Cockroaches are among the most common home-invading insects. Who has not had at least one encounter with a roach while in his or her own home. There are a variety of reasons for a cockroaches’ tendency to gravitate toward people’s homes, and it is by no means uncommon to find the creatures indoors, but there are a few important things to keep in mind when spotting a cockroach within your home.
Cockroaches are often found in homes because they need to locate food and water sources, not to mention shelter. Cockroaches will travel along a home’s baseboards until these sources of sustenance are located. The most common roach hangouts are kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, the spaces behind and under the refrigerator, attics, and basements. Although cockroaches mainly gravitate toward dark, moist and relatively human-free areas of a home, it is also good to remember that cockroaches are attracted to cardboard materials and even electronic devices, like DVD players, computers and video game consoles. Corrugated cardboard boxes provide an ideal habitat for cockroaches. These are the types of boxes that are used for sending packages through the mail, so it may be a good idea to slowly inspect your next Amazon delivery before excitedly grabbing your new toy out of its package.
Although it seems unbelievable, cockroaches are actually attracted to the tight spaces within electronic goods. Cockroaches are often found in video game consoles, especially ones that are sent through the mail, television sets, and even coffee makers. These are ideal living environments for roaches as they provide plenty of heat and sufficient darkness. Cockroaches, not surprisingly, are also relatively safe from human and other arthropod encounters in these cramped areas. In some instances, consumers have reported finding cockroach eggs and broods within their electronic goods after taking them apart in an effort to fix them. It is not at all uncommon for cockroaches to damage the electronic devices that they nest within. So the next time your video game console, or god forbid, your coffee maker is on the fritz, you may want to check them for a cockroach presence.
Have you ever found a cockroach in a strange place within your home?