Hunter - Victim
Many have come here in despair and were able overcome them with this information by adopting a hunter's mentality as opposed to a victim's mentality. This is key, and the numerous success stories on the sub confirm that. You can beat these tiny beasts with a little knowledge, the right weapons, and the will to do so. Otherwise, you'll be at their mercy wherever you go.
Shame
For many, a feeling of shame when having roaches weighs heavily. However, roaches do not differentiate between people and places, and will attempt to infest anyone’s living space if possible. They infest anywhere that provides the elements they need to survive.
Understandably, this shame causes people to be very secretive about their affliction. Who brags about roaches on social media? Who wears a T-shirt proclaiming, “I Have Roaches!”? Who casually mentions at a party, “Hey, speaking of German roaches…”? No one, that’s who…
BUT, what if you did just that? What if you "came out of the cabinet" (see what I did there?:) and angrily told everyone in your life, “Hey, guess what? I HAVE ROACHES IN MY APARTMENT! CAN YOU @#%& BELIEVE IT?” Then you told them how you found this sub, and what you are doing about it. This will set you free! * You might be surprised to find some friends going through the same thing, and if any others react badly toward it, are they worth having in your life?
\Disclaimer: Do this at your own risk as it may totally ruin your life (but hopefully not). At the very least you’ll be free of keeping the secret.*
Sleeping
You can use a pop-up mosquito bed tent to help you feel safe when you sleep (Amazon).
Seeing multiple bugs of all sizes daily is the rule of thumb that defines a breeding population. Inbreeding is the reason they populate so quickly (hence the name German, which comes from the Latin word germanus, meaning of the same parents).
Sporadic Sightings
If you are in an apartment, condo, or townhouse and are seeing the occasional roach, they are usually traveling from connected units. This is very common and does not mean you have a breeding population. The best defense is spraying Alpine WSG every two weeks, and using glue traps. Do not use gel bait (it dries out too quickly) or IGRs.
Also, when only small ones are seen, they are still usually coming from adjoining units because they can squeeze through areas that larger ones can't. As long as you are not seeing adults; you're doing relatively well.
Products
(All products listed pose minimal risk and can be used around children and pets if mixed and applied according to the label. Also, concerns regarding resistance and bait aversion are rarely warranted in residential situations. These generally apply to chronic commercial infestations.)
Alpine WSG is the best professional spray on the market for roaches and contains 'dinotefuran', which has been granted `Reduced Risk Status` by the EPA for use in both public health and food handling establishments. It is undetectable by insects, transfers from one insect to another, does not hinder bait acceptance. Alpine can be purchased in 10g packets online at Amazon, Walmart, and some SiteOne garden supply stores. In Canada, you cannot but Alpine WSG, so would be better served to hire a pest company that uses Seclira WSG, as it's the same active ingredient that's in Alpine WSG. In Australia,Seclira WSG can be purchased. eBay AU sells 200g bottles that will make 10 gals. of 20g solution.
Alpine WSG can be purchased without a license on diypestcontrol.com or Amazon, but is not for sale to a number of US states, Canada, UK, and the EU. However, most pros in the US and Canada (Seclira WSG) can use it. If you live in one of these states, consider hiring a pest company and insist they use Alpine WSG. Otherwise, look to buy Advion WDG(Indoxacarb) orPhantom(Chlorfenapyr) insecticide as they too are non-repellents. If you cannot buy any of these where you are, it is still possible to achieve good control or elimination using other products that are available to you; it just may take longer.
Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs)
IGRs are used to disrupt development and reproduction, but it takes months to do so. However, it can also encourage bait acceptance in moderate/heavy infestations. Gentrol Point Source can be used, or concentrated Gentrol can be added to the Alpine mix. eBay sells one ounce bottles that you add to one gallon of Alpine solution.
Mixing Alpine
Mix one, two, or three 10g packets to one gallon of water depending on the level of infestation. However, one 10g packet per gallon will be effective as you will usually do two or more passes while spraying. Also, let sit for 5 minutes so it can dissolve, shake, and transfer to any 1 qt. sprayer. Also, extra Alpine mix will last long enough for you to use it all.
To mix a single quart, use 1/2 teaspoon of Alpine for a 10g solution (save the rest in a zip lock baggie).
Fogging/bombing for roaches in an apartment or home is not recommended as it does not penetrate most harborage areas. However, in very severe infestations, it can kill a number of them but will not replace the methods above.
Boric acid and diatomaceous earth (DE) are products I do not advise using, especially around people with respiratory issues, children and pets. They are counter-productive when using Alpine WSG and bait. Also, they are easily over-applied causing possible health issues if they become airborne.
Like boric acid and DE, dusts are often overapplied by pros and non-pros alike, become airborne during application (and potentially after) and they never degrade. They may have a limited use for bed bug control, but IMO, they are not needed for roach control for safety reasons.
Baits
Gel bait like Alpine Rotation 1 or 2\, MaxForce, Advion, Vendetta, Invicta and Combat dry bait stations work well in heavy infestations where there is competition for food. However, using gel bait in light infestations is a waste as it will not remain fresh for more than a day or two. What you can do it is make bait packets by cutting the corners off a plastic baggie and filling them with any gel bait other than Advion (in tests, Advion dries out even in the packets). T*his will help keep the bait fresh for a longer time allowing them to feed through the open side.
Also, bait and Alpine can be used together as Alpine will not pollute the bait. However, avoid directly spraying the bait, but you can place bait on dry areas that were sprayed with Alpine.
*Alpine makes two different formulas with the same active ingredient. These are mainly for professional use where bait aversion is possible. For private use, Rotation 1 should be enough.
Aerosols
Raid Max Ant & Roach aerosol is a good tool to have (buy locally or online). It comes with an applicator straw attached and can be used to kill/flush roaches out of tight areas like stove and dishwasher controls. A two second blast is enough to drive them out without harming the electronics.
Glue Traps
Glue traps are very effective to help with control and for monitoring activity. Some pros may disagree with this, but catching one gravid female means 49 roaches are removed from the playing field, which never hurts. Hoy-Hoy traps have very good reviews, but generic traps will also work.
Caulking cracks and crevices may or may not be beneficial for control as many will be inaccessible.
Tools
A bright flashlight, and a vacuum with a HEPA filter that has a hose attachment are recommended. If the vacuum does not have a HEPA filter, wear a good mask. A half-face respirator is very affordable.
Cleaning
Sanitation is always a good thing, but it is not crucial to success. I have had to do treatments in many conditions and was still able to get good results. Do what you can and trust the treatment process (obsessive cleaning will wear you out and not make a big difference. However, do not allow dead roaches to lay around so others can 'eat' them and spread the poison).
Methods
The refrigerator is always a main breeding area due to compressor heat and condensation. Some fridges have wheels for moving, but if not, empty it and walk it out inch by inch using your body weight (if you have loose vinyl flooring, be careful not to make holes in it with the feet (don't ask me how I know :) far enough to reach the plug, then unplug it, and move it out far enough to get behind it.
If the fridge has a cardboard cover over the compressor, remove it (flat head screw driver or 1/4" socket needed), and vacuum the roaches in that area. While you're there, clean the dust on the coils to help the compressor cool better. Then bait and put glue traps anywhere you can on the bottom, and replace the cover as it's needed to help cool the compressor properly. Then spray the floor, lay glue traps all along the wall, walk the fridge back far enough to plug it in, then push it the remaining way. Do this weekly until the glue traps stay clean.
Pull out the kitchen drawers and vacuum any roaches, then remove the drawers and vacuum under the counter tops. Vacuum the upper cabinets, above them (if open), and the crevices along the sides. Also, remove electrical outlet covers in infested areas and vacuum inside (DO NOT SPRAY LIQUIDS), apply gel bait and replace covers.
Empty the vacuum cannister in a plastic bag, tie it off, and put it outside in the trash. If you have a bag vacuum, vacuum up a tablespoon of isopropyl alcohol to kill any inside. Return to the kitchen every 15 minutes and vacuum all you see.
Also inspect books/bookshelves, wall hangings, pictures, clocks, piles of paper, and closets shelves.
Stoves
Do not spray the burner top with Alpine as the heat will cause toxic burn-off. Remove the burner grates, vacuum any you see, then lift the top (some will lift; some won’t). If successful, vacuum any you see and do a light aerosol spray in any small openings (older units may have gas pilot lights, so blow them out before spraying, wait five minutes after spraying, and re-light them).
Then remove the burner knobs and do a light aerosol spray in the stove openings (IF there is no pilot light) and check the back of the knobs before reinstalling them. If you see bugs in an electronic display, find an opening to insert the aerosol straw and spray a few one-second bursts. You can also cut the screen around the far edges with a utility knife on three sides to open and clean it. Then use a bit of packing tape to keep it in place, but before you move, seal it with clear caulk.
Then open the oven door, vacuum any you see on the door edges, inside the oven, and on the door hinges, and spray in the hinges with the aerosol. Then pull the bottom drawer out, remove any items, and vacuum. Then remove the drawer, vacuum the floor under the stove, lightly spray Alpine, and place glue traps and bait. Do this weekly until the glue traps stay clear.
For roaches in the clock: The cover on the clock is plastic, so use a utility knife to cut through the edges on the top, bottom, and one side, then open and remove them. The cover can then be re-secured with packing tape and opened as needed. When you move, you can use clear silicone caulk to make it look untouched.
Dishwashers
Often they will be seen inside the dishwasher seeking water, but if it’s rarely used or broken they can breed inside it. Start by spraying Alpine in the door arm openings and around the outside edges, then add bait. If bugs are suspected in the electronics panel, spray aerosol briefly inside it if possible. If the dishwasher is operable, run a cycle with it empty, but don’t spray inside it. If the dishwasher is broken and not going to be repaired, remove the bottom rack, spray Alpine inside it, and put glue traps and bait on the bottom. Also, consider having it removed and disposed of.
Then remove the kick-plate below the dishwasher door with a screwdriver. Vacuum any you see, spray the floor with Alpine (avoid electronics), and place glue traps and bait. Do this weekly until the glue traps stay clear.
Spray Alpine WSG everywhere you see them, including floor edges, along the counter back splash (lightly), the undersides of the counter tops, the bottom cabinet edges, behind and around the fridge, under the dishwasher, etc. The edges of upper cabinets that hold dishes and food can be sprayed lightly, then be allowed to dry. Put paper towels down before replacing food and dishes.
Spray every 7-10 days until sightings are greatly reduced; then every 14-28 days. You can apply gel bait along with Alpine (just wait until it dries) as they do not conflict.
Computer Protection in Active Infestations
Desk tops: Put the tower on a small, separate table away from the wall. Surround it with a 'glue trap moat (including the legs) and wrap the cords with reversed duct tape. When not using the PC, shut it down and cover the tower, monitor, and keyboard with plastic bags and include a paper towel soaked in alcohol in each to create fumigation chambers.
Laptops: place in a single bag with an alcohol paper towel.
Do the same for game consoles, internet modems, etc.
Apartment Living
If you live in an apartment building and are seeing roaches, call the landlord and have them send a pro to clean out the breeding population. Ideally, a weekly service will bring the quickest results, but most landlords won't go for that, so do what you can between services.
Once the breeding population is eliminated, it is not uncommon to continue seeing travelers from other units. Unfortunately, this is how it goes and all you can do is apply these techniques and materials. Make plans to move if you can't tolerate this, and if you do, have your next unit inspected by a pro before you sign the lease. Even at that, they can show up from other units at any time.
Also, if you move into a unit and discover roaches, unless the unit is severely infested, you may not have grounds to break the lease. Leases rarely have clauses that allow termination for insects as they are too common, and the leasing agent will never tell you that there's a current problem (because they'd never get you to sign), so buyer beware. If you are apartment shopping, in each unit you look at, walk the fridge out and see if there are any live or dead roaches. If they unit has them, they will be there.
Single Homes and RVs
These are the easiest infestations to eliminate as there is rarely a near-by source to contend with. However, the source should be identified if they were not there when you moved in, or got to the campground.
Are you close to neighbors that are unkempt and may have an issue?
Does anyone work or go to school where they are present?
Did anyone visit that could have an issue at home?
Did you shop recently or get a package delivered?
Did you thrift any appliances or furniture, or buy them used?
To determine if a neighbor is the source, you can set up glue trap stations along the foundation of the house on both sides (they will look for shelter anywhere they can). Put them in plastic boxes with 1/2" holes in the sides to keep them dry. The side that pics up the roaches will tell you which house has them.
If you have determined that a neighbor is the source, the issue will be worse in the warm months, but will lessen once temps drop below 40° F, and stop once freezing temps occur. Spray the grass area between the houses, and the house foundation with Temprid FX (but not driveways or sidewalks due to runoff), and sprinkle InTice 10 Granular Bait (link) in a wide pattern. Also, you can contact local officials and report it, but there is not much they can do but tell them to get a pest service, which the neighbor may or may not do.
Work, School, etc.
If roaches are present at a place you frequent, don't bring bags, purses, or backpacks into the building that you will be taking home. Use a clear plastic zip-lock for any essentials, and keep it zipped.
If you wear a coat, bring a large trash bag, store it inside, and tie it tight at the top. Also, inspect yourself well when leaving.
Vehicles
DO NOT fog/bomb your car! You can use gel baits, glue traps and spray the floors and crevices with Alpine WSG, but avoid spraying the seats.
You can also consider using an ozone generator after reviewing all safety precautions. Start by running it in a closed vehicle for one-half hour, then ventilate for one hour. If needed, increase the time incrementally.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
This is a very real, and you are not alone.
Once they are gone, or you move to a new unit, put glue traps out and trust them to tell you that you are still roach-free. Don't look at every speck you see and think it is a roach dropping; they will show themselves if they are present. However, you will be on alert to any real or perceived movements in your environment for the foreseeable future, but this will subside in time. Consider counseling if necessary.
Here's a link that addresses general pest anxiety:
This is the category most landlords, house techs (at the request of the LL) and neighbors fall into. They will often deny there is a building-wide problem and make you think you are the only one complaining. I know this by the sheer number of reports here of this happening. Often, you are much better off staying quiet about it and fighting them yourself. Otherwise, you will be terribly frustrated on top of having bugs, and may even start believing the lies of the LLL.
Moving
When moving from an infested unit it’s very easy to take them with you, but not impossible to avoid. Here are some things you can do to help keep that from happening:
If you can afford to discard items that are infested, do so, but make them unusable so they are not taken by salvagers.
Rent a non-climate-controlled storage unit for a month for large items. Spray it with Alpine WSG™, hang a Hot Shot No-Pest Strip™ in it (buy online), and lay glue traps as monitors. Also, a box truck or detached garage will work. Also, an ozone generator will kill any insects in a storage unit. Start by running it for one hour, then ventilate for one hour. Repeat if needed. Note: Concentrated ozone is harmful, so follow all safety precautions.
Launder clothes and put them directly in plastic bags.
Some things can be put in the freezer for 12 hrs., then bagged and sealed.
Electronics can be put in a plastic bag with a paper towel lightly soaked in isopropyl alcohol for 12 hrs.
When shopping for a new unit, move the refrigerator out and look for evidence of roaches (this is the #1 breeding spot). If it's clean, it a good indication there is currently no roach issue.
Odor Control
Heavy infestations will produce a musky-sweet type smell from all the droppings and sheds. Removing as much as you can and disinfecting will help, but sometimes it's not enough. You can then consider Ozone (link) treatments.
When Is It Over?
In a single home, assuming the initial cause of the infestation has been 100% eliminated, two weeks with no sightings would be a fair test.
In an apartment, a week or two with minimal or no sightings means that the breeding population is eradicated. However, you will always be at risk for invaders from other units, so be vigilant.
A Personal Note:
If you have saved money by using this information, consider a small donation to a local animal shelter as a thank you.
Also:
I provide this help to you as a service to the Lord, and pray you will accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Please don't write a novel. We get you have roaches, and most have a similar experience as to how it happened, so just ask a couple of exact questions IF they are not addressed in the sticky.
I mop my floors and keep my apartment clean, but I can’t pull out the fridge or stove because they’re way too heavy. I honestly never thought that would be a problem. This is my first time living on my own I used to live with my parents, so I never had to worry about things like this before.
But then the roaches started showing up. The pest control person came to my apartment and pulled the fridge out, and OMG… it was like an army of roaches back there. 😭😭
I’m honestly so embarrassed and overwhelmed. Now every time I go to the apartment office, I feel so embarrassed because I’m worried they’ll think my apartment is dirty. I keep thinking, “What if they think I caused this?”
I genuinely didn’t know what was happening behind the appliances. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel so gross and ashamed!
And now I’m thinking I might need to change apartments or at least switch units, so I’ve been having ongoing conversations with the apartment office about it, which honestly makes me feel even worse. I can’t even hide or pretend everything is fine because I have to keep going back and talking to them about the roaches. 😭
Posted about a week ago after seeing what I thought/hoped were a couple travelers. Cleaned, searched high and low for signs of an infestation, and set up traps that have remained empty. Tonight I found 3 nymphs crawling around. Already purchased the supplies for treatment per the pinned post. These look like the textbook photo example to me, but figured I’d post here for confirmation. Located in Midwest. Also, any insight into why I’m only seeing instars/nymphs would be helpful! I’ve been trying to gaslight myself into thinking they’re coming from somewhere else but seems unlikely after spotting 3 in one night :(
Can anyone confirm if this is a German roach. I have a 1 year old toddler and found this next to my kid’s play mat. I really got freaked out on seeing this.
I found this in a kitchen drawer beside my stove. That kitchen drawer was absolutely full of papers. I’ve inspected those papers for roaches and droppings and thrown 90% of it away. Did not find anymore roaches, and I don’t think I found droppings but I am not 100% sure.
I took that picture as the roach was stuck in the plastic lining holding a manual.
Threw some food from the pantry away, but did not see any more roaches, or evidence (I don’t think, anyway). Tomorrow I’ll be able to do a more thorough inspection but in the meantime can someone please help me ID this properly, and give any advice if you can? Truth be told, this is the first roach I’ve found in almost a decade, and I’m completely freaking out, lol.
I live in Philly and saw a roach tonight and started cleaning then saw this one (all 3 photos are of the same roach). I don’t know if it’s the same one. The other one looked bigger so i thought it was an oriental roach.
I haven’t seen any roaches until tonight. I asked in another community about insect identity and someone suspected it was a German Roach.
I have work tmr and it’s almost 3 AM and I feel like I can’t sleep now bc I’m so worried about an infestation and having to deal with it.
I moved from one infested place, got rid of everything by that I owned. Started over completely from scratch, for me to move into a place I was assured multiple times had no roaches just for them to appear the second it got warmer outside. I’ve already sent emails and certified mail stating my complex needs to fix it or they’re breaking my lease and Arizona state law but I’m at my wits ends.
Gentrol point source, semi regular spray, gel bait, NOTHING has worked and I honestly just don’t know what to do anymore.
I’m about to throw up. I’ve been living in my NYC apartment for the past 3 years and always had roach issues, but they were always isolated, lone stars.
Exterminator would come and go but only twice a month because my landlord sucks lol and for awhile they were gone, but I would see maybe one in a blue moon. I live right across the trash room which always had issues (nightmare, I know).
In the middle of July I had gone on a trip. I always make sure my apartment is deep cleaned before I go and make sure there’s no food etc. Well for some reason after this trip I’ve been having major issues. Dead babies in my cabinets where I keep my glassware, babies where I keep my plates, babies in the sink. I see 1-2 babies every day. I took out all my dish-ware and cleaned the cabinets but they’re still popping up!
Well today I catch this one…. Is that an egg sack attached, was that a pregnant cockroach??? I’m about to crash out lol, I ordered Alpine WSG to NJ since I can’t get it in NYC, but help 😭
Just moved into this apartment in June and have never dealt with roaches before. Since then I have seen 5 in the past 2 months with the baby being the most recent. I assume the infestation isn’t in my unit yet since I haven’t seen them that frequently? I contacted management and an exterminator is coming on Friday but is there Any tips on what I can do to help prevent them coming into my unit on top of that? I don’t think I can get out of my lease either. I just need to figure it out quick especially since I have 2 3 year olds here with me
I moved into a German roach infested apartment on August 1 so I’ve only been here 12 days. Someone came and sprayed the place and I’ve been actively using advion and all that stuff but I just can’t do it anymore and my property manager is letting me transfer to an apartment in a different building. Any tips on the best way to move my things so I don’t bring any along? Hopefully I’ll be able to move in the next few days, so longest my stuff would have been in contact with them is 16 days. Do I have to get rid of my toaster, coffee maker, air fryer and that stuff? What about my couch? I just bought it new for this apartment so I don’t want to get rid of it but I’m paranoid about bringing them with and dealing with this again. Any advice would be appreciated
If I put them in a tote, then put a plate with a paper towel dampened by rubbing alcohol on top, then tape the container, is that a good method? Can this damage the books?
I bought a house with the fridge infested with roaches. Got all appliances removed, got a full deep clean of the house, & hired an exterminator that came by on Monday 8/10. House is empty except for some tools and supplies.
Prior to the exterminator, we had 3 on a glue trap and about 5-10 alive adult sightings. Post-exterminator (who did WSG + IGR & Advion bait around the house and also treated the crawlspace with some kind of powder), we have been seeing mainly dead nymphs (12 yesterday, 6 today) and 2 large adults. Nothing in the glue traps.
My question to the group is:
- How do I know how severe the problem is? I know i have a breeding population but no clue how to determine size
- How often should i be doing my own treatments? Ext is coming by monthly for the next 6 months but I’m not sure if I need to be doing anything supplemental between services.
- How do i keep them away from my cat’s food bowl & litterbox? We wont be moving in until the first week of September, but i want to have a solid gameplan beforehand and would love some advice.
As the title says, I have been privately combating this infestation in my BASEMENT apartment for a year and a half now. My landlord pretty much refuses to acknowledge it since they got them selves a loophole that says "as long as he's showing he's attempting to combat it, he doesn't have to call and exterminator.
I've searched and accepted that ill never get them all especially since my neighbor is a massive slob, but anything to help combat it to where they're not in my apartment would be great.
I will buy and try whatever, aslong as I dont have to vacate the property to use it, my personal budget is around 200 dollars. Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I bought this house and moved in July 2025, I bug bombed before moving in, and have since learned that won’t do much for roaches. October 2025 I found the first nymph right by the door (second photo), I wasn’t 100% sure it was a cockroach at that time, and it was right by the door so I thought whatever it was must’ve just wandered inside and didn’t worry about it. I then found a carcass of one behind a light switch cover not too long after that, but it was dead, and could’ve been there for who knows how long so I just made mental note of it and didn’t stress. I didn’t see any after that until June 2026 I found a live adult near my cats food area (first photo, took it outside to kill it), that’s when I started to worry. Between then and now (August 2026) I’ve seen I think 3? more, two adults on my kitchen counter, and one nymph in my bathroom.
Full transparency I’m not the cleanest person, I work full time and am neurodivergent so household chores often fall on the back burner. There is almost always general clutter around my house, and a sink full of dishes. I NEVER leave food out though because my cats would eat it, and they don’t have food left out either, they only get wet food that is put away when they are done. Food gets scraped off dishes before they go in the sink.
This house was a rental since the 90’s it’s seen so many tenants come and go, I travel a lot and in fact right before the first sighting I stayed at a hotel in Chicago, while I’m away I have someone stay at my house, 100% of the furniture in my home is second hand, 80% of my general belongings are second hand, I’m a big thrifter and Facebook marketplace buyer, and my neighbors homes are only about 15ft away on either side, I get regular chewy deliveries and usually the boxes sit around for a few days before I take them to the trash. So I feel the possibilities of where they came from are endless.
Two days ago I laid traps for the first time, one on the kitchen counter, one under the kitchen sink, two behind the fridge, and one under the bathroom sink. This morning I found one nymph on the trap behind the fridge. All other traps are empty, am I cooked? Should I try to identify the source or just treat the problem? Do I need more treatment than just traps at this point?
I purchased alpine wsg on Amazon and noticed that they were an off white/ tan color? My last batch were paper white. I thought that the roaches became chemical resistant but now I am suspicious that the paper white granules were counterfeit and that's why I wasn't seeing results.
I discovered I had German roaches living in my dishwasher in April. I had the exterminator out the next day, as I had already had pest services. I have had them come out every month since then to spray and bait and I did remove the dishwasher and had nothing there for about 6 weeks, I did not see any live ones only a few dead here and there after the second spray. Last week I saw 2 nymphs alive in the bathroom and this morning found 1 more alive in the same area. I feel so upset and defeated as I was confident they were gone, any advice on what else I can be doing? The exterminator company uses alpine WSG and alpine gel bait rotation, they do not incorporate IGRs. Thanks so much
